Alkaloid Accumulation and Distribution within the Capsules of Two Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Varieties.

The goal of this study was to clarify the role of capsule size and morphology in the alkaloid yield of poppy. In 2023, two industrial varieties from large-scale cultivation were investigated. Three classes of capsule size (large, medium, and small) and four organelles (wall, placenta, disc, and thalamus) of the seedless capsule were studied for their mass proportions and alkaloid contents. In 'Meara', large capsules had 41% lower total alkaloid levels than smaller ones. In 'Morgana', there was no difference in total alkaloids between size groups, but large capsules had higher contents of codeine and thebaine. Among the four organelles, the wall represented the largest mass in both varieties (60-67%), while the disc and the thalamus gave the lowest proportions (below 9%). In the variety 'Meara', the highest alkaloid contents appeared in the wall (2.69% d.w.), followed by the placenta, and the other two parts. 'Morgana' accumulated the highest alkaloid content (3.72% d.w.) in the placenta. Morphine follows the trend of the total content, while codeine and thebaine may differ. Accurate information on the accumulation of alkaloids in the generative organs may contribute to increasing effectiveness in target-oriented breeding and optimization of cultivation with an appropriate choice of variety.

Studies on Sensory and Phytochemical Characteristics of Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Varieties for Their Oil Utilisation.

Poppy is a significant pharmaceutical crop, but the seeds and the cold-pressed oil have a big potential as healthy foods. Breeding has mainly focused on agronomical characteristics and alkaloid content. Here, we compared the sensory values, fatty acid and headspace volatile composition of poppy oils and flours produced from different varieties. Two industrial and four culinary varieties were cultivated in our field in 2021-2022. The sensory test differentiated well among varieties. Typical poppy odour and flavour were stronger both in the oils and the flours of the blue-seed varieties compared to the white-seed ones. For most varieties, the harvest year caused no relevant differences. Linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids were the main components both in oils and flours. Larger differences were detected in the volatiles (e.g., 2 and 3 methyl-butanal and 3 methyl-butanol γ-n-caprolactone, pentofuran), depending on genotype and year. A higher ratio of saturated fatty acids negatively influenced the flavour and odour characteristics. In the headspace volatiles, these features correlated negatively with 2-pentylfuran and hexanal. The oil content of poppy flour has a positive effect on colour, appearance, tactility and poppy flavour. Our results support a goal-oriented use of poppy genotypes for high-quality dietary products.

Chemotypes and Their Stability in Mentha longifolia (L.) L.-A Comprehensive Study of Five Accessions.

Mentha longifolia (L.) L. is the most widespread wild-growing mint species found, and its chemical composition is extremely diverse. We studied the essential oil (EO) yield, composition, and chemotaxonomy of five, northern Hungarian accessions of the species in a cultivation experiment covering two vegetation years at two parallel sites. The long-term goal is to establish the cultivation of this stress-tolerant species in Hungary as a source of flavoring and preservative agents for commercial use. Essential oil yield (1-2 mL/100 g) was observed to be dependent on both the accession and the year. Accession HV1 is assumed to be a new, presumably rare chemotype containing carvacrol (19.28-20.56%), 1,8-cineole (14.87-17.45%), thymol (13.36-13.90%), carvacryl acetate (8.81-10.40%), and para-cymene (7.24-8.01%). Only minor fluctuations occurred in concentrations of these constituents due to habitats and years. A radical change in essential oil composition was observed in accession HV2, as one batch was based on thymol (19.79%) and 1,8-cineole (14.93%), while the others were rich in dihydrocarvone isomers (up to 69%). Although this needs further investigation, it does explain the coexistence of limonene-oxo and γ-terpinene pathways in horsemint. According to the literature, the pathway leading to thymol isomers and/or esters may be rare in the entire Mentha genus. We also demonstrated that known chemotypes of horsemint may differ in variability of their EO composition. Our results also led to the conclusion that any declaration on chemotype needs detailed examination and is not realistic on the basis of a single sample. Assumptions were made about the potential areas of utilization: beside fragrance and flavoring uses of essential oils free from pulegone and menthofurane, thymol-based ones may be used as antioxidative and anti-spoilage agents.

Stress-induced changes of growth, yield and bioactive compounds in lemon balm cultivars.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of water deficiency on five Melissa officinalis genotypes. For three months water supply of 70% (control) and 40% (stress) of soil water capacity treatments have been adjusted in a pot experiment. Considering the morphological data, the different genetic potentials of cultivars were manifested only under optimum water regimes while under drought they merged into one homogeneous basic population representing the species. The biomass data decreased for all cultivars under drought stress, but the degree of loss was genotype specific. Genotype dependence of the change in essential oil accumulation was clearly proved by the data. Three of the cultivars ('Gold Leaf', 'Lorelei' and 'Quedlinburger Niederliegende') showed the same essential oil content both in control and stress treatments. Under drought stress the cultivar 'Lemona' produced only 35% of its essential oil content, however cv. 'Soroksár' reacted with 58% increase of essential oil accumulation to drought treatment. Considering the non-volatile bioactive compounds a unique response of the investigated accessions to drought stress was demonstrated. Cultivar 'Lorelei' showed an increased accumulation of total hydroxicinnamic acid derivatives content while cv. 'Gold Leaf' and 'Soroksár' clearly reacted with higher accumulation of total flavonoid fraction. In the case of cv. 'Quedlinburger Niederliegende' the remarkable decline in total flavonoid content is the most obvious stress reaction. The rosmarinic acid content of all genotypes showed lower accumulation level in consequence of lower water supply.

A manifesto for the valorization of wild edible plants.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Wild foods constitute an essential component of people's diets around the world, but despite their widespread use and their cultural importance, wild edible plants (WEPs) lack recognition as significant contributors to the human diet in developed countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We stimulate national and international bodies dealing with food and agriculture, to increase their attention and investments on WEPs, leveraging the results of scientific investigation, enhancing the link between in situ conservation strategies and sustainable use of plant genetic diversity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: WEPs should be reconsidered throughout their value chain, capturing their important socio-cultural, health, and economic benefits to indigenous and local communities and family farmers who are engaged in their production and wild-harvesting.

Variability of the essential oil content and composition of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) affected by weather conditions.

In our study we examined the variability of the essential oil content and composition of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) during three years (2005-2007). Twenty-eight populations of wild origin and 4 registered cultivars ('Soroksári 40', 'Lutea', 'Goral' and 'Bona') were evaluated in open field experiments. It could be established that the experimental populations represented different genetic potential for essential oil accumulation and composition. The best populations of wild growing origin from the Somogy-region and four cultivars produced the highest essential oil contents (above 0.6 g/100g) in each year. Additionally, the quality of the characteristic main compound of the oil determining the "chemotype", according to Schilcher, was found to be stable during the three years period. However, the actual chemosyndroms are significantly influenced by the weather conditions. In the three years' experiment, the moderately warm and relatively wet year of 2006 produced the highest contents of essential oil and also that of its alpha-bisabolol component. Although bisabolol oxide A also showed a high variability through the years, its direct connection with weather conditions could not be proved. A moderate variability was established for the proportions of chamazulene, and the lowest one for bisabolol-oxide B. Considerable genotype-weather interaction was supposed, especially for the essential oil content and for the ratio of bisabolol-oxide A.

Effect of enterally administered n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in acute pancreatitis--a prospective randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: In acute pancreatitis (AP) administration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) might change the course of the disease through modulation of eicosanoid synthesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective, randomized clinical trial from 28 patients with moderate-severe AP, 14 received n-3 PUFAs (fish oil) enterally (3.3g/day for 5-7 days). Measurement of erythrocyte superoxide-dysmutase (SOD) activity, serum total antioxidant status (TAS), vitamin A and E, fatty acids, C-reactive protein, transthyretin concentrations were performed at admission, day 3, 7 and 14. RESULTS: The n-3 to n-6 LCPUFA ratios increased significantly in serum lipids of the patients receiving n-3 PUFA supplementation, whereas remained unchanged in the controls. Supplementation resulted in significant decrease in length of hospitalization (13.07+/-6.70 vs. 19.28+/-7.18 days, P<0.05) and jejunal feeding (10.57+/-6.70 vs. 17.57+/-10.52, P<0.05). Complications developed in 6/14 (42%) of treated and 9/14 (64%) of control patients. The SOD activity was significantly higher at day 3 in the supplemented group (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in other antioxidants and acute phase reactants. CONCLUSION: The use of enteral formula enriched with n-3 PUFAs in the treatment of AP seems to have clinical benefits based upon the shortened time of jejunal feeding and hospital stay.

Hereditary and acquired angioedema: problems and progress: proceedings of the third C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency workshop and beyond.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE), a rare but life-threatening condition, manifests as acute attacks of facial, laryngeal, genital, or peripheral swelling or abdominal pain secondary to intra-abdominal edema. Resulting from mutations affecting C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), inhibitor of the first complement system component, attacks are not histamine-mediated and do not respond to antihistamines or corticosteroids. Low awareness and resemblance to other disorders often delay diagnosis; despite availability of C1-INH replacement in some countries, no approved, safe acute attack therapy exists in the United States. The biennial C1 Esterase Inhibitor Deficiency Workshops resulted from a European initiative for better knowledge and treatment of HAE and related diseases. This supplement contains work presented at the third workshop and expanded content toward a definitive picture of angioedema in the absence of allergy. Most notably, it includes cumulative genetic investigations; multinational laboratory diagnosis recommendations; current pathogenesis hypotheses; suggested prophylaxis and acute attack treatment, including home treatment; future treatment options; and analysis of patient subpopulations, including pediatric patients and patients whose angioedema worsened during pregnancy or hormone administration. Causes and management of acquired angioedema and a new type of angioedema with normal C1-INH are also discussed. Collaborative patient and physician efforts, crucial in rare diseases, are emphasized. This supplement seeks to raise awareness and aid diagnosis of HAE, optimize treatment for all patients, and provide a platform for further research in this rare, partially understood disorder.

Examination of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in papers of Kidney International: an underused tool.

BACKGROUND: Population-genetic studies investigating genetic polymorphisms of Mendelian inheritance should always test whether the measured genotype frequencies deviate from the expected one. For this purpose Hardy-Weinberg (HW) criteria are generally used. If genotype distribution of control population misses HW equilibrium, the results should be treated cautiously because the observed genotype distribution in control population does not represent genotype distribution in the overall population. If HW criteria are not fulfilled in the investigated population, this may be further evidence for the correlation between genotype and investigated condition. METHODS: Between September, 1998, and September, 2003, we tested papers published in Kidney International if HW criteria were ordinarily and correctly checked in studies investigating genetic polymorphisms. Seventy-five genotype distributions of the selected 39 articles were reanalyzed. RESULTS: HW calculation was reportedly performed in 25 papers (64%). The observed genotype distribution deviated significantly from the expected one in three control, and in 16 patient populations and in three populations of association studies of 15 papers overall; however, this fact was not mentioned in 12 papers. CONCLUSION: Although the deviation of genotype distribution from the expected one is important information, HW calculations are not performed routinely for each investigated subject groups in these papers investigating genetic polymorphisms.

Protein status in pancreatitis--transthyretin is a sensitive biomarker of malnutrition in acute and chronic pancreatitis.

Malnutrition may develop in acute pancreatitis (AP), accompanied by hypermetabolism and high nutritional requirements, and in chronic pancreatitis (CP). We measured the incidence of protein malnutrition in AP and CP by comparing different serum biomarkers of protein metabolism and inflammation. Thirty-five patients with acute (27 moderate, 8 severe), and 35 with chronic, pancreatitis were enrolled in the study. Serum transthyretin, albumin, transferrin and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured in AP at admission, after 1 and 2 weeks of jejunal feeding, and in patients with CP at follow-up. In AP, at admission the transthyretin level was low in 74%, transferrin in 48%, and albumin in 29% of patients. In severe pancreatitis, transthyretin levels were significantly lower than in moderate forms (7.5 +/- 2.43 vs. 14.39 +/- 6.8 mg/dl, p < 0.005). Transthyretin levels increased significantly after 2 weeks of jejunal feeding (p < 0.05). In CP, transthyretin levels were decreased in 37%, transferrin in 27%, and albumin in 12% of patients. We found significantly lower transthyretin levels in alcohol-related CPthan in other forms (18.5 +/- 8.3 vs. 30.2 +/- 5.7, p < 0.01). Transthyretin correlated positively with albumin and transferrin and negatively with CRP Transthyretin seems to be a sensitive biomarker of protein status and metabolic stress. Monitoring nutritional status through measurement of serum proteins is important for optimal treatment of AP and CP.