Chemical composition, antiproliferative and antioxidant attributes of ethanolic extract of resinous sediment from Etlingera elatior (Jack. ) inflorescence

The ethanolic extract of resinous sediment (EERS) of Etlingera elatior young inflorescence was examined for its anticancer effect and potential antioxidant activity. The anticancer effect of the EERS was evaluated on four human cancer cell lines, HCT 116, HT-29, Hela, and MCF-7, using the MTT assay. GC-MS analysis showed that the main components found in the EERS were nonyl cyclopropane (4.44%), 1-tetradecane (3.66%), cyclotetradecane (2.41%), cyclododecane (1.92%), and 1-decene (1.72%). The antioxidant activity was determined through different methods. High amounts of TPC and TFC in the EERS were found. Moderate antioxidant capacity of the EERS was detected by DPPH and ABTS assays, with EC50 values of 44.19 and 56.61 µg/mL and a high FRAP value of 281.79 nmol Fe+2 equivalent/mg extract. In the MTT assay, the EERS showed potent anticancer activity, with IC50 values of 19.82, 37.001, 50.49, and 53.29 µg/mL against HT-29, HCT 116, Hela, and MCF-7 tumour cell lines, respectively. Moreover, the results were comparable to or less potent than the standard reference drug, 5-fluorouracil. The results showed that the EERS of Etlingera elatior inflorescence contained a high amount of polyphenols and flavonoids, which may to the selective antiproliferative effects towards colon cancer in vitro

Evaluation of antidiabetic activities of Etlingera elatior flower aqueous extract in vitro and in vivo

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health problem for millions of people worldwide. Nowadays, medicinal plantshave started gaining more attention in diabetes management due to the minimal side effects and cost-effectiveness.This study aims to ascertain the antidiabetic potential of the Etlingera elatior flowers aqueous extract on the in vitroinhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes and in vivo type 2 DM rat model. The findings demonstrate that E.elatior flower has a high percentage of inhibitory activity against α-amylase (99.70 ± 2.88%) and moderate activityfor the α-glucosidase enzyme (52.39 ± 1.50%). In addition, E. elatior flower has also exhibited an antihyperglycemiceffect that is dose-dependent and has significantly decreased the elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, and lowdensity lipoprotein levels in the in vivo study. Furthermore, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkalinephosphatase also were significantly decreased when compared to untreated DM. The high contents of total phenolic(39.06 ± 1.59 mg GAE/g), total flavonoid (39.00 ± 2.42 mg QE/g extract), and potent antioxidant activity weresuggested to contribute to the antidiabetic activity of the extract. In conclusion, E. elatior flower could potentially bedeveloped as a natural source of antioxidants that can be used for the prevention or treatment of diabetes.

In vitro Antibacterial Properties of Etlingera elatior Flower Extracts against Acne-Inducing Bacteria: Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus

@#Introduction: Acne is a common skin disorder and is generally caused by Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus. Etlingera elatior flower extract is known to have antibacterial properties however, the properties against these bacteria have not been extensively reported. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the antibacterial properties of the flower extract against these bacteria. Materials and Methods: The flower extract was subjected to sequential extraction using three different solvent polarities; n-Hexane, dichloromethane (DCM) and ethanol. The antibacterial properties were evaluated using the disc diffusion and broth dilution assays techniques by determining the inhibition zone diameter, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Total phenolic acids (TPC) and flavonoids contents (TFC) were estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium-chloride colorimetric assay respectively. Morphological changes of the treated bacteria were studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results: DCM flower extract showed the highest antibacterial properties against P. acnes; at 25 mg/ml it had the widest inhibition zone (11.39 ± 0.45 mm) and the lowest MIC (6.25 mg/ mL) and MBC (12.5 mg/mL). The ethanolic flower extract had the highest antibacterial properties against S. aureus; at 50 mg/ml­ the inhibition zone was 6.21 ± 0.25 mm and the MIC and MBC were both 12.5 mg/ mL. Ethanolic extracts had the highest TPC (966.304 ± 114.08 mg GAE/g) and TFC (796.33 ± 65.78 mg QE/ g). There was significant morphological changes of the treated bacteria observed under SEM. Conclusion: E. elatior flower extracts exhibited antibacterial properties against acne-inducing bacteria.

Cultivo de bastão-do-imperador sob diferentes espaçamentos em clima subtropical / Cultivation of torch ginger in different spacing in subtropical climate

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o cultivo de bastão-do-imperador sob diferentes espaçamentos de plantio em clima subtropical. Os espaçamentos utilizados entre plantas na linha e entre linhas foram: 2,0x2,0m; 2,5x2,0m e 3,0x2,0m. Após 16 meses do plantio, iniciaram-se as avaliações do comprimento e diâmetro da haste da inflorescência, diâmetro basal da inflorescência (com brácteas abertas), diâmetro do botão da inflorescência, comprimento da inflorescência, número de hastes vegetativas por touceira, área de ocupação da touceira, altura da maior haste vegetativa e produção média de inflorescências por touceira. Os diferentes espaçamentos influenciaram no diâmetro da haste da inflorescência e na área de ocupação da touceira. Durante o período da pesquisa, houve aumento no comprimento da haste da inflorescência e nos diâmetros basal e botão da inflorescência. Nas condições de clima subtropical, é possível obter inflorescências de bastão-do-imperador com características comerciais adequadas. A maior produção foi observada utilizando-se o espaçamento de 3,0x2,0m.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the torch ginger growth in different planting spacing in subtropical climate. Spacing evaluated between plants and rows were: 2.0x2.0m; 2.5x2.0m and 3.0x2.0m. The following plant evaluations started sixteen months after planting: length and diameter of the inflorescence stem, basal diameter of the inflorescence (with opened bracts) and button diameter of the inflorescence, length of the inflorescence stem, number of vegetative stems per clump, area per clump, height of the higher vegetative stems and inflorescences production per clump. The different spacing influenced flower stem diameter and area per clump. Basal diameter of the inflorescence, button diameter of the inflorescence, and length of the inflorescence stem increased during the research period. Under the conditions of subtropical climate, it is possible to obtain inflorescences of torch ginger with suitable commercial characteristics. The highest production was obtained when using the spacing of 3.0x2.0m.

Identificação e variabilidade genética de isolados de Colletotrichum causando antracnose em inflorescências de plantas ornamentais tropicais / Identification and genetic variability of Colletotrichum isolates causing anthracnose in inflorescence of ornamental tropical plants

A antracnose afeta a qualidade de inflorescências de plantas ornamentais tropicais, e a espécie fúngica Colletotrichum gloeosporioides tem sido relacionada a essa doença apenas por análises morfológicas. Por isso, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos identificar isolados de Colletotrichum coletados em plantas de antúrio (Anthurium andraeanum), bastão do imperador (Etlingera elatior) e helicônia (Heliconia spp.), por meio de caracteres morfológicos e reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR), e avaliar a variabilidade genética por meio de oligonucleotídeos arbitrários (AP-PCR). Pelas características morfológicas de tamanho de conídio e de apressório, todos os isolados foram identificados como C. gloeosporioides. Um fragmento de 450pb específico para C. gloeosporioides foi amplificado em todos os isolados analisados, com exceção de C 23 e C 35. A caracterização molecular realizada com três oligonucleotídeos arbitrários ((GACAC)3, (GACA)4 e (CAG)5) possibilitou a formação de três grupos de isolados, com padrões de bandas distintos. Portanto, conclui-se que as metodologias utilizadas foram eficientes na identificação de isolados de C. gloeosporioides provenientes das espécies ornamentais avaliadas e que, nos isolados analisados, não existe relação entre a similaridade observada no padrão de bandas obtido por AP-PCR e a área de coleta ou a planta hospedeira.

Anthracnose affects inflorescences quality of ornamentals tropical plants and the fungi specie Colletotrichum gloeosporioides has been related with this disease based only on morphology. Therefore, the objectives of this research was to identify Colletotrichum isolates collected on anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum), torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) and heliconia (Heliconia spp.) plants by means of morphology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and also verify the genetic variability using arbitrary-primed PCR (AP-PCR). All isolates were identified as C. gloeosporioides by conidium and appressorium size. A fragment of 450bp specific for C. gloeosporioides was amplified for all isolates analyzed, except for C 23 and C 35 isolates. The molecular characterization yielded three groups of isolates with different band patterns by using (GACAC)3, (GACA)4 and (CAG)5 AP-PCR. The employed methodologies were efficient to identify the C. gloeosporioides isolates collected on ornamental plants and there isn't relation between similarity of band patterns and geographic region or plant specie on the isolates analyzed.

Escala diagramática para avaliação da severidade da antracnose em bastão do imperador / Diagrammatic scale for assessment of torch ginger anthracnose severity

A antracnose, causada pelo fungo Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc., é uma importante doença do bastão do imperador [Etlingera elatior (Jack) Smith] no Nordeste brasileiro. Considerando a inexistência de métodos padronizados para quantificação dessa doença, foi elaborada uma escala diagramática com os níveis 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 82 e 92 por cento de área da bráctea lesionada, testando-se a acurácia, a precisão e a reprodutibilidade das estimativas de severidade da antracnose com e sem a utilização da escala. A escala diagramática foi validada por 10 avaliadores, usando 45 brácteas com diferentes níveis de severidade da antracnose. Sem a escala, a maioria dos avaliadores superestimou a severidade da doença. Com a escala, os avaliadores obtiveram melhores níveis de acurácia e precisão, com os erros absolutos concentrando-se na faixa de 10 por cento. Os avaliadores apresentaram elevada repetibilidade (95 por cento) e reprodutibilidade (³90 por cento em 75,6 por cento dos casos) das estimativas com a utilização da escala. A escala diagramática proposta demonstrou ser adequada para avaliação da severidade da antracnose em bastão do imperador.

Anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. is an important disease of torch ginger [Etlingera elatior (Jack) Smith] in the Brazilian Northeast. Considering the inexistence of standard methods for assessment of this disease, a diagrammatic scale was developed with 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 82 and 92 percent of diseased bracts area and tested for accuracy, precision and reproducibility of the estimative of anthracnose severity with and without using the scale. The diagrammatic key was validated by 10 raters, using 45 bracts with different levels of severity. Without the diagrammatic scale most of raters overestimated disease severity. With the scale raters obtained better levels of accuracy and precision, with absolute errors concentrated around 10 percent. Raters showed great repeatability (95 percent) and reproducibility (³90 percent in 75.6 percent of cases) of estimative by using the scale. The proposed diagrammatic scale was suitable for the evaluation of torch ginger anthracnose severity.