MDPI - Publisher of Open Access Journals

19 pages, 1980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Diversity in the Orchid Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge from Sardinia (Italy)

by Antonio De Agostini, Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna, Pierluigi Cortis, Annalena Cogoni, Cristina Sottani, Francesca Soddu and Cinzia Sanna

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14121125 - 15 Dec 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2890

Abstract

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are produced by plants to address a variety of physiological and ecological tasks (among others, stress resistance, and pollinator attraction). Genetics is a key factor in determining plants’ VOCs content and emission, nevertheless, environment strongly influences VOCs profiles in plants. Orchids are a widespread group of plants that colonize diverse environments and rely on complex and refined pollination mechanisms to reproduce. Orchids VOCs are rarely studied and discussed in relation to growing conditions. In the present study, we compare the volatile profiles of inflorescences of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge sampled in six ecologically diverse populations on Sardinia Island (Italy). The essential oils obtained by steam distillation were characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. A total of 79 compounds were detected, belonging to the chemical classes of saturated hydrocarbons, esters, alcohols, ketones, unsaturated hydrocarbons, sesquiterpenes, oxygenated terpenes, terpenes, acids, and aldehydes. Multivariate statistics separated H. robertianum populations based on their chemical profiles. Differences were positively linked to the distance separating populations and reflected climatological features of the sampling sites. Interestingly, our results differed from those available in the literature, pointing out the high variability of VOCs profiles in this food-deceptive orchid. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Diversity of Orchids)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Composition of Essential Oil from Four Sympatric Orchids in NW-Italy

by Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna, Pierluigi Cortis, Fabiana Esposito, Antonio De Agostini, Cristina Sottani and Cinzia Sanna

Plants 2022, 11(6), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11060826 - 20 Mar 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3670

Abstract

Orchidaceae is a flowering plant family worldwide distributed known for producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can act as olfactory signals for pollinators. Despite the importance of VOCs in the different reproductive strategies, in the literature there are only a few publications on the characterization of orchids’ volatile profiles. In this study, the essential oils from fresh inflorescences of sympatric orchids Anacamptis morio, Himantoglossum robertianum, Ophrys sphegodes and Orchis purpurea, naturally growing in Piedmont (Italy) were isolated by steam distillation and characterized by GC/FID and GC/MS. A number of compounds were identified, with a peculiar distribution in the species: alcohols (range 16.93–50.60%), from which p-cresol (range 12.75–38.10%) was the most representative compound; saturated hydrocarbons (range 5.81–59.29%), represented by pentacosane (range 2.22–40.17%) and tricosane (range 0.78–27.48%); long-chain monounsaturated hydrocarbons (range 0.29–5.20%) represented by 9-pentacosene, 11-tricosene, and 1-heneicosene. The structure of positional isomers in linear alkenes was elucidated by derivatization with dimethyl disulfide and MS fragmentation patterns. Coumarin (68.84%) was the dominant compound in O. purpurea and was detected in lower concentrations (range 0.21–0.26%) in the other taxa. These volatile compounds may represent a particular feature of these plant species and play an essential role in pollinator interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Phytochemistry)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2121 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Spatial and Temporal Variability of the Floral Scent Emitted by Barlia robertiana (Loisel.) Greuter, a Mediterranean Food-Deceptive Orchid

by Vito Antonio Romano, Leonardo Rosati, Simonetta Fascetti, Anna Maria Roberta Cittadini, Rocco Racioppi, Richard Lorenz and Maurizio D’Auria

Compounds 2022, 2(1), 37-53; https://doi.org/10.3390/compounds2010004 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3779

Abstract

This study on Barlia robertiana aims to: (1) assess whether scent is variable between populations; (2) evaluate whether scent composition may be related to geographical variables; (3) assess whether there are VOC differences during the flowering phase; and (4) assess whether there are yearly VOC variabilities. SPME sampling was used. Fourteen plants, collected along an ecological gradient, were analyzed. A multivariate analysis was performed through ordination and hierarchical cluster analysis. Compositions versus geographic distances were also analyzed using Mantel test. Seventy compounds were identified. Multivariate analyses and Mantel tests detected no correlations between VOC composition and both geographic and ecological variables. These results may suggest that there is no adaptation of floral scent to local environments. VOC compositions during the flowering phase showed a slight change but a strong variability between individuals. A huge difference was found in the pairwise comparison of the plants analyzed in different years. The high scent variability can be interpreted as a strategy of a non-rewarding but allogamous species to not allow the learning by pollinators. In fact, disrupting the association among floral scent signals with the lack of nectar may enhance the fruit set via a higher probability of being visited by insects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Compounds)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dihydrophenanthrenes from a Sicilian Accession of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge Showed Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antiproliferative Activities

by Natale Badalamenti, Sabino Russi, Maurizio Bruno, Viviana Maresca, Alessandro Vaglica, Vincenzo Ilardi, Anna Zanfardino, Michela Di Napoli, Mario Varcamonti, Piergiorgio Cianciullo, Giovanni Calice, Simona Laurino, Geppino Falco and Adriana Basile

Plants 2021, 10(12), 2776; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122776 - 15 Dec 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3413

Abstract

The peculiar aspect that emerges from the study of Orchidaceae is the presence of various molecules, which are particularly interesting for pharmaceutical chemistry due to their wide range of biological resources. The aim of our study was to investigate the properties of two dihydrophenanthrenes, isolated, for the first time, from Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge (Orchidaceae) bulbs and roots. Chemical and spectroscopic study of the bulbs and roots of Himantoglossumrobertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge resulted in the isolation of two known dihydrophenanthrenes—loroglossol and hircinol—never isolated from this plant species. The structures were evaluated based on ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and two-dimensional spectra, and by comparison with the literature. These two molecules have been tested for their possible antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic activities. In particular, it has been shown that these molecules cause an increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN); show antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and have anti-proliferative effects on gastric cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis effects. Therefore, these two molecules could be considered promising candidates for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical preparations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Bioactive Compounds in Plants)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Himantoglossum adriaticum H. Baumann × Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge: A New Interspecific Hybrid Assessed by Barcoding Analysis

by Maurizio Antonetti, Stefania Nin, Gianluca Burchi, Stefano Biricolti and Massimo Gori

Plants 2021, 10(1), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010107 - 6 Jan 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3911

Abstract

Most cultivated orchids, contributing to a worldwide highly profitable industry, are originated from tropic regions. Conversely, a considerable number of spontaneous orchids, belonging to the terrestrial orchids and widely diffused throughout the European continent, are not considered for trading due to their less gorgeous appearance and for technical difficulties in seed propagation. However, a breeding programme was undertaken aimed at developing a new hybrid between Himantoglossum adriaticum H. Baumann and H. robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge [syn. Barlia robertiana (Loisel.) Greuter] by applying techniques of anther conservation, manual pollination and in vitro asymbiotic germination of the obtained seeds. The plantlets that originated from the protocorms after seed germination were successfully acclimatised after potting in a proper medium. The parentage of the progenies of the hybridisation experiment was assessed by sequencing the Internal Transcribed Spacer assembly (ITS) and plastid barcoding markers of the parental lines and of the hybrids. The method proved to be effective in revealing the origin of the hybrids and to validate the maternal inheritance of the plastid DNA. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 14435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyphenol Characterization and Skin-Preserving Properties of Hydroalcoholic Flower Extract from Himantoglossum robertianum (Orchidaceae)

by Miriam Bazzicalupo, Bruno Burlando, Marcella Denaro, Davide Barreca, Domenico Trombetta, Antonella Smeriglio and Laura Cornara

Plants 2019, 8(11), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants8110502 - 14 Nov 2019

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4935

Abstract

Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge is a Mediterranean orchid whose propagation in vitro has been achieved, making it eligible as a source of bioactive substances. Flowers were analyzed by light and SEM microscopy and used to obtain a polyphenol-rich, hydroalcoholic flower extract (HFE). HFE was characterized for total phenols, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, and for polyphenol profile by RP-LC-DAD. Antioxidant assays, in vitro collagenase and elastase inhibition, and MTT and cell motility assays on HaCaT keratinocytes were done. Microscopy showed epidermal cells containing anthocyanins in the flower labellum. Flavonoids (flavones and flavan-3-ols) represented the most abundant compounds (42.91%), followed by scopoletin (33.79%), and phenolic acids (23.3%). Antioxidant assays showed strong activities, rating ORAC > FRAP > TEAC > β-carotene bleaching > DPPH > iron-chelation. Biological assays showed elastase and collagenase inhibition (up to 42% and 78%, respectively), improvement of HaCaT cell viability after treatment with 500 μM H₂O₂ (from 30% to 84% of control), and stimulation of cell migration rate up to 210% of control. In summary, HFE counteracted different free radicals, while protective properties were shown by cell-free and cell-based bioassays, suggesting the possible use of H. robertianum flowers for skin-preserving, repair, and anti-aging applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds in Plants)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Search Results (6)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI

Saved Queries

Search Filter Reset All

Years

Feature Papers

Subjects

Journals

Article Types

Countries / Regions

Search Results (6)

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI