Network pharmacology and molecular docking: combined computational approaches to explore the antihypertensive potential of Fabaceae species.

Hypertension is a major global public health issue, affecting quarter of adults worldwide. Numerous synthetic drugs are available for treating hypertension; however, they often come with a higher risk of side effects and long-term therapy. Modern formulations with active phytoconstituents are gaining popularity, addressing some of these issues. This study aims to discover novel antihypertensive compounds in Cassia fistula, Senna alexandrina, and Cassia occidentalis from family Fabaceae and understand their interaction mechanism with hypertension targeted genes, using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Total 414 compounds were identified; initial screening was conducted based on their pharmacokinetic and ADMET properties, with a particular emphasis on adherence to Lipinski's rules. 6 compounds, namely Germichrysone, Benzeneacetic acid, Flavan-3-ol, 5,7,3',4'-Tetrahydroxy-6, 8-dimethoxyflavon, Dihydrokaempferol, and Epiafzelechin, were identified as effective agents. Most of the compounds found non-toxic against various indicators with greater bioactivity score. 161 common targets were obtained against these compounds and hypertension followed by compound-target network construction and protein-protein interaction, which showed their role in diverse biological system. Top hub genes identified were TLR4, MMP9, MAPK14, AKT1, VEGFA and HSP90AA1 with their respective associates. Higher binding affinities was found with three compounds Dihydrokaempferol, Flavan-3-ol and Germichrysone, -7.1, -9.0 and -8.0 kcal/mol, respectively. The MD simulation results validate the structural flexibility of two complexes Flavan-MMP9 and Germich-TLR4 based on no. of hydrogen bonds, root mean square deviations and interaction energies. This study concluded that C. fistula (Dihydrokaempferol, Flavan-3-ol) and C. occidentalis (Germichrysone) have potential therapeutic active constituents to treat hypertension and in future novel drug formulation.

Application of green synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles to prolong commercial availability of Vitis vinifera L.

The objective of the study was to extend shelf life of Vitis vinifera (L.) by the application of green synthesized Magnesium oxide nanoparticles. Aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta indica A. juss. and various concentrations of 20 mM, 30 mM, and 40 mM solutions of Magnesium nitrate hexa hydrate salt, were used to synthesize nanoparticles of different size. The characterization of nanoparticles was done by SEM, XRD, and UV. The antimicrobial activity of MgO NPs was evaluated for Azospirilum brasilense and Trichoderma viride, representative of microbes responsible for V. vinifera fruits spoilage. Nanoparticles with crystal size of 28.60 nm has more pronounced effect against microbes. The Shelf life of the Vitis vinifera L. was evaluated by application of 28.60 nm MgO NPs through T1 (nanoparticles coated on packaging), T2 (nanoparticles coated directly on fruit) at 4 °C and 25 °C. T1 at 4 °C was effective to extend the shelf life of Vitis vinifera (L) for an average of 20 days.

Shelf-life extension of Fragaria × ananassa Duch. using selenium nanoparticles synthesized from Cassia fistula Linn. leaves.

Fragaria × ananassa Duch. (Strawberry) fruit is susceptible to postharvest diseases, thus decrease in quality attributes, such as physiological and biochemical properties leads to decrease in shelf life. The objective of the present study was to check the effect of Selenium NP's and packaging conditions on the shelf life of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) fruits. The shelf life was observed with 4 days intervals and examined for characteristics such as physiological weight loss, moisture content, percentage decay loss, peroxidase, catalase, and DPPH radical scavenging. The quality change of postharvest Fragaria × ananassa Duch. was monitored by the application of selenium nanoparticles (T1 plant extract in 10 mM salt solution, T2 plant extract in 30 mM salt solution, T3 plant extract in 40 mM salt solution, T4 distilled water; control) in different packaging materials (plastic bags, cardboard, and brown paper) at different storage conditions (6°C and 25°C). 10 mM, 20 mM, and 30 mM solution of sodium selenite salt, prepared from 1 M stock solution. Selenium nanoparticles were synthesized using Cassia fistula L. extract and sodium selenite salt solution. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as a stabilizer. The nanoparticles were characterized through UV-visible spectroscopy and X-Ray diffractometer (XRD). It was observed that the strawberry Fragaria × ananassa Duch. Treated with T1 (CFE and 10 mM salt solution) stored in plastic packaging at ±6°C showed the best physiological parameters and hence the treatment is recommended for storage without affecting the quality of strawberry fruit up to 16 days.

Genetic and molecular analysis of the anthocyanin pigmentation pathway in Epimedium.

Introduction: Flower color is an ideal trait for studying the molecular basis for phenotypic variations in natural populations of species. Epimedium (Berberidaceae) species exhibit a wide range of flower colors resulting from the varied accumulation of anthocyanins and other pigments in their spur-like petals and petaloid sepals. Methods: In this work, the anthocyanidins of eight different Epimedium species with different floral pigmentation phenotypes were analyzed using HPLC. Twelve genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis were cloned and sequenced, and their expression was quantified. Results: The expression levels of the catalytic enzyme genes DFR and ANS were significantly decreased in four species showing loss of floral pigmentation. Complementation of EsF3'H and EsDFR in corresponding Arabidopsis mutants together with overexpression of EsF3'5'H in wild type Arabidopsis analysis revealed that these genes were functional at the protein level, based on the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments. Discussion: These results strongly suggest that transcriptional regulatory changes determine the loss of anthocyanins to be convergent in the floral tissue of Epimedium species.

Effect of Qiangdi 863 Nanosynergids Treated Water, Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium Fertilizers on Rice Growth Physiology and Grain Quality.

Nanotechnology is an emerging technique that helps in solving the biotic and abiotic agricultural issues leading to enhance crop productivity. Therefore, it was hypothesized to check the effect of Qiangdi 863 nano synergids biological-assisted growth apparatus and nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers improving rice germination, early growth, physiology, and yield. An experiment was performed on five rice varieties for three consecutive years (2017-2019). The nanosynergids-treated water (NTW) significantly improved the speed of germination (25.3, 35.6, and 32.3%), final emergence percentage (100%) and seed emergence energy percentage (80, 95, and 90%), radical (1.25, 1.7, and 2.35 cm) and plumule growth (1.29, 1.24, and 1.66 cm), soil plant analysis development (46, 45, and 47), antioxidant enzymatic activities, such as catalase activity (34,376 µg-1FW h-1, 33,264 µg-1FW h-1, and 34,453 µg-1F W h-1), superoxide dismutase (18,456 µg-1F W h-1, 19,445 µg-1F W h-1, and 19,954 µg-1F W h-1), peroxide (745 Ug-1F W, 734 Ug-1F W, and 752 Ug-1F W), production and declined malondialdehyde (4.5 µmolg-1F W, 5.1 µmolg-1F W, and 4.2 µmolg-1F W) for all years respectively in KSK 133. The application of nano-treated irrigated water enriched the biomass of rice seedlings. The overall nano synergid treatments successfully enhanced the endogenous hormones as salicylic acid (6,016.27 p mol/L, 5823.22 p mol/L, and 5922.12 p mol/L), jasmonates (JA) (5,175.6 p mol/L, 4231 p mol/L, and 5014.21 p mol/L) brassinosteroids (BR) (618.2 p mol/L, 546.83 p mol/L, and 582.1 p mol/L) quantification and yield 1000 grain weight (22.3, 22, and 23.2 g) of KSK 133. Hence, the overall results proved that NTW could effectively enhance the early growth and yield of rice varieties.

Genetic diversity analysis for wild and cultivated accessions of Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf using phytochemical and molecular markers.

Background: Genetic diversity is being lost because of increasing urbanization and decreasing cultivation land, which leads to the abrupt use of wild resources of medicinally aromatic plants (MAPs). Cymbopogon citratus is a morphologically diverse MAP that is largely exploited in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the intraspecific phytochemical and molecular diversity of C. citratus has yet to be explored. Methodology: The germplasm was obtained from four different countries representing Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the United States. Oil extraction was performed by hydro distillation, and metabolic profiles of different accessions were generated by GC-MS. Seventeen functional molecular markers based on three genes encoding cytochrome P450, uridyl diphosphate glycosyltransferase and the 5S rRNA gene family were used to explore genetic diversity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmaps were constructed using R software with the help of the gg-plot R package v1.0.5 for data validation. Results: Among the 208 identified metabolites, citral was maximal, with a phytochemical contribution (1.92-27.73%), α-pinene (0.82-15.57%), verbenol (0.24-22.84%), neral (0.23-21.31%) and geranial acetate (0.43-15.65%). In the majority of accessions, citral was the dominant component. The highest concentration of citral was detected in 384541 (27.74%), 384527 (27.52%) belonging to Pakistan and one USA-based accession 38456 (27.71%). Region-specific grouping revealed a relationship between genetic diversity and geographical location. Pakistani accessions 384518, 38452, and 384544 genetically and 384535, 384518, and 384510 were phytochemically diverse. Conclusion: The genetic diversity was more pronounced in cultivated accessions than in wild accessions. Moreover, it was observed that phytochemical diversity correlated with the altitude and temperature of the region.

Assessment of Mineral Nutrient Efficiency in Genetically Diverse Spinach Accessions by Biochemical and Functional Marker Strategies.

Leafy vegetable crops are considered as a natural source of mineral nutrients that could decrease the risk factor of many growth issues in children and adults. Spinach is globally considered as the most desirable leafy crop, due to its taste and nutrient richness along with greater nitrate contents and better nitrogen use efficiency. To evaluate the mineral nutrient efficiency of this crop, thirty genetically diverse spinach accessions were analyzed through nutritional and functional marker strategies. The accession 163,310 from Pakistan was found to be rich in minerals (sodium, calcium, potassium, zinc, and manganese) and nitrates. However, the oxalate contents were lesser in the accessions that had greater quantity of nutrients. These represented a negative correlation between mineral availability and oxalate accumulation in the leaves. To study the relationship of oxalates and minerals in the accessions, a functional marker analysis was performed, based on the genes involved in oxalate metabolism and disease resistance in spinach. High level of genetic polymorphism was observed among the accessions represented with 115 polymorphic bands out of 130 bands. Heat map clustering represented the accessions from Asian countries (Pakistan, India, China, and Iran) as the most adaptable accessions to the local environment. The correlation between nutritional and genetic analysis also revealed the nutrient richness of these accessions along with good oxalate metabolism and disease resistance. Hence, these accessions could be considered as useful genotypes in future breeding programs.

Papaver Plants: Current Insights on Phytochemical and Nutritional Composition Along with Biotechnological Applications.

The genus Papaver is highly esteemed in the pharmacy industry, in the culinary field, and as ornamental plants. These plants are also valued in traditional medicine. Among all Papaver species, Papaver somniferum L. (opium poppy) is the most important species in supplying phytochemicals for the formulation of drugs, mainly alkaloids like morphine, codeine, rhoeadine, thebaine, and papaverine. In addition, Papaver plants present other types of phytochemicals, which altogether are responsible for its biological activities. Therefore, this review covers the phytochemical composition of Papaver plants, including alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils. The traditional uses are reviewed along with their pharmacological activities. Moreover, safety aspects are reported to provide a deep overview of the pharmacology potential of this genus. An updated search was carried out in databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed to retrieve the information. Overall, this genus is a rich source of alkaloids of different types and also contains interesting phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and the characteristic indole derivatives nudicaulins. Among other pharmacological properties, numerous preclinical studies have been published about the analgesic, anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of Papaver plants. Although it highlights the significant impact of this genus for the treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions, as a future prospect, characterization works accompanying preclinical studies are required along with clinical and toxicology studies to establish a correlation between the scientific and traditional knowledge.

Development of Carrot Nutraceutical Products as an Alternative Supplement for the Prevention of Nutritional Diseases.

Nutraceuticals can serve as an alternative supplement to overcome nutritional deficiency for a healthy lifestyle. They can also play a key role in disease management. To develop carrot nutraceutical products, 64 genotypes from four different continents were evaluated for a range of morpho-nutrition variables. Genetic variability, heritability, strength and direction of association among variables, and direct and indirect relationships among physiochemical and nutritional traits with ß-carotene content were evaluated. Core diameter, foliage weight, root weight and shoulder weight showed significant association with ß-carotene accumulation. Principal component analysis for physiochemical and nutritional assessment divided these genotypes into two distinctive groups, Eastern carrots and Western carrots. Caloric and moisture content had high positive associations with ß-carotene content while carbohydrate content was negatively associated. Five genotypes (T-29, PI 634658, PI 288765, PI 164798, and Ames 25043) with the highest ß-carotene contents were selected for making three nutraceutical supplements (carrot-orange juice, carrot jam and carrot candies). These nutraceutical supplements retained high ß-carotene content coupled with antioxidant properties. Carrot jam (6.5 mg/100 g) and carrot candies (4.8 mg/100 g) had greater concentrations of ß-carotene than carrot-orange juice (1.017 mg/100 g). Carrot jam presented high antioxidant activity with the highest values in T-29 (39% inhibition of oxidation) followed by PI 634658 (37%), PI 164798 (36.5%), Ames 25043 (36%) and PI 288765 (35.5%). These nutraceutical products, with 4-6.5 mg/100 g ß-carotene content, had higher values than the USDA recommended dietary intake of 3-6 mg ß-carotene/day can be recommended for daily use to lower the risk of chronic disease.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Effects of Anacardium Plants: An Ethnopharmacological Perspective.

Anacardium plants have received increasing recognition due to its nutritional and biological properties. A number of secondary metabolites are present in its leaves, fruits, and other parts of the plant. Among the diverse Anacardium plants' bioactive effects, their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities comprise those that have gained more attention. Thus, the present article aims to review the Anacardium plants' biological effects. A special emphasis is also given to their pharmacological and clinical efficacy, which may trigger further studies on their therapeutic properties with clinical trials.

In vitro cytotoxic activity of Zaleya Pentandra L. Extracts against the breast cancer adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cytotoxicity of crude aqueous and ethanol extracts of Zaleya pentandra against oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell line Michigan Cancer Foundation-7. METHODS: The study was conducted at the Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, from March to September 2017, and comprised Zaleya pentandra herbaceous perennial plant collected from Pakistani cities of Shakargarh, Lahore and Sialkot. Both aqueous and ethanol extracts were prepared in solvents following Soxhlet extraction technique. Rate of reduction in viability of cancer cell line was studied through MTT (dye compound 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on the basis of time of incubation and the dose of extract. Analysis was performed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detector in order to found the compounds responsible for the death of cancer cells. RESULTS: Cell viability was observed to be dose-dependent (range: 16.7-37.4%) for aqueous extracts. Minimum inhibition concentration was 16.65% at 200µg/ml after 24 hours of incubation, whereas maximum inhibition was 37.39% at 3200µg/ml. Ethanol extracts showed less inhibition, with maximum inhibition being 25.29% at 1000µg/ml and minimum 13.57% at 62.5µg/ml. Certain polar compounds, like Hydroxytrosol and Tyrosol, could be obtained from the aqueous extracts only. CONCLUSIONS: Zaleya pentandra aqueous extract was found to have potential benefit towards cytotoxicity of breast cancer cells.

Pharmacological screening and GC-MS analysis of vegetative/reproductive parts of Nigella sativa L.

Nigella sativa is an extensively utilized herbal medicinal plant. Medicinal utilization of seeds and oil of N. sativa was common among all the ancient medicinal systems. Previously, the vegetative part of the plant was not utilized for pharmaceutical purposes. Therefore, the current study was aimed at determining the potential of the vegetative parts (leaves, branches and stem) of the plant to reduce the pressure on the reproductive part (seeds/oil) and to get a potential alternate source of pharmaceutical materials. The experiment was carried out in split block RCD design. The dried plant was extracted through partitioning method in a series of concentrations ranging from 200-1.562mg/ml in different solvents. Phyto-chemical screening, antibacterial and anti-oxidant assays and GC-MS analysis of the potent extracts were done. The green parts of N. sativa were shown to contain saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, and flavonoids, whereas phloba-tannins were absent. Evaluation of anti-aging properties through antioxidant assays yielded significant results in all the assays. Linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and glyceryl linoleate were profiled through GC-MS analysis. Based on these results, it was concluded that the vegetative parts of N. sativa are effective alternatives to the reproductive part/seed for anti-aging and other phytochemicals needed to meet the present day requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.

Anacardium Plants: Chemical,Nutritional Composition and Biotechnological Applications.

Anacardium plants are native to the American tropical regions, and Anacardium occidentale L. (cashew tree) is the most recognized species of the genus. These species contain rich secondary metabolites in their leaf and shoot powder, fruits and other parts that have shown diverse applications. This review describes the habitat and cultivation of Anacardium species, phytochemical and nutritional composition, and their industrial food applications. Besides, we also discuss the secondary metabolites present in Anacardium plants which display great antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. These make the use of Anacardium species in the food industry an interesting approach to the development of green foods.

Review: Microwave assisted extraction of phytochemicals an efficient and modern approach for botanicals and pharmaceuticals.

The final quality of pharmaceutically active herbal preparation is significantly contributed by extraction procedures. Hence in the last decade Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) has been introduced. This is an efficient and modern tool with multiple benefits as compared to the traditional methods of extraction. The benefits are in terms of reduction in cost, time of extraction, amount of solvent used, energy consumptions and low CO2 emission. Therefore present study was planned to give brief overview on applications of microwave assisted extraction of natural products. It is also discussed that how the various parameters of microwave assisted extraction like nature of the solvent, temperature, particle size, power level of microwaves and time of irradiation influences the extract yields of plant parts. This review also emphasizes the application of MAE for increased production of phyto-medicines, sweeteners, spices and all other commercial products related to botanicals.

Ethnopharmacological exploration of medicinal mushroom from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: The chief aim of this study was to enlist the ethnopharmacological aspect of mushrooms from four Provinces of Pakistan. Due to the seasonal variation and extreme geographical conditions, Pakistan has great mushroom diversity. Mushrooms have been used by the indigenous people for the treatment of different ailments in many regions of Pakistan. They still depend on the mushrooms for treatment of various ailments. Moreover, mushrooms are used as first aid to treat cold, cough, influenza, asthma, cancer, gastric and hepatic disorders. Traditional uses of medicinal mushrooms lead to the discovery of alternative source of synthetic medicines. This is basically the first quantitative ethnopharmcological documentation of medicinal mushrooms from Pakistan. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Ethnopharmacological information was collected from the 950 informants including male and female. The informative data was based on semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field visits. Data was analyzed by applying different quantitative indices such as informant consent factor (ICF), Use value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), the Fidelity level (FL) and Jaccard Index (JI). RESULT: Almost 50 mushrooms belonging to 24 families were reported. Most-frequently cited families were Agaricaceae (13 species) and Morchellaceae (5 species). Extract was the common mode of preparation reported (63.33%), followed by Powder (36.67%). Mostly these medicinal mushrooms were present as wild (62.90%), followed by cultivated (37.10%). Among all 11.75% mushrooms were toxic and inedible, 75% were nontoxic, whereas the remaining 13.46% may be toxic or nontoxic because of their dual attitude. New medicinal uses of 23 mushrooms were explored in this study. CONCLUSION: This ethnopharmacological documentation revealed that the mushrooms are still used by natives of rural area in their day-to-day lives. This study provides the basis for the conservation of mushrooms. Mushrooms with high ICF, UV and FL were further used for phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This documentation is baseline information which can be used to develop new mushroom-based medicines.

Dioscorea Plants: A Genus Rich in Vital Nutra-pharmaceuticals-A Review.

Dioscorea species, known as "Yams," belong to family Dioscoreaceae. This genus consists of more than 600 species distributed from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean's South America, and the South Pacific islands. Their organoleptic properties make them the most widely used carbohydrate food and dietary supplements. The underground and/or aerial tubers represent valuable sources of proteins, fats, and vitamins for millions of people in West Africa. This review gives a shot of secondary metabolites of Dioscorea plants, including steroids, clerodane diterpenes, quinones, cyanidins, phenolics, diarylheptanoids, and nitrogen-containing compounds. This review collected the evidence on biological properties of description Dioscorea, including in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Dioscorea species contain promising bioactive molecules i.e. diosgenin that support their different biological properties, including antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, anti- antimicrobial, inflammatory, antiproliferative, androgenic, estrogenic, and contraceptive drugs. Indeed, besides its nutrient values, Dioscorea is a potential source of bioactive substances of interest in the prevention/treatment of several diseases, and thus represents a great challenge in developing countries. However, ethnomedicinal potential should be validated and further researches on pharmacological properties and phytochemical composition should be carried out. Particularly, doing some studies to convert the preclinical results to clinical efficacy should be guaranteed. Dioscorea, Food plant, Traditional use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological activities.

Tagetes spp. Essential Oils and Other Extracts: Chemical Characterization and Biological Activity.

Tagetes (marigold) is native to America, and its cultivation currently extends to other countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Many species of this genus, such as T. minuta, T. erecta, T. patula, and T. tenuifolia, are cultivated as ornamental plants and studied for their medicinal properties on the basis of their use in folk medicine. Different parts of the Tagetes species are used as remedies to treat various health problems, including dental, stomach, intestinal, emotional, and nervous disorders, as well as muscular pain, across the world. Furthermore, these plants are studied in the field of agriculture for their fungicidal, bactericidal, and insecticidal activities. The phytochemical composition of the extracts of different Tagetes species parts are reported in this work. These compounds exhibit antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory properties. Cultivation and the factors affecting the chemical composition of Tagetes species are also covered. In the current work, available literature on Tagetes species in traditional medicine, their application as a food preservative, and their antimicrobial activities are reviewed.

Matricaria genus as a source of antimicrobial agents: From farm to pharmacy and food applications.

Matricaria is a widespread genus of flowering plants of the family Asteraceae that grow in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, America and Africa. Some of the species are also naturalized in Australia. Some species of this genus such as Chamomiles are recognized medicinal plants and cultivated in several countries for commercial purposes: to obtain its blue essence, as herbal tea, and for pharmaceutical or cosmeceutical uses. The phytochemical composition of Matricaria spp. includes volatile terpenoids (e.g., α-bisabolol, bisabolol oxide A and B, ß-trans-farnesene and chamazulene), sesquiterpene lactones such as matricin, and phenolic compounds (flavonoids, coumarins and phenolic acids). Their essential oil is obtained from the fresh or dried inflorescences by steam distillation, and additionally cohobation of the remaining water. The volatile composition of the essential oil, especially the content of the valuable components α-bisabolol and chamazulene, depends on the plant part, origin and quality of the source, genetic, and environmental factors. Moreover, other parameters, such as season of harvest and methods of extraction, can affect the extraction yield of the essential oils/extracts, their composition and, therefore, their bioactivity. Due to the importance of this genus and particularly M. recutita (M. chamomilla), this review focus on its cultivation, factor affecting essential oils' composition and their role in traditional medicine, as antibacterial agents and finally as food preservatives.

Ethnobotany of the genus Taraxacum-Phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity.

Plants belonging to the genus Taraxacum have been used in traditional healthcare to treat infectious diseases including food-borne infections. This review aims to summarize the available information on Taraxacum spp., focusing on plant cultivation, ethnomedicinal uses, bioactive phytochemicals, and antimicrobial properties. Phytochemicals present in Taraxacum spp. include sesquiterpene lactones, such as taraxacin, mongolicumin B, and taraxinic acid derivatives; triterpenoids, such as taraxasterol, taraxerol, and officinatrione; and phenolic derivatives, such as hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, chicoric, and caffeoyltartaric acids), coumarins (aesculin and cichoriin), lignans (mongolicumin A), and taraxacosides. Aqueous and organic extracts of different plant parts exhibit promising in vitro antimicrobial activity relevant for controlling fungi and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, this genus represents a potential source of bioactive phytochemicals with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. However, so far, preclinical evidence for these activities has not been fully substantiated by clinical studies. Indeed, clinical evidence for the activity of Taraxacum bioactive compounds is still scant, at least for infectious diseases, and there is limited information on oral bioavailability, pharmacological activities, and safety of Taraxacum products in humans, though their traditional uses would suggest that these plants are safe.

Echinacea plants as antioxidant and antibacterial agents: From traditional medicine to biotechnological applications.

The genus Echinacea consists of 11 taxa of herbaceous and perennial flowering plants. In particular, Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is widely cultivated all over the United States, Canada, and in Europe, exclusively in Germany, for its beauty and reported medicinal properties. Echinacea extracts have been used traditionally as wound healing to improve the immune system and to treat respiratory symptoms caused by bacterial infections. Echinacea extracts have demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and to be safe. This survey aims at reviewing the medicinal properties of Echinacea species, their cultivation, chemical composition, and the potential uses of these plants as antioxidant and antibacterial agents in foods and in a clinical context. Moreover, the factors affecting the chemical composition of Echinacea spp. are also covered.