Search Results (16)

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. is an important ornamental plant, holding dual economic value as a medicinal and edible plant. Jinsi Huangju is a popular healthy tea drink prepared from the large and elegant shaped flowers of C. morifolium. However, the suboptimal accumulation of bioactive flavonoids during conventional harvest (full bloom stage) limits its commercial potential. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing flavonoid biosynthesis in Jinsi Huangju flowers and identify key genetic regulators for metabolic engineering, we performed integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of flowers at distinct developmental stages using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and RNA-seq. Differential metabolites were screened, and candidate genes were validated via transient transformation assays. Among 2146 identified metabolites, flavonoids were the predominant differential compounds, with accumulation patterns being strongly stage dependent. Thirty-eight flavonoid biosynthetic genes and key transcription factors from the MYB, bHLH, and WD40 families exhibited dynamic expression. The CmMYB8a was confirmed as a positive regulator of flavonoid biosynthesis through transient overexpression. This study deciphers the stage-specific flavonoid accumulation in Jinsi Huangju and identifies CmMYB8a as a pivotal regulatory target. Our findings provide genetic resources for breeding high-flavonoid cultivars via molecular design. Full article

Chrysanthemum × morifolium (Ramat) Hemsl. (Hangbaiju), which has been widely consumed as a herbal tea for over 3000 years, is renowned for its biosafety and diverse bioactivities. This study investigates the impact of polyphenol-rich Hangbaiju extracts (HE) on high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice. HE contains phenolic acids and flavonoids with anti-obesity properties, such as apigenin, luteolin-7-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-(6″-acetylglucoside), etc. To establish the obesity model, mice were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 8 per group) and administered with either HE or water for 42 days under high-fat or low-fat dietary conditions. Administration of low (LH) and high (HH) doses of HE both significantly suppressed body weight growth (by 16.28% and 16.24%, respectively) and adipose tissue enlargement in obese mice. HE significantly improved the serum lipid profiles, mainly manifested as decreased levels of triglycerides (28.19% in LH and 19.59% in HH) and increased levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (44.34% in LH and 54.88% in HH), and further attenuated liver lipid deposition. Furthermore, HE significantly decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio 0.23-fold (LH) and 0.12-fold (HH), indicating an improvement in the microecological balance of the gut. HE administration also elevated the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Allobaculum, norank_f__Muribaculaceae), while suppressing harmful pathogenic proliferation (e.g., Dubosiella, Romboutsia). In conclusion, HE ameliorates obesity and hyperlipidemia through modulating lipid metabolism and restoring the balance of intestinal microecology, thus being promising for obesity therapy. Full article

The simplex strategies of fertilizer management and problems caused by simultaneous precipitation and high-temperature (SPH) climate were the main factors that led to yield loss and quality decline in the continuous cropping of tea chrysanthemum (Dendranthema morifolium ‘Jinsi Huang’). In this study, with sustainable biofertilizers being proposed as a potential solution. However, their effects under such constraints are underexplored. In this study, we compared different proportions of a sustainable dark tea biofertilizer, made with two commonly used fertilizers, by their contributions to the morphological, photosynthetic, and flowering traits of D. morifolium ‘Jinsi Huang’. The results showed that increasing the dark tea biofertilizer application to 4.5 kg·m⁻² significantly enhanced the soil alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen (596.53% increase), available phosphorus (64.11%), and rapidly available potassium (75.56%) compared to the levels in yellow soil. This nutrient enrichment in soil caused D. morifolium ‘Jinsi Huang’ to produce more leaves (272.84% increase) and flower buds (1041.67%), along with a strengthened photosynthetic capacity (higher Fv/Fm values and light saturation point). These improvements alleviated the photoinhibition caused by SPH climate conditions, ultimately leading to significantly higher contents of chlorogenic acid (38.23% increase) and total flavonoids (80.28%) in the harvested flowers compared to the control group. Thus, dark tea biofertilizer is a cost-effective and efficient additive for growing tea chrysanthemum in SPH regions due to improving soil quality and causing nutritional and functional components to accumulate in harvest flowers, which greatly promotes the commercial value of rural revitalization industries centered around tea chrysanthemum. Full article

Chrysanthemum morifolium, ‘Huangju’, is a golden chrysanthemum used for making tea. Limited by land resources, the continuous cropping of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Huangju’ has led to serious soil issues, which affects its yield and quality. In this study, different ratios of traditional Chinese medicine compound fertilizers were used to regulate the soil environment in order to achieve the green prevention and control of continuous cropping obstacles of the golden chrysanthemum. Five treatments were set up in the experiment: the control (CK) and different proportions of the Chinese herbal compound fertilizer T1, T2, T3, and T4. After the application of the traditional Chinese medicine compound fertilizer, the physical and chemical soil properties of the golden chrysanthemum were changed to varying degrees, resulting in an increased yield of golden silk chrysanthemum and an improved tea quality. This preliminary study on the application of the traditional Chinese medicine compound fertilizer T2 and T3—that is, Sophora flavescens–Stemona sessilifolia–Mentha haplocalyx–Perilla frutescens–Artemisia annua at ratios of 2:1:2:1:1.5 and 3:1:3:1:2—treatments provided the best results and can be further developed to alleviate the continuous cropping obstacles of fertilizers. Full article

Alternaria species produce diverse secondary metabolites that act as critical virulence factors during plant pathogenesis. In cultivation areas of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Fubai’—a key cultivar for herbal tea—black spot disease caused by A. alternata manifests as necrotic leaf lesions progressing to wilting. Despite this disease’s economic impact, information on its associated toxins is limited, and the types of toxins produced by the black spot pathogen of Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Fubai’ in particular remain unclear. Furthermore, whether toxins are present in the flowers when the leaves show symptoms is uncertain, but their inflorescence is not visibly infected. Using two previously characterized A. alternata strains (F16/F20) isolated from ‘Fubai’ in earlier studies, we demonstrated the concomitant production of altenuene (ALT) and tenuazonic acid (TeA) in both strains, with strain-specific yield variations (F20 TeA: 342.16 µg/mL vs. F16: 21.84 µg/mL; ALT: 0.28 µg/mL vs. 0.90 µg/mL). Time-course monitoring revealed coordinated accumulation of both toxins in inoculated petals, reaching 18.07 μg/g ALT and 2.59 µg/g TeA by day 9. Notably, these two toxins were detected only in flower samples from black spot-infected plants, and their concentrations correlated closely with disease severity in the leaves. Moreover, although the inflorescences did not display symptoms, both fresh and dried flowers retained detectable toxin levels. We established a technical system for the extraction and quantitative detection of the toxins ALT and TeA produced by the black spot pathogen in tea chrysanthemum. This work provides the first confirmation of ALT/TeA co-contamination in Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Fubai’, revealing substantial dietary exposure risks through tea consumption. Our findings suggest that, from a food safety risk reduction perspective, integrated management strategies should be developed to minimize toxin contamination in tea chrysanthemum, including improved disease prevention measures and potential regulatory considerations. Full article

Vase life is a decisive measure of the marketability of post-harvest physiology in cut flowers. In the process of petal senescence, the cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium) ‘Pingpong’ group develops severe capitulum collapse which manifests as wilting and browning, leading to shorter vase life. Melatonin (MT), tea polyphenols (TPs), and chitosan (CT) are natural alternatives to chemical compounds with proven preservation effects. In this study, the possibility of mitigating capitulum collapse using the preservation solutions of these three eco-friendly ingredients was investigated on four varieties from the ‘Pingpong’ group, aiming to delay the senescence process. The effects on vase life of 0.02/0.04 mmol·L⁻¹ MT, 200/400 mg·L⁻¹ TPs, and 0.10/0.20 g·L⁻¹ CT were, respectively, assessed with the basis of 20 g·L⁻¹ sucrose and 250 mg·L⁻¹ citric acid. The yellow and white varieties tend to have a longer vase life compared with the green and pink varieties. Compared to the control with only base ingredients, the greatest delay in capitulum collapse was observed with 0.04 mmol·L⁻¹ MT in the yellow variety, maximizing the vase life to 13.4 days. MT maintained the best ornamental quality of the capitulum by decelerating fresh weight and flower diameter loss in terms of all varieties. TPs significantly increased flower diameter to improve vase life up to four more days. However, CT caused significant negative effects on vase life, with severe loss of both flower diameter and fresh weight. Therefore, the application of 0.04 mmol·L⁻¹ MT and 200 mg·L⁻¹ TPs was suggested to enhance the marketability of cut ‘Pingpong’, which highlighted the eco-friendly potential of post-harvest treatments. Full article

Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘11-C-2’ is a variety of chrysanthemums with high ornamental and tea value, experiencing significant market demand. However, as cultivation areas expand, issues such as viral infection, germplasm degradation, low proliferation coefficient, and slow proliferation rate arise, necessitating the establishment of an efficient in vitro regeneration system. This study, based on the principles of orthogonal experimental design, explored the regeneration system of Chrysanthemum cultivar ‘11-C-2’ using sterile seedlings. The research focused on three key stages: adventitious bud differentiation, rooting culture, and acclimatization–transplantation, employing shoot-bearing stem segments and leaves as explants. The findings indicate that the optimal explant for the Chrysanthemum ‘11-C-2’ sterile seedlings is the shoot-bearing stem segment. The best medium for adventitious bud differentiation was determined to be MS supplemented with 1.5 mg/L 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA. Bud differentiation began on day 17 with a 100% differentiation rate, completing around day 48. The maximum differentiation coefficient reached 87, with an average of 26.67. The adventitious buds were then cultured for rooting in the optimal medium of 1/2 MS supplemented with 0.1 mg/L NAA. Rooting was initiated on day 4 and was completed by day 14, achieving a rooting rate of 97.62%. After a 5-day acclimatization under natural light, the rooted seedlings were transplanted into a growth substrate with a peat-to-vermiculite ratio of 1:2. The plants exhibited optimal growth, with a transplantation survival rate of 100%. The findings provide data support for the efficient large-scale propagation of ‘11-C-2’ and lay the foundation for germplasm preservation and genetic transformation research of tea chrysanthemums. Full article

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat., known as Hangbaiju (HBJ), is a high-value edible, medicinal product where the flowers are infused in hot water and drunk as tea. Its quality and efficacy are closely related to its geographical origin. Consequently, it is vulnerable to fraudulent substitution by other lower-value Chrysanthemum products. In this study, cultivation (variety and different growth stages) and isotopic fractionation between the flower, stem, and leaf were studied. Samples from four different HBJ varieties were characterized using stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ²H, δ¹⁸O, %C, and %N) across three producing regions in Zhejiang province, China. The results showed that there were no significant differences in stable isotopic compositions for different HBJ varieties, but there were significant differences for different plant tissues (flower, stem, leaf, etc.). Furthermore, the stable isotopic composition altered dramatically at different growth stages. The δ¹⁵N (r = 0.6809) and δ²H (r = 0.6102) correlations between stems and leaves (SL) and flowers (F) of HBJ were relatively good, the δ¹³C correlation (r = 0.2636) between SL and F was weak, but δ¹⁸O correlation (r = 0.01) had almost no correlation. A supervised multivariate statistical model (partial least squares discriminant analysis, PLS-DA) was used to discriminate three different producing regions with high accuracy (66.7%, 66.7%, and 100%, respectively). Our findings show that stable isotopes combined with multivariate statistical analysis provide an effective method for the geographical identification of HBJ. Full article

Increasing shoot branch numbers of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat cv. Hangbaiju (Hangbaiju) is crucial for producing high flower yields. Pot experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of foliar application of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) combined with prohexadione-Ca (Pro-Ca) on the yield and quality of Hangbaiju flowers. Foliar application of 6-BA combined with Pro-Ca typically increased leaf chlorophyll content and decreased leaf soluble sugar and soluble protein contents throughout the floral organ growth phase. At the bud formation phenophase stage (August), the contents of gibberellin (GA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and zeatin (ZA) decreased (except for GA content in the 10 mg L⁻¹ 6-BA combined with 100 mg L⁻¹ Pro-Ca treatment), but abscisic acid (ABA) content increased. The yield of Hangbaiju flowers was found higher in plants treated with foliar application of 6-BA combined with Pro-Ca. Higher yields were found in the 6-BA₅ + Ca₁₀₀ and 6-BA₁₀ + Ca₁₀₀ treatments than in the 6-BA₅ + Ca₅₀ and 6-BA₁₀ + Ca₅₀ treatments, and the highest yield was observed in the 6-Ba₅ + Ca₁₀₀ treatment both in 2019 and 2020. Nutritional indices such as soluble sugar, soluble protein, total amino acid, and water extract increased, and medicinal indices such as flavonoid, total phenolics, chlorogenic acid, cynaroside, and 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid slightly decreased after foliar application of 6-BA combined with Pro-Ca; however, they were all higher than the standards recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopeia. Overall, foliar application of 6-BA combined with Pro-Ca could increase the yield and nutritional quality of Hangbaiju flowers, enhancing its tea quality. Full article

The Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat (CM) is widely used as a traditional medicine and herbal tea by the Asian population for its health benefits related to obesity. However, compared to the flowers of CM, detailed mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of its leaves on obesity and dyslipidemia have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, to investigate the lipidomic biomarkers responsible for the pharmacological effects of CM leaf extract (CLE) in plasma of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), the plasma of mice fed a normal diet (ND), HFD, HFD plus CLE 1.5% diet, and HFD plus luteolin 0.003% diet (LU) for 16 weeks were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate analysis. In our analysis, the ND, HFD, CLE, and LU groups were clearly differentiated by partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) score plots. The major metabolites contributing to this differentiation were cholesteryl esters (CEs), lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), phosphatidylcholines (PCs), ceramides (CERs), and sphingomyelins (SMs). The levels of plasma CEs, LPCs, PCs, SMs, and CERs were significantly increased in the HFD group compared to those in the ND group, and levels of these lipids recovered to normal after administration of CLE or LU. Furthermore, changes in hepatic mRNA expression levels involved in the Kennedy pathway and sphingolipid biosynthesis were also suppressed by treatment with CLE or LU. In conclusion, this study examined the beneficial effects of CLE and LU on obesity and dyslipidemia, which were demonstrated as reduced synthesis of lipotoxic intermediates. These results may provide valuable insights towards evaluating the therapeutic effects of CLE and LU and understanding obesity-related diseases. Full article

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat) flowers (CF) are widely consumed as herbal tea in many countries, including China. The aim of the present study was to examine the anti-adipogenic effect of hot water extraction of CF (HCF) on 3T3-L1 cells and their underlying cellular mechanisms. HCF treatment inhibited lipid accumulation under conditions that did not show the toxicity of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), which plays an important role in glycerol lipid metabolism, was also reduced by HCF. Adipogenesis/lipogenesis-related mRNA expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (CEBP-α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were suppressed by HCF in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, HCF increased activities of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), involved in lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that HCF inhibits adipocyte lipid accumulation through suppression of adipogenesis/lipogenesis-related gene expression and activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway. Therefore, it suggests that HCF may be used as a potentially beneficial plant material for preventing obesity. Full article

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is an ornamental plant of worldwide cultivation. Like many other species in the family Asteraceae, C. morifolium is a rich producer of secondary metabolites. There are two objectives in this study: (I) to determine and compare the diversity of apolar secondary metabolites among different cultivars of C. morifolium and (II) to compare their properties as antifungal agents. To attain these objectives, we selected 13 cultivars of C. morifolium that are commonly used for making chrysanthemum tea as experimental materials. Leaves at the same developmental stage were collected from respective mature plants and subjected to organic extraction. The extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. A total of 37 apolar secondary metabolites including 26 terpenoids were detected from the 13 cultivars. These 13 cultivars can be largely divided into three chemotypes based on chemical principal components analysis. Next, the extracts from the 13 cultivars were examined in in vitro assays for their antifungal properties against three species of pathogenic fungi: Fusarium oxysporum, Magnaporthe oryzae, and Verticillium dahliae. Significant variability in antifungal activity of the leaf extracts among different cultivars was observed. The 13 cultivars can be divided into four groups based on their antifungal activities, which could be partly correlated to the contents of terpenoids. In short, this study reveals large variations in chemical composition, particularly of terpenoids, of leaf secondary metabolites among different cultivars of C. morifolium and their different abilities in functioning as antifungal agents. Full article

The flowers of chrysanthemum species are used as a herbal tea and in traditional medicine. In addition, members of the genus have been selected to develop horticultural cultivars of diverse floral colors and capitulum forms. In this research, we investigated the phytochemical composition of eight gamma-irradiation mutant cultivars of Chrysanthemum morifolium and their original cultivars. The mutant chrysanthemum cultivars were generated by treatment with various doses of ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation of stem cuttings of three commercial chrysanthemum cultivars as follows: ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’ (50Gy), ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’ (30 Gy), and ‘ARTI-Yellow Star’ (50 Gy) derived from ‘Noble Wine’; ‘ARTI-Red Star’ (50 Gy) and ‘ARTI-Rising Sun’ (30 Gy) from ‘Pinky’; ‘ARTI-Purple’ (40 Gy) and ‘ARTI-Queen’ (30 Gy) from ‘Argus’; and ‘ARTI-Rollypop’ (70 Gy) from ‘Plaisir d’amour’. Quantitative analysis of flavonoids, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids in the flowers of the 12 chrysanthemum cultivars was performed using high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS). Essential oils from the flowers of these cultivars were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’, ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’, ‘ARTI-Purple’, and ‘ARTI-Queen’ showed higher total amounts of flavonoid and phenolic acid compared with those of the respective original cultivars. The mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Dark Chocolate’, ‘ARTI-Purple Lady’ and ‘ARTI-Purple’, which produce purple to pink petals, contained more than two-times higher amounts of anthocyanins compared with those of their original cultivars. Of the mutant cultivars, ‘ARTI-Yellow Star’ in which petal color was changed to yellow, showed the greatest accumulation of carotenoids. Ninety-nine volatile compounds were detected, of which hydrocarbons and terpenoids were abundant in all cultivars analyzed. This is the first report that demonstrated the phytochemical analysis of novel chrysanthemum cultivars derived from C. morifolium hydrid using HPLC-DAD-ESIMS and GC-MS. These findings suggest that the selected mutant chrysanthemum cultivars show potential as a functional source of phytochemicals associated with the abundance of health-beneficial components, as well as good source for horticulture and pigment industries. Full article

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is a perennial flowering plant widely cultivated for use in a tea infusion and as a popular beverage. To identify and evaluate the tea infusion made with a γ-irradiated mutant chrysanthemum cultivar with dark purple petals (cv. ARTI-Dark Chocolate), its phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity were tested and compared with those of the commercially available chrysanthemum cultivar with yellow petals (cv. Gamguk) by HPLC-DAD-ESIMS, as well as DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The purple chrysanthemum tea contained anthocyanins and linarin, which were not detected in the yellow chrysanthemum tea and the content of chlorogenic acid, acacetin-7-O-β-glucoside, and luteolin was higher compared with the yellow chrysanthemum tea. In contrast, the yellow chrysanthemum tea had higher luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside, and apigenin contents in comparison with the purple chrysanthemum tea. In addition, the content and antioxidant activity of the two chrysanthemum teas were investigated according to different water temperatures and infusing time. The yellow chrysanthemum tea did not show any significant differences according to infusing time and temperature, while the purple chrysanthemum tea was more influenced by the infusing time than water temperature, showing the highest total compound content in the infusing condition of 100 °C and 4 min. Moreover, the floral scent volatiles of the two chrysanthemum tea sources were analyzed using HS-SPME-GC-MS. In the DPPH radical scavenging assay, the purple chrysanthemum tea broadly showed greater antioxidant activity than did the yellow chrysanthemum tea, corresponding to the high content of anthocyanins known as the powerful antioxidant. Further, both chrysanthemum flower teas exhibited strong ABTS radical scavenging effects ranging from 76% to 61% under all infusing conditions. Therefore, the purple chrysanthemum cultivar, ARTI-Dark Chocolate, is worthy of breeding as a new tea cultivar. Full article

Tea brewed from chrysanthemum flowers has been widely used in Chinese medicine. The possibly medicinal compounds in Chrysanthemum morifolium tea can be purified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), but this is usually done with acidic conditions, which leads to the hydrolysis of glycosides. In hopes of avoiding this hydrolysis, we explored the effect of weakly basic conditions on the separation and purification of flavonoids and glycosides from Chrysanthemum morifolium. We also explored the effects of weakly basic conditions on chlorogenic acid (3-CQA) and apigenin-7-O-glucoside (A7G). Our results show that the concentration of the weakly basic ammonium hydrogen carbonate and time had no significant effect on A7G, p < 0.01, but it had a significant effect on 3-CQA, p < 0.01. HPLC and ultraviolet (UV) analysis showed that the structure of 3-CQA is destroyed in weakly basic conditions. Caffeic acid, quinic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid, which is a hydrolysate of 3-CQA, were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The results showed that weakly basic conditions could be used for the purification of flavonoids and glycosides but not for caffeoylquinic acids. Moreover, our work clarified the hydrolysis behaviour of caffeoylquinic acids, which can be helpful for research into their functional aspects. Full article