Search Results (16)

Medicinal plants represent promising sources for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders because of their abundance in bioactive compounds with therapeutic properties. Throughout history, various plant species have been used to alleviate digestive ailments, and studies have revealed the presence of metabolites with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, antidiarrheal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. The secondary metabolites responsible for these properties include alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, with the latter, particularly flavonoids, being the most associated with their bioactivities. Gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastrointestinal cancer, are caused primarily by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and the consumption of raw or undercooked foods. These conditions significantly impact human health, necessitating the development of safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives. After an extensive literature review, several plant species with widespread use in the treatment of these disorders were identified, including Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha spicata, Melissa officinalis, Artemisia ludoviciana, Flourensia cernua, Phoradendron californicum, and Turnera difusa. This study revealed that the analyzed plants are rich in bioactive compounds, which confer their medicinal properties. However, many other plants commonly used to treat digestive disorders have been scarcely studied, highlighting the need for further research. Full article

Parasitic diseases represent a significant global public health concern. Two clinically important parasites of high prevalence rates are Trichinella spiralis and Strongyloides stercoralis. However, the limitations of currently used nematocidal drugs highlight the urgent need for novel treatment approaches. The present study investigated the in vitro nematocidal activity of methanol extracts from Amphipterygium adstringens, Artemisia ludoviciana, Cymbopogon citratus, Heterotheca inuloides, Jatropha dioica, Justicia spicigera, Larrea tridentata, Mimosa tenuiflora, Psacalium decompositum, Ruta chalepensis, Semialarium mexicanum, and Smilax aspera against T. spiralis L1 and S. venezuelensis L3 (model for S. stercoralis). Most of the plants showed antiparasitic activity, but R. chalepensis crude methanol extract showed the most potent nematocidal activity against both parasites, with a mean lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of 28.2 µg/mL and a selectivity index (SI) of 22.4 for T. spiralis and an LC₅₀ of 244.8 µg/mL and SI of 2.58 for S. venezuelensis. This extract was further separated into n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol partitions by continuous Soxhlet extractions. The n-hexane partition demonstrated the strongest activity against both parasites, with an LC₅₀ of 147.6 µg/mL and an SI of 7.77 against T. spiralis and an LC₅₀ of 39.2 µg/mL and an SI of 3.77 against S. venezuelensis. LC-MS/MS analysis identified coumarins as the main chemical class (53%), and chalepin represented this partition’s most abundant compound (29.9%). Overall, this study confirmed the antiparasitic potential of medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico. In addition, it highlights the possibility of obtaining bioactive compounds from plants like R. chalepensis, or the other plants evaluated in this study, as novel treatments against parasitic diseases. Full article

Climate change might benefit water-stress-adapted weeds, further impairing their management. To evaluate the impact of soil moisture regimes on the growth and reproductive behaviour of ACCase-resistant and ACCase-susceptible phenotypes of sterile oat (Avena sterilis subsp. ludoviciana (Durieu) Nyman), a greenhouse experiment was carried out in 2020 and 2021. The factors were soil moisture regimes (100% field capacity (FC) as well-watered, 75% FC, 50% FC, and 25% FC) and ACCase-resistant and ACCase-susceptible phenotypes of sterile oat. Increased drought stress conditions reduced the number of tillers per plant by 34, 55, and 83% and the number of seeds per plant by 36, 61, and 89% in the 75% FC, 50% FC, and 25% FC conditions, respectively, compared to the well-watered treatment. Notably, both phenotypes reacted similarly to water stress, with no interactions between the two factors. Regardless of water stress, the resistant phenotypes produced fewer seeds per plant, indicating fitness costs. However, due to their high plasticity, both phenotypes will still produce seeds even when facing severe water stress conditions. Thus, sterile oat is expected to continue infesting crop fields in the near future, but with ACCase-resistant phenotypes being less successful than susceptible ones in the absence of herbicide application. Full article

As part of our interest in the volatile phytoconstituents of aromatic plants of the Great Basin, we have obtained essential oils of Ambrosia acanthicarpa (three samples), Artemisia ludoviciana (12 samples), and Gutierrezia sarothrae (six samples) from the Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho. Gas chromatographic analyses (GC-MS, GC-FID, and chiral GC-MS) were carried out on each essential oil sample. The essential oils of A. acanthicarpa were dominated by monoterpene hydrocarbons, including α-pinene (36.7–45.1%), myrcene (21.6–25.5%), and β-phellandrene (4.9–7.0%). Monoterpene hydrocarbons also dominated the essential oils of G. sarothrae, with β-pinene (0.5–18.4%), α-phellandrene (2.2–11.8%), limonene (1.4–25.4%), and (Z)-β-ocimene (18.8–39.4%) as major components. The essential oils of A. ludoviciana showed wide variation in composition, but the relatively abundant compounds were camphor (0.1–61.9%, average 14.1%), 1,8-cineole (0.1–50.8%, average 11.1%), (E)-nerolidol (0.0–41.0%, average 6.8%), and artemisia ketone (0.0–46.1%, average 5.1%). This is the first report on the essential oil composition of A. acanthicarpa and the first report on the enantiomeric distribution in an Ambrosia species. The essential oil compositions of A. ludoviciana and G. sarothrae showed wide variation in composition in this study and compared with previous studies, likely due to subspecies variation. Full article

Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana (hereafter, A. ludoviciana) is considered the most difficult-to-control winter weed in the Northern Grains Region (NGR) of Australia. The abundance of this weed has increased after the adoption of the no-tillage conservation agriculture (NTCA) approach, which does not bury seeds deep in the soil profile. In addition, the increasing frequency and intensity of drought stress events during the late winter to early spring period in the NGR may modify this weed’s persistence mechanisms, which may further impact crop production. The present study focused on plant maturity time and seed production, dormancy, and longevity of four NGR A. ludoviciana biotypes in relation to the severity of drought stress over 2 consecutive years. Plants of all four A. ludoviciana biotypes were grown under 100% plant available water capacity (PAWC) until panicle initiation. At panicle initiation, very mild (80% PAWC), mild (60% PAWC), moderate (40% PAWC), and severe (20% PAWC) drought stresses were imposed on plants and continued through to maturity; an additional subset of plants were maintained at 100% PAWC through to maturity (control). Plants exposed to severe drought stress matured 24 days earlier than control plants, and produced 34% fewer filled seeds, with seeds having a 42% lower mass, 70% less dormancy, and shorter predicted longevity of at least 2 years compared to the seeds produced on control plants. All reproductive traits were less affected when the severity of the drought stress was decreased. The increasing frequency of drought stress in combination with the widely adopted practice of NTCA favours seeds of A. ludoviciana to undergo rapid germination in the following autumn/winter NGR planting season. However, effective control of A. ludoviciana remains a challenge in the NGR due to this weed’s genetic variability with respect to its response toward the seasonal variability of the NGR. Full article

In Linares, Nuevo León, Mexico, there is no record of the total number of species or the uses that people make of native plants. The purpose of this study was to know the species and their uses in the municipality of Linares, Nuevo León, Mexico. Based on 180 semi-structured interviews, collection, identification, and storage of botanical specimens, the regional ethnobotanical knowledge was assessed. The ethnobotanical information and significant use of plants in Linares was studied. To identify the cultural importance of the ethnobotanical uses of the plants, three indices were calculated: the Use Value Index (UVI), the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and the Fidelity Level (FL). We recorded 59 plant families, 151 genera, and 152 species. The families with the largest number of genera and species with uses registered are Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Cactaceae, Araceae, and Euphorbiaceae. The most common uses recorded are ornamental, medicinal, food, and forage. The highest values for ICF were for the circulatory, endocrine, and digestive systems. At least 20 species had 100% FL index values. The species with the highest UVI values were Equisetum laevigatum, Persea ameriana, Amaranthus palmeri, Lophophora williamsii, and Artemisia ludoviciana. A wide use of native flora is recognized in Linares, Nuevo León, which directly influences the livelihood of people in the area. Full article

In this article, we analyzed the origin of wild polyploid oats (Avena L., Poaceae) using the region 18S rDNA (partially)–ITS1–5.8S rDNA obtained via NGS. There are six tetraploid (2n = 28) and four hexaploid (2n = 42) wild species differing by specific genome combinations: A. barbata, A. vaviloviana (AB), A. agadiriana (AB or BB), A. magna, A. murphyi, A. insularis (AC or CD), A. ludoviciana, A. sterilis, A. fatua, and A. occidentalis (ACD). We compared the pool of marker sequences of polyploid oats with those of their putative diploid ancestors: A. atlantica (As-genome), A. hirtula (As), A. canariensis (Ac), A. ventricosa (Cv), and A. clauda (paleopolyploid with Cp and A-related rDNA). We found 15 major ribotypes (more than 1000 reads per rDNA pool) in polyploid oats. Comparing them, we found that the AB-tetraploid oats possibly inherited their A-genome ribotypes from A. atlantica (As1-ribotype), whereas their B-genome ribotype is specific and can be a derivative of the A-genome family. Our data do not support the hypothesis of the CD-genome set in A. magna, A. murphyi, and A. insularis: they have an AC-genome ribotype constitution instead. The C-genome-related sequences could have been obtained from A. ventricosa. Hexaploids show a different ribotype pattern than tetraploids; the main ribotypes of A. fatua, A. ludoviciana, and A. sterilis probably belong to the D-group and are also shared with one of the major ribotypes of A. clauda. Full article

The weed Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana has a high economic impact in the winter cereal crop production systems of Australia’s northern grains region (NGR). In the NGR, the frequency of high-temperature periods at the end of winter is increasing. This shift in climate may modify this weed’s maturity time and reproductive biology, and thereby impact on crop production. This study examined the reproductive biology of four A. ludoviciana biotypes in relation to elevated temperature when applied at different times during their seed development. Plants of all four A. ludoviciana biotypes were grown in an ambient temperature glasshouse (23/14 °C day/night). At panicle initiation, a portion of the plants were transferred to an elevated temperature glasshouse (29/23 °C day/night) and remained there until maturity. This process of plant movement was repeated on three further occasions with separate batches of plants, each 10 days apart. The remaining plants were kept under ambient conditions for their whole lifespan. Plants exposed to elevated temperature from panicle initiation to maturity, matured 18 days earlier than plants kept under ambient conditions, had 30% fewer filled seeds, 37% lower seed mass, and 40% less seed dormancy. Depending on the time and duration of plants exposed to elevated temperature, predicted seed longevity was ranged from 1 to 4 years in the soil seedbank. All reproductive traits were less affected when plants were exposed to elevated temperature at a later stage of development. If the frequency of high-temperature periods continues to increase, then it may lead to the development of less dormant populations of this weed that would be ready to germinate and re-infest the next winter crops under no-tillage conservation agriculture (that does not bury seeds deep in the soil profile). However, the seasonal climatic variability of the NGR in addition to the weed’s natural genetic variability may contribute to a seedbank of both dormant and less dormant seeds—making this species an even more difficult-to-control weed. Full article

Weeds are a major impediment to crop and pasture production and profitability in Australian farming systems, and knowledge of their occurrence is vital in devising weed management solutions. This study examined the relationships between weed and crop species from observations made during surveys of randomly selected fields in grain and/or pasture production. Between 2013 and 2017, 996 fields across New South Wales (NSW) were surveyed to record the occurrence and density of weed species. Annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) (69% of fields), wild oats (Avena spp.) (60%), and sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) (34%) were the most common species identified, with a total of 65 weed species recorded to be occurring in NSW cropping fields. Densities of occurring weeds were low, at one plant per square metre or less. Multiple species of wild oats were recorded, with their occurrence varying between survey regions; for example, Avena sterilis subsp. ludoviciana was more prevalent in the north and Avena fatua in the south. Differences in weed species occurrence were noted between this survey and those previously conducted in NSW, with marked increases in annual ryegrass and sowthistle, and this is attributed to the change in crop production practices between survey periods. The study of variable distribution patterns of weed species across cropping systems allows for informed decision-making regarding weed management research and development planning. Full article

Species of the genus Artemisia mainly biosynthesize sesquiterpene lactones. Achillin is a guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia ludoviciana; it has shown antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, achillin exhibits a significant chemosensitizing effect on hepatocellular carcinoma cells resistant to paclitaxel (PTX). The objective of this study was to establish a callus culture from different explants under conditions of light and total darkness to produce achillin. To obtain in vitro cultures, explants of leaves, nodes, internodes, and roots were used, and they were cultured in MS medium with 0.1 mg/L of kinetin (KIN) or benzyl amino purine (BAP) and/or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridine carboxylic acid (PIC) at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L. Of all treatments, internodes with BAP (0.1 mg/L) and PIC (1.0 mg/L) grown under photoperiod showed the best friable callus induction, however, GC-MS analysis showed higher achillin content (1703.05 µg/mL) in leaf calluses with PIC (1.0) and KIN (0.1) under photoperiod, and in node plantlets (1880.01 µg/mL) with PIC (0.1) and BAP (0.1). From 12.34 g of dry leaves of Artemisia ludoviciana, 257 mg of achillin were isolated and purified, which was used as a reference in the quantification of achillin in the in vitro culture. Full article

Despite their reported therapeutic properties, not much is known about the immunomodulatory activity of essential oils present in Artemisia species. We isolated essential oils from the flowers and leaves of five Artemisia species: A. tridentata, A. ludoviciana, A. dracunculus, A. frigida, and A. cana. The chemical composition of the Artemisia essential oil samples had similarities and differences as compared to those previously reported in the literature. The main components of essential oils obtained from A. tridentata, A. ludoviciana, A. frigida, and A. cana were camphor (23.0–51.3%), 1,8-cineole (5.7–30.0%), camphene (1.6–7.7%), borneol (2.3–14.6%), artemisiole (1.2–7.5%), terpinen-4-ol (2.0–6.9%), α-pinene (0.8–3.9%), and santolinatriene (0.7–3.5%). Essential oils from A. dracunculus were enriched in methyl chavicol (38.8–42.9%), methyl eugenol (26.1–26.4%), terpinolene (5.5–8.8%), (E/Z)-β-ocimene (7.3–16.0%), β-phellandrene (1.3–2.2%), p-cymen-8-ol (0.9–2.3%), and xanthoxylin (1.2–2.2%). A comparison across species also demonstrated that some compounds were present in only one Artemisia species. Although Artemisia essential oils were weak activators of human neutrophils, they were relatively more potent in inhibiting subsequent neutrophil Ca²⁺ mobilization with N-formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) agonist fMLF- and FPR2 agonist WKYMVM, with the most potent being essential oils from A. dracunculus. Further analysis of unique compounds found in A. dracunculus showed that farnesene, a compound with a similar hydrocarbon structure as lipoxin A₄, inhibited Ca²⁺ influx induced in human neutrophils by fMLF (IC₅₀ = 1.2 μM), WKYMVM (IC₅₀ = 1.4 μM), or interleukin 8 (IC₅₀ = 2.6 μM). Pretreatment with A. dracunculus essential oils and farnesene also inhibited human neutrophil chemotaxis induced by fMLF, suggesting these treatments down-regulated human neutrophil responses to inflammatory chemoattractants. Thus, our studies have identified farnesene as a potential anti-inflammatory modulator of human neutrophils. Full article

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) are dominant wild plants in large areas of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and they include several species and subspecies. The aim was to determine if there are significant differences in essential oil (EO) yield, composition, and biological activity of sagebrush within the Bighorn Mountains, U.S. The EO yield in fresh herbage varied from 0.15 to 1.69% for all species, including 0.25–1.69% in A. tridentata var. vaseyana, 0.64–1.44% in A. tridentata var. tridentata, 1% in A. tridentata var. wyomingensis, 0.8–1.2% in A. longifolia, 0.8–1% in A. cana, and 0.16% in A. ludoviciana. There was significant variability in the EO profile between species, and subspecies. Some EO constituents, such as α-pinene (0–35.5%), camphene (0–21.5%), eucalyptol (0–30.8%), and camphor (0–45.5%), were found in most species and varied with species and subspecies. The antioxidant capacity of the EOs varied between the species and subspecies. None of the sagebrush EOs had significant antimicrobial, antimalarial, antileishmanial activity, or contained podophyllotoxin. Some accessions yielded EO with significant concentrations of compounds including camphor, eucalyptol, cis-thujone, α-pinene, α-necrodol-acetate, fragranol, grandisol, para-cymene, and arthole. Therefore, chemotypes can be selected and possibly introduced into culture and be grown for commercial production of these compounds to meet specific industry needs. Full article

Herbicide resistance can affect seed germination and the optimal conditions required for seed germination, which in turn may impose a fitness cost in resistant populations. Winter wild oat [Avena sterilis L. ssp. ludoviciana (Durieu) Gillet and Magne] is a serious weed in cereal fields. In this study, the molecular basis of resistance to an ACCase herbicide, clodinafop-propargyl, in four A. ludoviciana biotypes was assessed. Germination differences between susceptible (S) and ACCase-resistant biotypes (WR₁, WR₂, WR₃, WR₄) and the effect of Isoleucine-1781-Leucine mutation on germination were also investigated through germination models. The results indicated that WR₁ and WR₄ were very highly resistant (RI > 214.22) to clodinafop-propargyl-contained Isoleucine to Leucine amino acid substitution. However, Isoleucine-1781-Leucine mutation was not detected in other very highly resistant biotypes. Germination studies indicated that resistant biotypes (in particular WR₁ and WR₄) had higher base water potentials than the susceptible one. This shows that resistant biotypes need more soil water to initiate their germination. However, the hydrotime constant for germination was higher in resistant biotypes than in the susceptible one in most cases, showing faster germination in susceptible biotypes. ACCase-resistant biotypes containing the Isoleucine-1781-Leucine mutation had lower seed weight but used more seed reserve to produce seedlings. Hence, integrated management practices such as stale seedbed and implementing it at the right time could be used to take advantage of the differential soil water requirement and relatively late germination characteristics of ACCase-resistant biotypes. Full article

Caffeoylquinic acids are some of the chemophenetically significant specialized metabolites found in plants of the family Asteraceae Dumort., possessing a broad spectrum of biological activities. As they might be potential mitochondria-targeted antioxidants, effective preparation methods—including extraction, isolation, and purification of caffeoylquinic acids from plant sources—are in great demand. The aim of this study was to fractionate the caffeoylquinic acids from cultivated wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.) and silver wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.) herb acetone extracts and evaluate their phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activity (radical scavenging and reducing activities), effects on kidney mitochondrial functions, and cytochrome-c-reducing properties. The main findings of our study are as follows: (1) Aqueous fractions purified from wormwood and silver wormwood herb acetone extracts are rich in monocaffeoylquinic acids (chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid), while methanolic fractions purified from wormwood and silver wormwood herb acetone extracts are rich in dicaffeoylquinic acids (4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid). Aqueous fractions purified from wormwood and silver wormwood herb acetone extracts were solely composed of monocaffeoylquinic acids. Methanolic fractions purified from wormwood and silver wormwood herb acetone extracts contained only dicaffeoylquinic acids. (2) Fractions purified from silver wormwood herb acetone extracts stood out as having the greatest content of caffeoylquinic acids. (3) The greatest radical scavenging activity was determined in the dicaffeoylquinic-acid-rich fraction purified from silver wormwood herb acetone extract; the greatest reducing activity was determined in the dicaffeoylquinic-acid-rich fraction purified from wormwood herb acetone extract. (4) The effect of both fractions on mitochondrial functions was dose-dependent; lower concentrations of caffeoylquinic-acid-rich fractions had no effect on mitochondrial functions, whereas higher concentrations of caffeoylquinic-acid-rich fractions reduced the state 3 respiration rate (with the complex-I-dependent substrate glutamate/malate). (5) Both monocaffeoylquinic- and dicaffeoylquinic-acid-rich fractions possessed cytochrome-c-reducing properties; the greatest cytochrome c reduction properties were determined in the dicaffeoylquinic-acid-rich fraction purified from wormwood herb acetone extract. In summary, these findings show that caffeoylquinic acids might be beneficial as promising antioxidant and cytochrome-c-reducing agents for the modulation of mitochondria and treatment of various mitochondrial-pathway-associated pathologies. Full article

Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana has been traditionally used for the treatment of digestive ailments such as gastritis, whose main etiological agent is Helicobacter pylori. In a previous screening study, the aqueous extract exhibited a good in vitro anti-H. pylori activity. With the aim of determining the efficacy of this species as a treatment for H. pylori related diseases and finding bioactive compounds, its aqueous extract was subjected to solvent partitioning and the fractions obtained were tested for their in vitro anti-H. pylori effect, as well as for their in vivo gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. The aqueous extract showed a MIC = 250 µg/mL. No acute toxicity was induced in mice. A gastroprotection of 69.8 ± 3.8%, as well as anti-inflammatory effects of 47.6 ± 12.4% and 38.8 ± 10.2% (by oral and topical administration, respectively), were attained. Estafiatin and eupatilin were isolated and exhibited anti-H. pylori activity with MBCs of 15.6 and 31.2 µg/mL, respectively. The finding that A. ludoviciana aqueous extract has significant anti-H. pylori, gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities is a relevant contribution to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of this species. This work is the first report about the in vivo gastroprotective activity of A. ludoviciana and the anti-H. pylori activity of eupatilin and estafiatin. Full article