Anti-inflammatory effects and related mechanisms in vitro and in vivo of Hedychium coccineum rhizome essential oil.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hedychium coccineum rhizome is an anti-inflammatory ethnomedicine used to remedy inflammation-related swelling and bronchial asthma. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to analyze the phytochemical constituents of H. coccineum rhizome essential oil (EO) and evaluate its in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects and underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phytochemical constituents of H. coccineum rhizome EO were analyzed using GC-FID/MS. In RAW264.7 macrophages induced by LPS, blockade of PGE2, NO, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α secretion by H. coccineum rhizome EO was measured, and then Western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescent staining were used to evaluate its underlying mechanisms. Moreover, we used the xylene-induced ear edema model for testing anti-inflammatory potential in vivo and examined auricular swelling as well as tissue and serum contents of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α. RESULTS: EO's main components were E-nerolidol (40.5%), borneol acetate (24.8%), spathulenol (4.5%), linalool (3.8%), elemol (3.5%), and borneol (3.4%). In RAW264.7 cells stimulated by LPS, EO downregulated the expression of pro-inflammatory enzyme (iNOS and COX-2) genes and proteins, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators (NO and PGE2) secretion. Simultaneously, it reduced TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 release by downregulating their mRNA expression. Besides, H. coccineum EO attenuated LPS-stimulated activation of NF-κB (by reducing IκBα phosphorylation and degradation to inhibit NF-κB nuclear translocation) and MAPK (by downregulating JNK, p38, and ERK phosphorylation). In xylene-induced mouse ear edema, EO relieved auricular swelling and lowered serum and tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: H. coccineum EO had powerful in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting MAPK and NF-κB activation. Hence, H. coccineum EO should have great potential for application in the pharmaceutical field as a novel anti-inflammatory agent.

Boesenbergia rotunda displayed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic efficacy in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

This study evaluated the cardioprotective properties of Boesenbergia rotunda extract (BrE) against doxorubicin (DOX) induced cardiotoxicity. Rats received oral gavage of BrE for 28 days and DOX (5 mg/kg/week for 3 weeks). Thereafter the animals were sacrificed, blood and cardiac samples were collected for biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The results indicated that BrE attenuated DOX triggered body and cardiac weight loss and prevented against cardiac injury by mitigating histopathological alterations in cardiac tissues as well as serum cardiac function enzymes. BrE significantly reduced serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin T (TnT) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) in DOX-treated rats. Furthermore, BrE alleviated cardiotoxicity by reducing DOX instigated oxidative stress and potentiating the level of glutathione, as well as the activities superoxide dismutase and catalase in cardiac tissues. In addition, BrE significantly decreased the characteristic indices of DOX-induced cardiac inflammation and apoptosis. Immuno-histochemical analysis revealed that BrE decreased the stain intensity of p53 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) proteins compared to the DXB alone group. In conclusion, our results indicated that BrE modulated oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis to attenuate DOX-induced cardiac damage.

Anti-arthritis Effects of Zingiberaceae Extracts on Models of Inflammatory Joint Disease.

Due to this becoming an aging society, the number of arthritis cases has been increasing. Unfortunately, some currently available medications can cause adverse effects. Using herbal remedies as a form of alternative medicine is becoming increasingly popular. Zingiber officinale (ZO), Curcuma longa (CL), and Kaempferia parviflora (KP) are herbal plants in the Zingiberaceae family that have potent anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective effects of ZO, CL, and KP extracts on in vitro and ex vivo inflammatory models. The combinatorial anti-arthritis effect of each extract is also evaluated in an in vivo model. ZO extract preserves cartilaginous proteoglycans in proinflammatory cytokines-induced porcine cartilage explant in a fashion similar to that of CL and KP extracts and suppresses the expression of major inflammatory mediators in SW982 cells, particularly the COX2 gene. CL extract downregulates some inflammatory mediators and genes-associated cartilage degradation. Only KP extract shows a significant reduction in S-GAGs release in a cartilage explant model compared to the positive control, diacerein. In SW982 cells, it strongly suppresses many inflammatory mediators. The active constituents of each extract selectively downregulate inflammatory genes. The combined extracts show a reduction in inflammatory mediators to a similar degree as the combined active constituents. Reductions in paw swelling, synovial vascularity, inflammatory cell infiltration, and synovial hyperplasia are found in the combined extracts-treated arthritic rats. This study demonstrates that a combination of ZO, CL, and KP extracts has an anti-arthritis effect and could potentially be developed into an anti-arthritis cocktail for arthritis treatment.

Hedychium flavum flower essential oil: Chemical composition, anti-inflammatory activities and related mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hedychium flavum, an ornamental, edible, and medicinal plant, is extensively cultivated as a source of aromatic essential oils (EO). Its flower is a traditional Chinese medicine for treating inflammation-related diseases like indigestion, diarrhea, and stomach pain. In particular, H. flavum flower EO has been used in cosmetics and as an aromatic stomachic to treat chronic gastritis in China. AIM OF THE STUDY: This research aimed to analyze H. flavum flower EO's chemical composition and explore its anti-inflammatory activities and related mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EO's chemical composition was determined by GC-FID/MS analysis. For in vitro test, the anti-inflammatory activity of EO was demonstrated by measuring the LPS-induced release of NO, PGE2, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6 in RAW264.7 macrophages, and then its related mechanisms were explored using qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescent staining analysis. Next, EO's in vivo anti-inflammatory potential was further evaluated using a xylene-induced ear edema model, in which ear swelling and TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß levels in serum and tissue were examined. RESULTS: The main components of EO were ß-pinene (20.2%), α-pinene (9.3%), α-phellandrene (8.3%), 1,8-cineole (7.1%), E-nerolidol (5.4%), limonene (4.4%), borneol (4.1%), and ß-caryophyllene (3.7%). For the anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, EO dramatically reduced the LPS-stimulated NO and PGE2 release by suppressing the mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and COX-2. Meanwhile, it remarkably decreased IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß production by inhibiting their mRNA levels. Related mechanism studies indicated that it not only inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, leading to blockade of NF-κB nuclear transfer but also suppressed MAPKs (ERK, p38, and JNK) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further in vivo assay showed that EO ameliorated xylene-induced ear edema in mice and reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß levels in serum and tissue. CONCLUSIONS: H. flavum EO exerted significant anti-inflammatory activity in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of MAPK and NF-κB activation. Thus, H. flavum EO could be considered a novel and promising anti-inflammatory agent and possess high potential for utilization in the pharmaceutical field.

Synergistic Effects of Plant Growth Regulators and Elicitors on α-Humulene and Zerumbone Production in Zingiber zerumbet Smith Adventitious Root Cultures.

Zingiber zerumbet, also known as 'Lempoyang', possesses various phytomedicinal properties, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, and antioxidant properties. Secondary metabolites possessing such properties i.e., zerumbone and α-humulene, are found dominantly in the plant rhizome. Synergistic effects of plant growth hormones and elicitors on in vitro α-humulene and zerumbone production, and biomass growth, in adventitious root culture (AdRC) of Z. zerumbet cultivated in a two-stage culture are reported. The culture was induced by supplementation of 1.0 mg/L NAA and 2.0 mg/L IBA (dark), and subsequently maintained in medium supplemented with 1 mg/L NAA and 3 mg/L BAP (16:08 light-dark cycle), yielded the production of zerumbone at 3440 ± 168 µg/g and α-humulene at 3759 ± 798 µg/g. Synergistic elicitation by 400 µM methyl jasmonate (MeJa) and 400 µM salicylic acid (SA) resulted in a 13-fold increase in zerumbone (43,000 ± 200 µg/g), while 400 µM MeJa and 600 µM SA produced a 4.3-fold increase in α-humulene (15,800 ± 5100 µg/g) compared to control.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Essential Oil from Zingiber ottensii Valeton in Animal Models.

Zingiber ottensii (ZO) Valeton, a local plant in Northern Thailand, has been widely used in traditional medicine. Many studies using in vitro models reveal its pharmacological activities, including the anti-inflammatory activity of ZO essential oil, extracted from ZO rhizomes. However, the scientific report to confirm its anti-inflammatory activity using animal models is still lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and explore the possible mechanisms of action of ZO essential oil in rats. The results revealed that ZO essential oil significantly reduced the ear edema formation induced by ethyl phenylpropiolate. Pre-treatment with ZO essential oil significantly reduced the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and the severity of inflammation in paw tissue. In addition, pre-treatment with ZO essential oil exhibited decreased COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α expression in paw tissue, as well as PGE2 levels in serum. On this basis, our study suggests that ZO essential oil possesses anti-inflammatory activity in animal models. Its possible mechanisms of action may involve the inhibition of TNF-α expression as well as the inhibition of COX-2 and PGE2 production. These findings provide more crucial data of ZO essential oil that may lead to new natural anti-inflammatory product development in the future.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Polyphenol-Rich Fraction of Boesenbergia rotunda in Diabetic Rats: A Focus on Hypoglycemic, Antihyperlipidemic, Carbohydrate Metabolism, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Pancreato-Protective Activities.

INTRODUCTION: Boesenbergia rotunda is a famous culinary/medicinal herb native to Southeast Asia region and it is traditionally used in the treatment of several diseases. This study investigated the anti-diabetic properties of Boesenbergia rotunda polyphenol extract (BRE) in high fructose/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. METHOD: The in vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and ABST colorimetric assays, while the Folin-Ciocalteu method was used for the total phenolic content of BRE. For diabetes induction, a combination of high fructose solution and streptozotocin was administered to the rats and diabetic rats were orally administrated with BRE (100 and 400 mg/kg) for 5 weeks. The fasting blood glucose, body weight gain, food and water consumption were determined during the treatment period. RESULTS: BRE showed excellent in vitro DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity with high phenolic content. BRE significantly lowered fasting blood glucose level, HbA1c, lipid profile, hepatorenal biochemical parameters and ameliorated the IPGTT in diabetic rats. Additionally, BRE reversed body weight loss, attenuated food and water intake, serum insulin level, pancreatic ß-cell function and pancreatic cell morphology. Furthermore, fructose 1,6 biphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proinflammatory cytokines levels were also ameliorated in the BRE-treated diabetic rats, while pancreatic antioxidant enzymes activities (GSH, SOD and CAT) were significantly increased in the treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the results showed that BRE effectively displayed antidiabetic effects and has possible value for antidiabetic oral medication.

Diverse function of the PISTILLATA, APETALA 3, and AGAMOUS-like MADS-box genes involved in the floral development in Alpinia hainanensis (Zingiberaceae).

Zingiberaceae is the vital clue and key node in the decreased process of fertile stamens in Zingiberales, helping to understand the evolution of the ginger families. This study focuses on Alpinia hainanensis to investigate the function of B- and C-class MADS-box genes in floral development. The introns size of two B-class genes AhPI and AhAP3, and one C-class gene AhAG are quite variable. By contrast, the positions of the corresponding introns are conserved, resulting in a similar exon size in homologs. The typical region 70 bp-CCAATCA element was not found in the second intron of AhAG compared to AG homologs. The subcellular localization showed that AhAP3 was in both intranuclear and extranuclear. The heterodimer was formed between APETALA3 and PISTILLATA but not between the B- and C-class proteins using Y2H and BiFC. The 35S::AhAG heterologous transformed Arabidopsis had curly and smaller rosette leaves with early flowering. Floral organs had no homeotic conversion, albeit sepals and petals reduced in size. Siliques development was affected and displayed wrinkled and shorter. By contrast, 35S::AhAP3 and 35S::AhPI did not show any modified phenotype in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. We first proposed the model for Alpinia flower development. MADS-box transcription factor binding at particular genomic locations and interaction with partners may be crucial for the development of the floral organ.

Phytochemicals of Zingiberaceae family exhibit potentiality against SARS-CoV-2 main protease identified by a rational computer-aided drug design.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created huge social, economic and human health crises globally. Discovery of specific drugs has become a new challenge to the researcher. Structure-based virtual-screening of our in-house databank containing1102 phytochemicals of Zingiberaceae family was performed with main protease(Mpro), a crucial enzyme of SARS-CoV-2. Rigorous docking and ADME study of top-scored twenty hits resulted from VS was performed. Then 100 ns molecular dynamics followed by MMPBSA binding free energy(ΔGbind) calculation of A280 and KZ133 was also performed. These two hits showed good interactions with crucial amino acid residues of Mpro HIS-41 and CYS-145, excellent ADME properties, fair ΔGbind values (> ‒188.03 kj/mol), and average protein-ligand complex RMSD < apo-protein RMSD. Therefore, the seed extracts of Alpinia blepharocalyx and rhizome extracts Kaempferia angustifolia containing A280 and KZ133, respectively, may be useful against COVID-19 after the proper biological screening. These two novel scaffolds could be exploited as potent SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors.

Genome-wide analysis of ARF transcription factors reveals HcARF5 expression profile associated with the biosynthesis of ß-ocimene synthase in Hedychium coronarium.

KEY MESSAGE: Herein, 37 ARF genes were identified and analyzed in Hedychium coronarium and HcARF5 showed a potential role in the regulation of HcTPS3. Auxin is an important plant hormone, implicated in various aspects of plant growth and development processes especially in the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites. Auxin response factors (ARF) belong to the transcription factors (TFs) gene family and play a crucial role in transcriptional activation/repression of auxin-responsive genes by directly binding to their promoter region. Nevertheless, whether ARF genes are involved in the regulatory mechanism of volatile compounds in flowering plants is largely unknown. ß-ocimene is a key floral volatile compound synthesized by terpene synthase 3 (HcTPS3) in Hedychium coronarium. A comprehensive analysis of H. coronarium genome reveals 37 candidate ARF genes in the whole genome. Tissue-specific expression patterns of HcARFs family members were assessed using available transcriptome data. Among them, HcARF5 showed a higher expression level in flowers, and significantly correlated with the key structural ß-ocimene synthesis gene (HcTPS3). Furthermore, transcript levels of both genes were associated with the flower development. Under hormone treatments, the response of HcARF5 and HcTPS3, and the emission level of ß-ocimene contents were evaluated. Subcellular and transcriptional activity assay showed that HcARF5 localizes to the nucleus and possesses transcriptional activity. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase assays revealed that HcARF5 directly regulates the transcriptional activity of HcTPS3. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays showed that HcARF5 interacts with scent-related HcIAA4, HcIAA6, and HcMYB1 in vivo. Overall, these results indicate that HcARF5 is potentially involved in the regulation of ß-ocimene synthesis in H. coronarium.

Kaempferia parviflora Extract Alleviated Rat Arthritis, Exerted Chondroprotective Properties In Vitro, and Reduced Expression of Genes Associated with Inflammatory Arthritis.

Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex Baker (KP) has been reported to attenuate cartilage destruction in rat model of osteoarthritis. Previously, we demonstrated that KP rhizome extract and its active components effectively suppressed mechanisms associated with RA in SW982 cells. Here, we further evaluated the anti-arthritis potential of KP extract by using multi-level models, including a complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis and a cartilage explant culture model, and to investigate the effects of KP extract and its major components on related gene expressions and underlying mechanisms within cells. In arthritis rats, the KP extract reduced arthritis indexes, with no significant changes in biological parameters. In the cartilage explant model, the KP extract exerted chondroprotective potential by suppressing sulfated glycosaminoglycans release while preserving high accumulation of proteoglycans. In human chondrocyte cell line, a mixture of the major components equal to their amounts in KP extract showed strong suppression the expression of genes-associated inflammatory joint disease similar to that of the extract. Additionally, KP extract significantly suppressed NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. The suppressing expression of necroptosis genes and promoted anti-apoptosis were also found. Collectively, these results provided supportive evidence of the anti-arthritis properties of KP extract, which are associated with its three major components.

Nephroprotective activity of Aframomum melegueta seeds extract against diclofenac-induced acute kidney injury: A mechanistic study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: In Africa, Aframomum species have been traditionally used to treat illnesses such as inflammation, hypertension, diarrhea, stomachache and fever. Moreover, Aframomum melegueta seed extracts (AMSE) are used in traditional medicine to relieve stomachaches and inflammatory diseases. AIM: Chronic administration of diclofenac (DIC) has been reported to cause acute kidney injury (AKI), which is a serious health condition. The nephroprotective effect of AMSE is yet to be elucidated. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the phytoconstituents of standardized AMSE, evaluate its nephroprotective effects against DIC-induced AKI in rats, and elaborate its underlying molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The quantitative estimation of major AMSE constituents and profiling of its secondary metabolites were conducted via RP-HPLC and LC-ESI/Triple TOF/MS, respectively. Next, DIC (50 mg/kg)-induced AKI was achieved in Sprague-Dawley rats and DIC-challenged rats were administered AMSE (100 and 200 mg/kg) orally. All treatments were administered for five consecutive days. Blood samples were collected and the sera were used for estimating creatinine, urea and, kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 levels. Kidney specimens were histopathologically assessed and immunohistochemically examined for c-Myc expression. A portion of the kidney tissue was homogenized and examined for levels of oxidative stress markers (MDA and GSH). Heme oxygenase (HO)-1, TNF-α, IL-6, Bax, Bcl2 and caspase-3 renal levels were quantified by ELISA. Moreover, the protein expression levels of NF-Ò¡B p65 was quantified using Western blot analysis, whereas mRNA expression levels of AMPK, SIRT-1, nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (Nrf2) and STAT3 were detected using qRT-PCR in the remaining kidney tissues. RESULTS: Standardized AMSE was shown to primarily contain 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol and 6-paradol among the 73 compounds that were detected via LC-ESI/Triple TOF/MS including phenolic acids, hydroxyphenylalkanes, diarylheptanoids and fatty acids. Relative to DIC-intoxicated rats, AMSE modulated serum creatinine, urea, KIM-1, renal MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, Bax, and caspase-3 levels. AMSE has also improved renal tissue architecture, enhanced GSH and HO-1 levels, and upregulated renal Nrf2, AMPK, and SIRT-1 mRNA expression levels. Furthermore, AMSE suppressed NF-Ò¡B p65 protein and STAT3 mRNA expression, and further reduced c-Myc immunohistochemical expression in renal tissues. Overall, our findings revealed that AMSE counteracted DIC-induced AKI via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities. Moreover, AMSE activated Nrf2/HO1 and AMPK/SIRT1, and inhibited NF-Ò¡B/STAT3 signaling pathways. Therefore, AMSE is a promising agent for inhibiting DIC-induced nephrotoxicity.

Use of 13C-NMR Chemical Shifts; Application of Principal Component Analysis for Categorizing Structurally Similar Methoxyflavones and Correlation Analysis between Chemical Shifts and Cytotoxicity.

The 13C-NMR spectral data for the 15-carbon flavonoid skeleton in eleven methoxyflavones isolated from Kaempferia parviflora (Zingiberaceae) were processed by principal component analysis (PCA). Based on the PCA score plots, the methoxyflavones were categorized into three groups according to their structural features. The cytotoxicities of the methoxyflavones toward 3T3-L1 murine preadipocyte cells were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTT) assay and found to differ according to structure. The relationship between the 13C-NMR chemical shifts of the methoxyflavones and their cytotoxicities was investigated using Pearson's correlation analysis. The 13C-NMR signal at C-10, a quaternary carbon, was correlated with cytotoxicity. Based on these results, a structural design which lowers the 13C-NMR chemical shift at C-10 would be important for the development of cytotoxic compounds. Although quantitative structure-activity and structure-property relationships are well established paradigms for predicting trends among a series of compounds, quantitative property-activity relationships have been relatively unstudied. This approach offers a new strategy for directing structure-activity relationship research.

Aframomum melegueta secondary metabolites exhibit polypharmacology against SARS-CoV-2 drug targets: in vitro validation of furin inhibition.

COVID-19 pandemic is currently decimating the world's most advanced technologies and largest economies and making its way to the continent of Africa. Weak medical infrastructure and over-reliance on medical aids may eventually predict worse outcomes in Africa. To reverse this trend, Africa must re-evaluate the only area with strategic advantage; phytotherapy. One of the many plants with previous antiviral potency is against RNA viruses is Aframomum melegueta. In this study, one hundred (100) A. melegueta secondary metabolites have been mined and computational evaluated for inhibition of host furin, and SARS-COV-2 targets including 3C-like proteinase (Mpro /3CLpro ), 2'-O-ribose methyltransferase (nsp16) and surface glycoprotein/ACE2 receptor interface. Silica-gel column partitioning of A. melegueta fruit/seed resulted in 6 fractions tested against furin activity. Diarylheptanoid (Letestuianin A), phenylpropanoid (4-Cinnamoyl-3-hydroxy-spiro[furan-5,2'-(1'H)-indene]-1',2,3'(2'H,5H)-trione), flavonoids (Quercetin, Apigenin and Tectochrysin) have been identified as high-binding compounds to SARS-COV-2 targets in a polypharmacology manner. Di-ethyl-ether (IC50 = 0.03 mg/L), acetone (IC50 = 1.564 mg/L), ethyl-acetate (IC50 = 0.382 mg/L) and methanol (IC50 = 0.438 mg/L) fractions demonstrated the best inhibition in kinetic assay while DEF, ASF and MEF completely inhibited furin-recognition sequence containing Ebola virus-pre-glycoprotein. In conclusion, A. melegueta and its secondary metabolites have potential for addressing the therapeutic needs of African population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of Ornamental Plant Density and Mineral/Plastic Media on the Removal of Domestic Wastewater Pollutants by Home Wetlands Technology.

Wastewater treatment (WWT) is a priority around the world; conventional treatments are not widely used in rural areas owing to the high operating and maintenance costs. In Mexico, for instance, only 40% of wastewater is treated. One sustainable option for WWT is through the use of constructed wetlands (CWs) technology, which may remove pollutants using cells filled with porous material and vegetation that works as a natural filter. Knowing the optimal material and density of plants used per square meter in CWs would allow improving their WWT effect. In this study, the effect of material media (plastic/mineral) and plant density on the removal of organic/inorganic pollutants was evaluated. Low (three plants), medium (six plants) and high (nine plants) densities were compared in a surface area of 0.3 m2 of ornamental plants (Alpinia purpurata, Canna hybrids and Hedychium coronarium) used in polycultures at the mesocosm level of household wetlands, planted on the two different substrates. Regarding the removal of contaminants, no significant differences were found between substrates (p ≥ 0.05), indicating the use of plastic residues (reusable) is an economical option compared to typical mineral materials. However, differences (p = 0.001) in removal of pollutants were found between different plant densities. For both substrates, the high density planted CWs were able to remove COD in a range of 86-90%, PO4-P 22-33%, NH4-N in 84-90%, NO3-N 25-28% and NO2-N 38-42%. At medium density, removals of 79-81%, 26-32, 80-82%, 24-26%, and 39-41%, were observed, whereas in CWs with low density, the detected removals were 65-68%, 20-26%, 79-80%, 24-26% and 31-40%, respectively. These results revealed that higher COD and ammonia were removed at high plant density than at medium or low densities. Other pollutants were removed similarly in all plant densities (22-42%), indicating the necessity of hybrid CWs to increase the elimination of PO4-P, NO3-N and NO2-N. Moreover, high density favored 10 to 20% more the removal of pollutants than other plant densities. In addition, in cells with high density of plants and smaller planting distance, the development of new plant shoots was limited. Thus, it is suggested that the appropriate distance for this type of polyculture plants should be from 40 to 50 cm in expansion to real-scale systems in order to take advantage of the harvesting of species in these and allow species of greater foliage, favoring its growth and new shoots with the appropriate distance to compensate, in the short time, the removal of nutrients.

Anti-inflammatory Activity of Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Smith Flower on Gastric Ulceration-induced Wistar Rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M. Smith rhizome, which has been traditionally used to reduce stomach discomfort, was reported to possess anti-inflammatory activity, however, there is a lack of such a study on the flower. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the E. elatior flower extract on gastric ulceration-induced Wistar rats. The Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups. Group 1 was the normal control, group 2 was the negative control (Arabic gum suspension 2%), group 3 was the positive control (quercetin), group 4-6 were treated with E. elatior flower extract dose of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg-1 of b.wt., respectively. The rats were conditioned to gastric ulceration. The stomach weight, microscopic and macroscopic evaluation of gastric mucosal damage was examined. Subsequently, the nuclear factor-kappaB-p65 (NF-kappaB-p65) expression in the fundus was Western-blotted by employing ß-actin and GAPDH as the loading controls. RESULTS: Etlingera elatior flower extract dose of 1000 mg kg-1 b.wt., reduces the ulceration index and the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Western blot analysis showed inhibition of NF-kappaB-p65 expression by E. elatior flower extract dose of 1000 mg kg-1 of b.wt. CONCLUSION: Etlingera elatior flower might possess anti-inflammatory activity by downregulating the expression of NF-kappaB-p65 in the fundus of gastric ulceration-induced Wistar rats.

Secondary metabolites content and essential oil composition of in vitro cultures of Zingiber montanum (Koenig) Link ex A. Dietr.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the secondary metabolite content, antioxidant and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity as well as essential oil composition of in vitro cultures and field grown rhizomes of Zingiber montanum. RESULTS: Methyl jasmonate-treated cell cultures showed the highest total phenolic content and steroid content of 22.23 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (DW) and 41.67 mg/g DW, respectively. Callus cultures exhibited the highest tannin content (39.53 mg tannic acid equivalent/g DW) and strongest antioxidant activity (91.05% inhibition of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl or DPPH). The highest saponin (81.76 mg/g DW) and alkaloid (113.97 mg/g DW) contents were obtained in in vitro microrhizomes induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6% sucrose and 5 mg/l 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), and MS medium supplemented with 7% sucrose, respectively. The essential oil content varied in cell cultures and microrhizomes and mainly consisted of fatty acid esters, which are precursors of many secondary metabolites. Trace amounts of terpinen-4-ol (0.21 and 0.27 mg/g) and zerumbone (0.0107 mg/g) were also detected in the in vitro microrhizomes. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate the potential of in vitro cultures of Z. montanum for the production of secondary metabolites.

Volatile Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Extracts from Different Parts of Globba schomburgkii Hook.f.

Globba schomburgkii Hook.f. is an ornamental plant that has recently found increasing demand as cut flowers, hence generating a significant number of by-products from different parts of the plant. To investigate the further applications of these by-products, twelve crude extracts from rhizomes, stalks, leaves, and flowers were prepared by serial exhaustive extraction. The volatile composition of these extracts was analyzed by GC/MS; a total of 89 compounds were identified, most of which were sesquiterpenes as well as some labdane-type diterpenes. The antimicrobial activities of these extracts were evaluated, revealing a correlation between the terpenoid content and antibacterial activities. Notably, the dichloromethane extracts of rhizomes and flowers, which contained the highest amount of terpenoids (e. g., α-gurjunene, guaia-9,11-diene, γ-bicyclohomofarnesal, ß-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene oxide), displayed the most prominent antibacterial activities. This work demonstrates the potential use of the crude extracts from G. schomburgkii as natural antibacterial ingredients for pharmaceutical and other applications.

Triazophos (TAP) removal in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSCWs) and its accumulation in plants and substrates.

Triazophos (TAP) is a widely used phosphorus pesticide in China that possesses a potential risk for water pollution. We have studied the removal efficiency of TAP using pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (HSCWs) as well as the contribution of plants, substrates and other pathways to its removal. For TAP concentrations of 0.12 ± 0.04 mg L-1, 0.79 ± 0.29 mg L-1 and 3.96 ± 1.17 mg L-1, the removal efficiencies were 94.2 ± 3.7%, 97.8 ± 2.9% and 84.0 ± 13.5%, respectively, at a hydraulic loading rate (HLR) of 100 mm d-1; at an HLR of 200 mm d-1, the removal efficiencies were 96.7 ± 1.3%, 96.2 ± 1.7% and 61.7 ± 11.1%, respectively. The isopleth maps of TAP along the direction of flow indicate that most of the TAP removal occurred in the front and middle regions, while the major removal region would move forward with increasing influent TAP. Plant and substrate accumulation accounted for 0.035 ± 0.034% and 4.33 ± 0.43% of the total removal, respectively, indicating that over 95% of the TAP removal was achieved through other mechanisms. Thus, these results suggest HSCWs can be an effective approach with which to treat TAP contaminated water. Furthermore, the longitudinal scale and hydraulic conditions, as well as the roles of plants, substrates and microbes and their interactions, should be further considered in the design and application of CWs for pesticide pollution control.