Search Results (20)

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic chemical compounds that have bioaccumulated and contaminated the entire global ecosystem, causing neurotoxic effects. However, polyphenols may have protective effects against this neurotoxicity. We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of a hydroalcoholic extract of fresh leaves of Alpinia zerumbet (ALE), which is rich in polyphenols, on the neurobehavioral changes induced by 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126). We divided C57BL/6 male mice into four groups (n = 40): Control, Control + ALE, PCB, and PCB + ALE. We administered the ALE (50 mg/kg/day) through drinking water and PCB 126 (2 mg/kg/once a week) intraperitoneally for four weeks. The mice were subjected to the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field (OF) tests in the last week of treatment. PCB 126 reduced locomotor activity, DOPAC levels, dopamine turnover, and D2 receptor expression. This compound also increased lipid peroxidation, tyrosine levels, and BAX expression in the cerebral cortex. Notably, ALE treatment prevented locomotor activity reduction and increased DOPAC levels, dopamine turnover, and D2 receptor expression. Moreover, the extract prevented the PCB-induced increases in BAX expression and lipid peroxidation. Finally, the ALE increased SOD antioxidant activity. Our investigation highlights that using the ALE may serve as a therapeutic strategy against PCB-induced neurotoxicity. Full article

Galangal (Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd) and bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Roscoe) are aromatic rhizomatous plants that are typically used for culinary purposes. These rhizomatous plants have many biological properties and the potential to be beneficial for pharmaceutics. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, with a specific focus on acne-causing bacteria, as well as the phytochemical constituents, of different parts of galangal and bitter ginger. The rhizomes, stems, and leaves of galangal and bitter ginger were separately dried for absolute ethanol and methanol extractions. The extracts were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity using a DPPH radical scavenging assay (0.005–5000 μg/mL), antimicrobial activity against acne-causing bacteria (0.50–31.68 mg/mL), and in vitro cytotoxicity toward human keratinocytes and fibroblasts (62.5–1000 μg/mL), as well as analyses of bioactive phytochemicals via GC-MS and LC-MS/MS (500 ppm). The ethanol and methanol extracts of bitter ginger and galangal’s rhizomes (BRhE, BRhM, GRhE, and GRhM), stems (BStE, BStM, GRhE, and GRhM), and leaves (BLeE, BLeM, GLeE, and GLeM), respectively, showed antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The extracts of all parts of bitter ginger and galangal were greatly antioxidative with 0.06–1.42 mg/mL for the IC₅₀ values, while most of the extracts were strongly antimicrobial against C. acnes DMST 14916, particularly BRhM, BRhE, GRhM, and GRhE (MICs: 3.96–7.92 mg/mL). These rhizome extracts had also antimicrobial activities against S. aureus TISTR 746 (MICs: 7.92–31.68 mg/mL) and S. epidermidis TISTR 518 (MICs: 7.92–15.84 mg/mL). The extracts of bitter ginger and galangal rhizomes were not toxic to HaCaT and MRC-5 even at the highest concentrations. Through GC-MS and LC-MS/MS analysis, phytochemicals in bitter ginger rhizome extracts, including zerumbone, tectorigenin, piperic acid, demethoxycurcumin, and cirsimaritin, and galangal rhizome extracts, including sweroside and neobavaisoflavone, were expected to provide the antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. Therefore, the results suggest that the bitter ginger and galangal extracts could be natural anti-acne compounds with potential for pharmaceutic, cosmetic, and aesthetic applications. Full article

Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm is a perennial plant of the Zingiberaceae family widely distributed in the subtropical and tropical areas of South America, Oceania, and Asia. Multiple plant parts of A. zerumbet have been traditionally used as medicinal sources, each with different clinical uses. These variations may arise from differences among the chemical components and/or accumulations of the active compounds in each part. Therefore, this review summarizes previous studies on the phytochemicals in A. zerumbet and reveals the similarities and differences among the chemical constituents of its multiple medicinal parts, including the leaves, rhizomes, fruits, seeds, and flowers. The results contribute to the scientific validation of the traditional understanding that A. zerumbet possesses different medicinal properties in each plant part. In addition, this review provides directions for further studies on the phytochemicals of this plant. Full article

Alpinia plants are widely cherished for their vibrant and captivating flowers. The unique feature of this genus lies in their labellum, a specialized floral structure resulting from the fusion of two non-fertile staminodes. However, the intricate process of pigment formation, leading to distinct color patterns in the various labellum segments of Alpinia, remains a subject of limited understanding. In this study, labellum tissues of two Alpinia species, A. zerumbet (yellow–orange flowers) and A. oxyphylla (white–purple flowers), were sampled and analyzed through morphological structure observation, metabolite analysis, and transcriptome analyses. We found that hemispherical/spherical epidermal cells and undulate cell population morphology usually display darker flower colors, while flat epidermal cells and cell populations usually exhibit lighter flower colors. Metabolomic analysis identified a high concentration of anthocyanins, particularly peonidin derivatives, in segments with orange and purple pigments. Additionally, segments with yellow pigments showed significant accumulations of flavones, flavanols, flavanones, and xanthophylls. Furthermore, our investigation into gene expression levels through qRT-PCR revealed notable differences in several genes that participated in anthocyanin and carotenoid biosynthesis among the four pigmented segments. Collectively, these findings offer a comprehensive understanding of pigmentation in Alpinia flowers and serve as a valuable resource for guiding future breeding efforts aimed at developing Alpinia varieties with novel flower colors. Full article

Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) are used in medicines, disinfectants, and aromatherapy products. Information on the antifungal activity of EO of Alpinia zerumbet var. exelsa (known as Daito-gettou) found in Kitadaito Island, Okinawa, is limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of EOs obtained via steam distillation of leaves of Daito-gettou, which is a hybrid of A. zerumbet and A. uraiensis. Daito-gettou EO showed antifungal activity (minimum inhibitory concentration = 0.4%) against Aspergillus brasiliensis NBRC 9455, which was comparable to that of A. zerumbet found in the Okinawa main island. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that the main components of Daito-gettou EOs are γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, 1,8-cineole, 3-carene, and p-cymene. Terpinen-4-ol content (MIC = 0.075%) was 17.24%, suggesting that the antifungal activity of Daito-gettou EO was mainly attributable to this component. Daito-gettou EO and terpinen-4-ol inhibited mycelial growth. Moreover, calorimetric observations of fungal growth in the presence of Daito-gettou EO showed a characteristic pattern with no change in the initial growth rate and only a delay in growth. As this pattern is similar to that of amphotericin B, it implies that the action mode of Daito-gettou EO and terpinen-4-ol may be fungicidal. Further studies on the molecular mechanisms of action are needed for validation. Full article

Zerumbone is a multifunctional compound with antimicrobial, antitumor, hyperalgesic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory applications, and constitutes a point molecule for the future synthesis of derivatives with improved efficiency. This monocyclic sesquiterpenoid is found in high content in wild ginger (Zingiber zerumbet Smith), a perennial herb with economic importance as an ornamental as well as a medicinal plant. The presence of zerumbone is a distinctive feature that allows identification and differentiation from other species, not only in Zingiber, but also in Curcuma, Alpinia, Boesenbergia, Ethlingera and Ammomum spp., as well as related families (Costaceaee). To successfully use zerumbone in areas such as medicine, food and agriculture, further research on improving its low solubility and bioavailability, as well as its preservation, is a major current priority. In addition, despite its promising pharmacological activities, preclinical and clinical studies are required to demonstrate and evaluate the in vivo efficacy of zerumbone. Full article

Zingiberaceae plants are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, being used in many famous medicinal materials. Meanwhile, some Zingiberaceae plants are important horticultural flowers because they are green all year round and have special aromas. To conduct an extensive investigation of the resources of Zingiberaceae plants, the volatile compounds of ten species of Zingiberaceae were extracted and analyzed by GC–MS, including Costus comosus var. bakeri (K.Schum.) Maas, Curcuma rubescens Roxb., Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb., Curcuma attenuata Wall., Hongfengshou, Hedychium coronarium Koeng, Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith, Hedychium brevicaule D. Fang, Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., and Alpinia pumila Hook.F. A total of 162 compounds were identified, and most of those identified were monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial, n-hexadecanoic acid, 4-methoxy-6-phenethyl-2H-pyran-2-one, and L-β-pinene were found in high concentrations among the plants. These ten species of Zingiberaceae contained some of the same volatiles, but their contents were different. Pharmacological effects may be associated with the diversity of volatiles in these ten plants. Full article

Container crop production has become increasingly popular over the last 50 years. A major component of container or potting media is peat. Peatlands are a natural carbon sink, and peat is a nonrenewable natural resource. Peat harvesting has become an important environmental issue. There is a growing effort to explore alternative organic materials to completely or partially replace peat as a medium component. Biochar is a carbon-rich product that has gained increasing interest as a component of growing media. In the present study, biochar was produced from rice straw. Peat/perlite/biochar (PPB; 40/30/30 v/v) and peat/perlite/biochar/vermicompost (PPBC; 30/30/35/5 v/v) were evaluated relative to a basal or control medium of peat/perlite (PP; 70:30 v/v). Alpinia (Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata Dwarf’) was used as a test plant. Amending biochar and biochar–compost mix increased the pH of the growing media. Hydrophysical properties including container capacity, bulk density, air space and total porosity were all within or near the standard ranges for soilless growing media. Chlorophyll a and b contents of A. zerumbet plants grown in PPB medium were reduced by more than 20% and 28%, respectively, compared to those grown in PP or PPBC media. The net photosynthetic rate of PPB-grown plants was more than 28% lower than those grown in PP and PPBC media. As a result, shoot and root dry weights of plants produced in PPB medium were more than 42% and 22% less, respectively, than those grown in PP and PPBC media. Although visual quality of PPB-grown plants was lower, they still exhibited marketable quality, which was largely due to the fact that their side shoots, leaf numbers, leaf areas, leaf thickness, and shoot diameters were comparable to those produced in PP and PPBC media. The present study showed that in a peat/perlite basal medium, substitution of peat by biochar derived from rice straw at 30% affected the growth of A. zerumbet plants, mainly in dry matter accumulation, but the plants were still marketable. On the other hand, plants grown in the same basal medium with peat replaced by the biochar at 35% plus an amendment of compost at 5% were comparable to those grown in the control medium. As the value of ornamental plants depends on their aesthetic appearance, a potting medium comprised of peat/perlite/biochar/vermicompost at 30/30/35/5 by volume is recommended for the production of A. zerumbet plants. The substitution of peat at 35% suggests that peat use can be reduced in the formulation of potting media, thus contributing to the conservation of peatlands. Full article

Alpinia zerumbet is an important medicinal and ornamental plant species. Drought stress is a major concern for sustainable horticulture crop production under changing climate scenarios. Trehalose (Tre) and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) are osmoprotectants that play important roles in mitigating plant stresses. In this study, the effects of foliar application of 25 mM Tre or 10 mg L⁻¹ ALA on biochemical and physiological parameters of A. zerumbet seedlings and their growth were evaluated under well-watered and drought-stressed (65% of field capacity) conditions. Drought caused reductions in physiological parameters and plant growth. These decreases were accompanied by increases in leaf free proline and glycine betaine concentrations and peroxidase activities. Foliar application of Tre or ALA remediated physiological and biochemical parameters and plant growth. Overall, foliar application of ALA or Tre proved to be beneficial for mitigating drought stress in A. zerumbet. Full article

Alpinia katsumadai (A. katsumadai), Alpinia oxyphylla (A. oxyphylla) and Alpinia pumila (A. pumila), which belong to the family Zingiberaceae, exhibit multiple medicinal properties. The chloroplast genome of a non-model plant provides valuable information for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Here, we sequenced three complete chloroplast genomes of A. katsumadai, A. oxyphylla sampled from Guangdong and A. pumila, and analyzed the published chloroplast genomes of Alpinia zerumbet (A. zerumbet) and A. oxyphylla sampled from Hainan to retrieve useful chloroplast molecular resources for Alpinia. The five Alpinia chloroplast genomes possessed typical quadripartite structures comprising of a large single copy (LSC, 87,248–87,667 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 15,306–18,295 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IR, 26,917–29,707 bp). They had similar gene contents, gene orders and GC contents, but were slightly different in the numbers of small sequence repeats (SSRs) and long repeats. Interestingly, fifteen highly divergent regions (rpl36, ycf1, rps15, rpl22, infA, psbT-psbN, accD-psaI, petD-rpoA, psaC-ndhE, ccsA-ndhD, ndhF-rpl32, rps11-rpl36, infA-rps8, psbC-psbZ, and rpl32-ccsA), which could be suitable for species identification and phylogenetic studies, were detected in the Alpinia chloroplast genomes. Comparative analyses among the five chloroplast genomes indicated that 1891 mutational events, including 304 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 118 insertion/deletions (indels) between A. pumila and A. katsumadai, 367 SNPs and 122 indels between A. pumila and A. oxyphylla sampled from Guangdong, 331 SNPs and 115 indels between A. pumila and A. zerumbet, 371 SNPs and 120 indels between A. pumila and A. oxyphylla sampled from Hainan, and 20 SNPs and 23 indels between the two accessions of A. oxyphylla, were accurately located. Additionally, phylogenetic relationships based on SNP matrix among 28 whole chloroplast genomes showed that Alpinia was a sister branch to Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae, and that the five Alpinia accessions were divided into three groups, one including A. pumila, another including A. zerumbet and A. katsumadai, and the other including two accessions of A. oxyphylla. In conclusion, the complete chloroplast genomes of the three medicinal Alpinia species in this study provided valuable genomic resources for further phylogeny and species identification in the family Zingiberaceae. Full article

Background/Aim: Plants play an important role in anti-cancer drug discovery, therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the biological activity of Alpinia zerumbet (A. zerumbet) flowers. Methods: The phytochemical and biological criteria of A. zerumbet were in vitro investigated as well as in mouse xenograft model. Results: A. zerumbet extracts, specially CH₂Cl₂ and MeOH extracts, exhibited the highest potent anti-tumor activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells. The most active CH₂Cl₂ extract was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation leading to isolatation of the naturally occurring 5,6-dehydrokawain (DK) which was characterized by IR, MS, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR. A. zerumbet extracts, specially MeOH and CH₂Cl₂ extracts, exhibited significant inhibitory activity towards tumor volume (TV). Furthermore, A. zerumbet extracts declined the high level of malonaldehyde (MDA) as well as elevated the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in liver tissue homogenate. Moreover, DK showed anti-proliferative action on different human cancer cell lines. The recorded IC₅₀ values against breast carcinoma (MCF-7), liver carcinoma (Hep-G2) and larynx carcinoma cells (HEP-2) were 3.08, 6.8, and 8.7 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings open the door for further investigations in order to explore the potential medicinal properties of A. zerumbet. Full article

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been linked to several health conditions, among them inflammation. Natural antioxidants may attenuate this damage. Our study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of a methanol leaf extract from Alpinia zerumbet and its possible antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, and antipyretic effects. Altogether, 37 compounds, representing benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids (aglycones and glycosides), were characterized. The extract showed substantial in vitro antioxidant effects, and inhibited both cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in vitro, with a higher selectivity towards COX-2. It also inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) activity in vitro with nearly double the potency of zileuton, a reference 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitor. The extract exhibited anti-inflammatory effects against carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema, and suppressed leukocyte infiltration into the peritoneal cavity in carrageenan-treated mice. Furthermore, it possessed antipyretic effects against fever induced by subcutaneous injection of Brewer’s yeast in mice. Additionally, the extract demonstrated both central and peripheral anti-nociceptive effects in mice, as manifested by a decrease in the count of writhing, induced with acetic acid and an increase in the latency time in the hot plate test. These findings suggest that the leaf extract from Alpinia zerumbet could be a candidate for the development of a drug to treat inflammation and ROS related disorders. Full article

The longevity of the population in the Okinawa Islands of Japan has been ascribed to genetic factors and the traditional Okinawa cuisine, which is low in calories and high in plant content. This diet includes shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm) of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Due to its local popularity, Alpinia zerumbet has become the subject of a good deal of study at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa. Personal local experience and review of the literature now suggest that culinary shell ginger may contribute to longevity among the population in Okinawa. This is supported by its abundant phytochemical content, with antioxidant and anti-obesity properties. The major bioactive phytochemicals are dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain (DDK; 80–410 mg g⁻¹ fresh weight), 5,6-dehydrokawain (DK; ≤100 mg g⁻¹), and essential oils, phenols, phenolic acids, and fatty acids (≤150 mg g⁻¹ each). Further, Alpinia zerumbet extends the lifespan in animals by 22.6%. In conclusion, culinary shell ginger may significantly contribute to human longevity in Okinawa. Full article

Amomum kravanh is an important edible and medicinal herb, the dried fruits of which are widely used in traditional herbal medicine as cardamom. We sequenced and analyzed the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of A. kravanh with herbgenomics technologies. The size of the A. kravanh cp genome was 162,766 bp, which consisted of long (LSC; 87,728 bp) and short (SSC; 15,390 bp) single-copy regions, separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs; 29,824 bp). The genome encoded 114 unique genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs and four rRNAs. A total of 299 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified in the A. kravanh cp genome, which provides an effective method to study species identification and population genetics of the medicinal plant. Moreover, one complement, 12 forward, 12 palindrome and two reverse repeats were detected. Comparative cp genome sequence analysis of four Zingiberaceae species indicated that their intergenic spacers are highly divergent, although the gene order, gene content and genome structure differed only minimally. In particular, there was a remarkable expansion of the IR regions in the A. kravanh cp genome. Phylogenetic analysis strongly supported a sister relationship between A. kravanh and Alpinia zerumbet. This study identified the unique characteristics of the A. kravanh cp genome and might provide valuable information for future studies aiming for Amomum identification, and provide insights into the taxonomy of the commelinids. Full article

PAK1 (p21-activated kinase 1) is an emerging target for the treatment of hair loss (alopecia) and cancer; therefore, the search for PAK1 blockers to treat these PAK1-dependent disorders has received much attention. In this study, we evaluated the anti-alopecia and anticancer effects of PAK1 inhibitors isolated from Alpinia zerumbet (alpinia) in cell culture. The bioactive compounds isolated from alpinia were found to markedly promote hair cell growth. Kaempferol-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (KOG) and labdadiene, two of the isolated compounds, increased the proliferation of human follicle dermal papilla cells by approximately 117%–180% and 132%–226%, respectively, at 10–100 μM. MTD (2,5-bis(1E,3E,5E)-6-methoxyhexa-1,3,5-trien-1-yl)-2,5-dihydrofuran) and TMOQ ((E)-2,2,3,3-tetramethyl-8-methylene-7-(oct-6-en-1-yl)octahydro-1H-quinolizine) showed growth-promoting activity around 164% and 139% at 10 μM, respectively. The hair cell proliferation induced by these compounds was significantly higher than that of minoxidil, a commercially available treatment for hair loss. Furthermore, the isolated compounds from alpinia exhibited anticancer activity against A549 lung cancer cells with IC₅₀ in the range of 67–99 μM. Regarding the mechanism underlying their action, we hypothesized that the anti-alopecia and anticancer activities of these compounds could be attributed to the inhibition of the oncogenic/aging kinase PAK1. Full article