Process optimization of physicochemical properties of spray-dried Hydrocotyle umbellata L. extract

Abstract Hydrocotyle umbellata L., Araliaceae, is a species that is recommended in Ayurvedic medicine for its effects on the central nervous system, such as anxiolytic and memory-stimulant effects. Despite the medicinal potential of this species, its phytopharmaceutical and technological potential to produce standardized extracts has not been investigated. This study analyzes the influence of spray drying parameters on the contents of the chemical markers (total phenolic, total flavonoid, and hibalactone) and the functional properties of H. umbellata extract. The optimization of drying conditions was performed using a central composite design combined with response surface methodology and desirability function approach. The mathematical models fitted to experimental data indicated that all the evaluated drying parameters significantly influenced the chemical contents. The optimal conditions were: inlet temperature of 120 °C, feed flow rate of 4 mL min-1, and colloidal silicon dioxide:maltodextrin ratio of 16%:4%. Under these conditions, the powder samples had spherical particles and desirable physicochemical and functional properties, such as low water activity and moisture content, good product recovery, reconstitution, and flowability. Thus, spray drying might be a promising technique for processing standardized H. umbellata extracts.

Gastroprotective potential and mechanisms of action of Hedera nepalensis

Abstract Hedera nepalensis (H. nepalensis) , belonging to the family Araliaceae, is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat stomach problems. The current study investigated the gastroprotective potential and the mechanism of action of H. nepalensis in diclofenac-and ethanol-induced ulcer models. Anti-oxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory prospects of H. nepalensis were checked out by free radical scavenging assay and UV spectrophotometer respectively. Effect of H. nepalensis on the pH, gastric total acidity of gastric juice and protective effects of H. nepalensis against ulcer models have been examined. Histopathological studies have been carried out. The aqueous methanol extract of H. nepalensis (100 µg/mL) showed anti-oxidant (83.55%) and lipid peroxidation inhibitory (70.88%) potential at 1000 µg/mL; the extract had no buffer potential. The extract (400 mg/kg) significantly (81.12% and 63.46%) showed gastroprotective effect in diclofenac and ethanol-induced rat ulcer models respectively. Histopathological studies confirmed the biochemical findings. FTIR analysis showed the presence of carboxylic acid, alkanes, conjugated alkanes, aldehydes and alkyl-aryl ethers. Gallic acid, M-coumaric acid and quercetin were found by HPLC analysis. H. nepalensis exhibited significant protection against diclofenac and ethanol induced gastric damage by anti-oxidant and lipid peroxidation suppression effects suggesting potential broad utility in treatment of diseases characterized with gastric damage.

Ethnopharmacological activity of Hedera nepalensis K. Koch extracts and lupeol against alloxan-induced type I diabetes

In this study, we investigated the protective effects of Hedera nepalensis crude extract, its fractions and lupeol in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Lupeol and n-hexane (HNN) fraction significantly reduced the blood glucose level by increasing insulin level in time dependent manner, and also significantly increased amylase and lipase activity in diabetic rats. Elevated levels of alanine transaminases (ALT), aspartate transaminases (AST), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitrite, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), total bilirubin and total protein in blood serum were efficiently restored to normal levels. Suppressed enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and peroxidase (POD) were also restored to their normal levels. Kidney functions were also restored to normal level after treatment with HNN and lupeol. HNN fraction and lupeol of H. nepalensis prevented oxidative stress in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. This study signifies the importance of H. nepalensis and lupeol in ameliorating diabetes by inducing insulin secretion in diabetic model rats.

[New records of medicinal plants in Tibet].

By the fourth survey of Chinese medicinal resources, new medicinal plants records of 2 genera and 5 species were reported in Tibet. They are two genera Rhynchoglossum and Asteropyrum, and five species including Rh. obliquum, A. peltatum, Urena repanda, Schefflera khasiana and Mimulus tenellus. All the voucher specimens are preserved in Herbarium of Tibet Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University.

Molecular phylogenetics and species delimitation in annual species of Hydrocotyle (Araliaceae) from South Western Australia.

Hydrocotyle L. is a cosmopolitan genus, with approximately 130 species, of mostly perennial herbs in the family Araliaceae. The genus includes around 95 perennial and 35 annual species, with all annual species endemic to Australia. In this study, I used sequences of a nDNA marker (ETS) and two cpDNA markers (psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF) to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among the annual species of Hydrocotyle. The final sampling included 21 species of Hydrocotyle and seven outgroup taxa. The phylogenetic analyses of the combined molecular dataset (i.e., ETS, psbA-trnH and trnL-trnF) recovered three major clades within Hydrocotyle, defined by annual or perennial life histories, and the presence/absence of floral bracts. The topology reconstructed here indicates that there is insufficient molecular evidence for the formal recognition of two putative new species, Hydrocotyle sp. Hamelinensis and Hydrocotyle sp. Puberula, previously identified on the basis of morphology. More specifically, H. sp. Hamelinensis is conspecific with H. tetragonocarpa Bunge, while H. sp. Puberula is conspecific with H. scutellifera Benth. Morphological studies of H. tetragonocarpa revealed that this species is andromonoecious and has heterocarpic schizocarps. Fertile plants of H. tetragonocarpa bear fruit that are either ovoid and wingless or broadly obcordate and winged. A detailed re-examination of the schizocarp surfaces of H. scutellifera indicated that these schizocarps are either glabrous or papillate, with neither of these two character states co-varying with any other vegetative or reproductive traits. The phylogeny of the annual Hydrocotyle recovered a paraphyletic Hydrocotyle, with Neosciadium glochidiatum (Benth.) Domin nested within the genus. This study is the first to reconstruct a molecular phylogeny of Hydrocotyle using samples of both annual and perennial taxa. The findings from this study provide a phylogenetic framework for future systematic and taxonomic research within the genus.

Hypoglycemic property of triterpenoid saponin PFS isolated from Polyscias fruticosa leaves.

This paper evaluated the inhibitory effect of 3-O-[ß-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-d-glucuronopyranosyl] oleanolic acid 28-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl ester (PFS), a major saponin isolated from Polyscias fruticosa leaves, on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and its potential for reducing the postprandial blood glucose level in mice. In enzyme inhibition assays, PFS strongly inhibited porcine pancreas α-amylase and yeast α-glucosidase. Using the Lineweaver-Burk equation, we found that PFS inhibited porcine pancreas α-amylase in a mixed noncompetitive mode, and yeast α-glucosidase via noncompetitive inhibition. In the sucrose tolerance test, PFS at 100 mg/kg body weight significantly decreased the postprandial blood glucose level in mice fed a high-sucrose diet. These findings suggest that P. fruticosa leaves and their major saponin PFS can be used to prevent and treat diabetes and its complications.

Evolution of the Araliaceae family inferred from complete chloroplast genomes and 45S nrDNAs of 10 Panax-related species.

We produced complete sequences and conducted comparative analysis of the maternally inherited chloroplast (cp) genomes and bi-parentally inherited 45S nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (nrDNA) from ten Araliaceae species to elucidate the genetic diversity and evolution in that family. The cp genomes ranged from 155,993 bp to 156,730 bp with 97.1-99.6% similarity. Complete 45S nrDNA units were about 11 kb including a 5.8-kb 45S cistron. Among 79 cp protein-coding genes, 74 showed nucleotide variations among ten species, of which infA, rpl22, rps19 and ndhE genes showed the highest Ks values and atpF, atpE, ycf2 and rps15 genes showed the highest Ka/Ks values. Four genes, petN, psaJ, psbF, and psbN, related to photosynthesis and one gene, rpl23, related to the ribosomal large subunit remain conserved in all 10 Araliaceae species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the ten species could be resolved into two monophyletic lineages, the Panax-Aralia and the Eleutherococcus-Dendropanax groups, which diverged approximately 8.81-10.59 million years ago (MYA). The Panax genus divided into two groups, with diploid species including P. notoginseng, P. vietnamensis, and P. japonicus surviving in Southern Asia and a tetraploid group including P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius Northern Asia and North America 2.89-3.20 MYA.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Schefflera octophylla.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Schefflera octophylla, a critical Chinese medicine was reported here. The complete chloroplast genome of Schefflera octophylla is 156 685 bp in length with 37.93% overall GC content. A pair of IRs (inverted repeats) of 25 965 bp were separated by LSC (86 609 bp) and SSC (18 146 bp). The phylogenetic analysis of 17 taxa showed a strong sister relationship with Schefflera delavayi. Furthermore the Araliaceae was separated into two major groups.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Fatsia japonica (Apiales: Araliaceae) and the phylogenetic analysis.

In this study, we have sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of Fatsia japonica, a well-known ornamental and potential medicinal plant. The complete chloroplast genome of F. japonica is 155 613 bp in length with 62.09% AT content, has a typical quadripartite structure with large (LSC 86 487 bp) and small (SSC 17 866 bp) single-copy regions separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs 25 929 bp) and contains 114 unique genes with 18 genes duplicated in the IR making a total of 132 genes. The phylogenetic analysis indicated the position of F. japonica in Apiales and has the potential to facilitate a better understanding of the intergeneric relationships in the family.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Dendropanax morbifera (Léveillé).

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Dendropanax morbifera, an economically and medicinally important endemic tree species in Korea, was obtained by de novo assembly with whole-genome sequence data and manual correction. A circular 156 366-bp chloroplast genome showed typical chloroplast genome structure comprising a large single copy region of 86 475 bp, a small single copy region of 18 125 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats of 25 883 bp. The chloroplast genome harbored 87 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis with the chloroplast genome revealed that D. morbifera is most closely related to Dendropanax dentiger, an evergreen tree species in China and Southeastern Asia.

Applying DNA barcodes for identification of plant species in the family Araliaceae.

An effective DNA marker in authentication of the family Araliaceae was screened out of the five DNA regions (matK, rbcL, ITS2, psbA-trnH and ycf5). In the present study, 1113 sequences of 276 species from 23 genera (Araliaceae) were collected from DNA sequencing and GenBank, in which 16 specimens were from 5 provinces in China and Japan. All of the sequences were assessed in the success rates of PCR amplifications, intra- and inter-specific divergence, DNA barcoding gaps and efficiency of identification. Compared with other markers, ITS2 showed superiority in species discrimination with an accurate identification of 85.23% and 97.29% at the species and genus levels, respectively, in plant samples from the 589 sequences derived from Araliaceae. Consequently, as one of the most popular phylogenetic markers, our study indicated that ITS2 was a powerful barcode for Araliaceae identification.

Reconstructing the species phylogeny of Pseudopanax (Araliaceae), a genus of hybridising trees.

Pseudopanax (Araliaceae) comprises 12 tree species of diverse morphology and ecology, and is endemic to New Zealand. It is notable for the hybridisation that occurs between P. crassifolius and P. lessonii, which have very different leaves and habits. To provide context for the study of this hybridisation and other investigations, we examined the phylogeny of Pseudopanax using chloroplast DNA sequences (c.5900 base-pairs) and AFLP DNA-fingerprinting. Both approaches resolve two principal groups within Pseudopanax--the Arboreus group and the Crassifolius+Lessonii union--but how they are related to other genera remains unclear. There is, nevertheless, little compelling evidence against the monophyly of Pseudopanax, making unnecessary the recent re-segregation of the Arboreus group as Neopanax. The chloroplast data provided minimal additional resolution, although the position of P. linearis was discordant compared to other data. Analyses of the AFLP data strongly recovered each species, aside from the morphologically heterogeneous P. colensoi, and the two mainland species (P. arboreus and P. crassifolius) that each contained a nested island-endemic (P. kermadecensis and P. chathamicus, respectively). However, relationships amongst species within the two principal groups were poorly resolved. An example was the uncertainty of whether P. crassifolius grouped with P. lessonii and its allies, or the morphologically similar species it had been previously placed with. This in turn raises the issue of how hybridisation might affect phylogenies and the ability to reconstruct them, even when using multiple, independent markers.

[Phylogenetic relationships of the Far Eastern Araliaceae inferred from ITS sequences of nuclear rDNA].

In eight species of the family Araliaceae, inhabiting the territory of the Russian Far East, the sequences of ITS regions of nuclear rDNA were determined. A comparison of these sequences enabled establishment of phylogenetic relationships between the Far Eastern and other members of the family. It was demonstrated that Aralia sensu populations from Primorye and Sakhalin were genetically different and, hereby, could be classified as interspecific taxa. Aralia continentalis along with A. cordata were attributed to the section Aralia sensu. Oplopanax elaus and O. horridus were found to be very close to each other, possibly being the subspecies of one species or relatively young species. Legitimacy of the isolation of two sections within the genus Eleutherococcus was confirmed.

Essential oils from the leaves of three New Zealand species of Pseudopanax (Araliaceae).

Essential oils from three of the eleven endemic New Zealand species of Pseudopanax, P. arboreus, P. discolor and P. lessonii, were found to have a fairly uniform composition which was different from that of the oils of Raukaua species that were formerly classified in the Pseudopanax genus. Oils of the three Pseudopanax species all contained significant proportions of viridiflorol and a closely related unidentified hydroazulene alcohol in common. In addition, the oil of P. arboreus contained bicyclogermacrene, linalool and long chain hydrocarbons. The oil of P. discolor contained nerolidol in abundance (36.3%) together with linalool and epi-alpha-muurolol. The oil of P. lessonii contained a complex mixture of sesquiterpene alcohols including epi-alpha-muurolol and a mixture of long chain hydrocarbons. Nerolidol and linalool provided the oil of P. discolor with a pleasant floral aroma, but the yield of oil was very low (0.01%).

Essential oils of the leaves of the Raukaua genus (Araliaceae).

The Raukaua genus of the family Araliaceae consists of 3 species, R. anomalus, R. edgerleyi and R. simplex, all endemic to New Zealand. The essential oil of R. edgerleyi and R. simplex consisted largely of monoterpenes. Limonene was the most abundant (23%) in R. edgerleyi and myrcene the most abundant (34%) in R. simplex. The oil of R. simplex lacked any significant sesquiterpenoids whereas bicyclogermacrene constituted 12% of the oil of R. edgerleyi. The oil of R. anomalus contained monoterpenes in low abundance and the sesquiterpenoids germacrene-B (15%) and gamma-muurolene (16%) dominated the composition of this oil. The oil of R. edgerleyi had a pleasant fresh green aroma but the low yields of all three oils excluded them from potential commercial use.

[Novel application of FTIR in medical herb chemotaxonomy].

Typical medical plants in Araliaceae, Campanulaceae, Magnoliaceae, Lauraceae, Leguminosae, Berberidaceae, Pteridophyta, etc. were studied with FTIR for the first time, and the similarities and differences within each familiar were also pointed out. Furthermore the differences in spectra of samples from different parts or collected at different time on the same plant were also discussed. The characteristic radicals of the mainly effective components in plants were identified, and the primary peaks were deciphered. It was considered that FTIR could become a rapid, reliable, impersonal and effective method in chemotaxonomy as a supplement of morphologic plant taxonomy.

[Genetic relationships among Far Eastern species of the family Araliacea inferred by RAPD analysis]. / Izuchenie geneticheskikh sviazei mezhdu dal'nevostochnymi vidami semeistva Araliaceae metodom RAPD.

A molecular genetic study of Far Eastern species of the family Araliaceae by means of RAPD analysis was conducted. Using 21 primers we assessed variability at 595 loci. Based on matrices of genetic distances D, dendrograms of genetic relationships among eleven species of six genera of this family were constructed. Our results suggest that Acanthopanax sessiliflorus and Eleutherococcus senticosus belong to different genera, Aralia cordata and A. continentalis are different species, and A. elata and A. mandshurica probably cannot be regarded as distinct species. Genetic similarity of Far Eastern A. cordata and American A. hispida is shown.