Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Although the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin exhibits notable anti-tumor activity, its clinical application is limited by metabolic side effects, particularly...
Ilex latifolia Thunb., a plant of significant economic and medicinal value, is both edible and medicinal. Assessing the climate suitability for I. latifolia has profound implications for advancing medical progress and enhancing the quality of human l...
The polyphenolic extract of Ilex latifolia (PEIL) exhibits a variety of biological activities. An evaluation of the parameters influencing the ultrasonic extraction process and the assessment of PEIL antioxidant activity are presented herein. Respons...
Nitrogen (N) deposition is a key driver of global change with significant effects on carbon (C) cycling, species fitness, and diversity; however, its effects on Mediterranean ecosystems are unclear. Here, we simulated N deposition in an N-fertilizati...
Polyphenols sourced from Ilex latifolia Thunb. (PIT) contain high levels of phenolic acids, tannic acids, triterpenoids and so on, which play important roles in antioxidant function. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of PIT against...
During the second half of the 20th century, European countries experienced an increase in their forest area due to the global change. Consequently, there has been an increase in large forest fires, mainly in the Mediterranean basin, and this has forc...
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal regulators of gene expression, playing crucial roles in plant developmental processes and environmental responses. However, the function of miRNAs in influencing deciduous traits has been little explored. Here, we utili...
A Mediterranean holm oak forest was subjected to experimental partial rainfall exclusion during 21 consecutive years to study the effects of the expected decrease in water availability for Mediterranean vegetation in the coming decades. Allocation in...
Research Highlights: A small, long-term decrease in the water availability in a Mediterranean holm oak forest elicited strong effects on tree stem growth, mortality, and species composition, which led to changes in the ecosystem function and service...
Tea and coffee are caffeinated beverages commonly consumed around the world in daily life. Tea from Camellia sinensis is widely available and is a good source of caffeine and other bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols and carotenoids). Other tea-li...
Accurate characterization of closely related Ilex taxa is essential for the conservation, documentation, and utilization of plant genetic resources. In this study, five Ilex taxa from eastern China (Ilex rotunda Thunb., Ilex chinensis, Ilex cornuta L...
The genus Ilex belongs to the sole family and is the single genus within the order Aquifoliales, exhibiting significant phenotypic diversity. However, the genetic differences underlying these phenotypic variations have rarely been studied. In this st...
Holly (Ilex L.), from the monogeneric Aquifoliaceae, is a woody dioecious genus cultivated as pharmaceutical and culinary plants, ornamentals, and industrial materials. With distinctive leaf morphology and growth habitats, but uniform reproductive or...
Kuding tea (KT) is a bitter-tasting herbal tea that has been commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The large-leaved Ku-Ding-Cha (Aquifoliaceae) is composed of its representative species Ilex latifolia Thunb and Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tsen...
Background: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of mortality and represents the final stage of various cardiovascular disorders. Although traditional Chinese herbs have been extensively applied in HF treatment and their clinical efficacy has been i...
Climate change and extreme drought and heat events impact the Mediterranean evergreen sclerophyllous vegetation in South Europe, especially in Iberian and Italian peninsula, where widespread crown defoliation and dieback have been observed since the...
Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a detrimental air pollutant causing phytotoxic effects. Several O3 indices are used to assess the risk for vegetation, e.g., the exposure-based AOT40 (accumulated ozone exposure over a threshold of 40 ppb) and the stomatal-...