Search Results (20)

The Iridaceae family comprises approximately 1800 species, including Iris pallida Lam., which is widely recognized for its ornamental and aromatic properties and particularly adopted in the perfume industry. In this study, we evaluated the effects of planting density and maturity age on biomass production, morphological traits, rhizome biomass, and orris concrete yield in Iris pallida grown in Tuscany (Italy). The experiment consisted of four agricultural parcels, each one containing six plots arranged to test combinations of two planting densities (low density [LD], 8 plants/m² and high density [HD], 15 plants/m²) and harvesting age (2, 3, and 4 years). Results indicated that planting density significantly influenced biomass variables—including rhizome, bud, and stem biomass—with the low planting density (LD) exhibiting higher total biomass (5.48 ± 0.59 kg/m²) compared to that observed under high planting density (HD) (1.82 ± 0.54 kg/m²). Orris concrete yield varied significantly across planting densities and harvesting age, consistently favoring LD (0.055 ± 0.01%) over HD (0.045 ± 0.01%). Also, orris concrete yield showed a positive correlation with floral stem number (r = 0.73, p < 0.001), root biomass (r = 0.66, p < 0.01) and floral stem biomass (r = 0.63, p < 0.01), while no significant correlations were found between orris concrete yield and total biomass or rhizome biomass. A shorter production cycle under low-density planting may improve orris concrete yield without compromising biomass productivity. Full article

Hair loss is often associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs), resulting in impaired cellular function and follicle degeneration. Thus, many studies have been conducted on natural plants aimed at inhibiting hair loss. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of exosomes derived from the rhizomes of Iris germanica L. (Iris-exosomes) in HFDPCs damaged by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Iris-exosomes significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production, thereby mitigating oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial function. These effects occurred alongside enhanced cellular processes critical for hair follicle regeneration, including increased cell migration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and three-dimensional (3D) spheroid formation, which replicates the follicle-like microenvironment and promotes inductive potential. Furthermore, Iris-exosomes stimulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by enhancing glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), AKT, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), leading to β-catenin stabilization and nuclear translocation, thereby supporting the expression of genes essential for hair growth. Taken together, these findings suggest that Iris-exosomes can be promising ingredients for alleviating hair loss. Full article

The loss of agricultural land is one of the main problems facing the global agricultural sector, and it is related to multiple phenomena; one of the main causes is soil salinization, induced both by natural processes and human activities. Among the strategies adopted to deal with soil salinization and its mitigation, the cultivation of species able to survive in saline soils seems to be an effective way of making salt-compromised lands usable. Iris pallida is a rustic plant and a species of high economic value that is mostly cultivated for perfume production. Consequently, the application of I. pallida to cover soils not suitable for crops traditionally cultivated for human and livestock nutrition could be considered; therefore, a preliminary test on the capacity of I. pallida to tolerate salinity during the acclimatization phase of micropropagated plants was conducted. Plantlets were treated with exogenous melatonin during the in vitro phase by adding it to the culture medium; therefore, during the acclimatization phase, crescent salt doses (150, 300, and 400 mM) were added to the soil every 14 days, administering melatonin to plants by a spray solution 24 h before each salt addition. At the end of the experiment, biometric measurements, chlorophylls, carotenoids, and macro-element contents were measured, and the relative water content (RWC) was determined in each salt addition. The results showed that orris plants can survive soil salt concentrations of up to 400 mM, and that the 50 µM melatonin spray treatment can protect orris rhizomes from salt side effects. Full article

Unfortunately, the statuses of the numerous names of the genus Iris at specific rank remain unresolved. This study considers I. pandurata, the species that was first described in 1880 and then 30 years later and is, however, still synonymized with I. tigridia. The morphological relationship between these two species and I. trippneriana, a previously unplaced name, has been assessed here. The morphological analysis has revealed that I. pandurata and I. trippneriana are actually a single species that can easily be distinguished from I. tigridia by the rhizome shape, the adventitious roots shape, the flowering stem structure, and the falls ornamentation. The results support the reinstatement and recognition of I. pandurata at specific rank, including I. trippneriana as a synonym. Being endemic to China, I. pandurata has a narrow distribution range in the Qilian Mountains in the Gansu and Qinghai provinces. This report provides an updated nomenclature for I. pandurata, including I. tigridia, detailed photographs of living plants to facilitate identification, images of type specimens, a list of specimens examined, and comments on their distributions and habitats. A lectotype for I. trippneriana is designated here. Full article

Background/Objectives: HMG-CoA reductase is an enzyme that regulates the initial stage of cholesterol synthesis, and its inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Methods: We have created a set of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for human HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors using nested cross-validation as the primary validation method. To develop the QSAR models, we employed various machine learning regression algorithms, feature selection methods, and fingerprints or descriptor datasets. Results: We built and evaluated a total of 300 models, selecting 21 that demonstrated good performance (coefficient of determination, R² ≥ 0.70 or concordance correlation coefficient, CCC ≥ 0.85). Six of these top-performing models met both performance criteria and were used to construct five ensemble models. We identified the descriptors most important in explaining HMG-CoA inhibition for each of the six best-performing models. We used the top models to search through over 220,000 chemical compounds from a large database (ZINC 15) for potential new inhibitors. Only a small fraction (237 out of approximately 220,000 compounds) had reliable predictions with mean pIC₅₀ values ≥ 8 (IC₅₀ values ≤ 10 nM). Our svm-based ensemble model predicted IC₅₀ values < 10 nM for roughly 0.08% of the screened compounds. We have also illustrated the potential applications of these QSAR models in understanding the cholesterol-lowering activities of herbal extracts, such as those reported for an extract prepared from the Iris × germanica rhizome. Conclusions: Our QSAR models can accurately predict human HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, having the potential to accelerate the discovery of novel cholesterol-lowering agents and may also be applied to understand the mechanisms underlying the reported cholesterol-lowering activities of herbal extracts. Full article

Iris taxa are sources of valuable essential oils obtained from aged rhizomes used by various industries, including pharmacy, cosmetic, perfume, and food industry, in which irones are the most important aroma components. In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) obtained from dried rhizomes of three endemics from Croatia, Iris pseudopallida, I. illyrica, and I. adriatica, were studied. The VOCs were isolated by three different methods: headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS–SPME) using divinylbenzene/carboxene/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber or polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber, and hydrodistillation (HD). The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). In five out of six samples, the main compounds detected by HS–SPME were perilla aldehyde, butan-2,3-diol, acetic acid, 2-phenylethanol, benzyl alcohol, hexanal, and nonanal, while 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one, trans-caryophyllene, and ethanol were common for all studied samples. The former VOCs were absent from the oldest, irone-rich I. pseudopallida sample, mainly characterized by cis-α-irone (43.74–45.76%). When using HD, its content was reduced (24.70%), while docosane prevailed (45.79%). HD yielded predominantly fatty acids, including myristic, common for all studied taxa (4.20–97.01%), and linoleic (40.69%) and palmitic (35.48%) as the major VOCs of I. adriatica EO. The performed GC–MS analyses of EOs, in combination with HS–SPME/GC–MS, proved to be useful for gaining a better insight into Iris VOCs. Full article

Drought stress is one of the main factors affecting the growth and secondary metabolism of plants. Iris domestica, rich in isoflavones, is a common herbal medicine in China. In this study, the effects of drought stress and rehydration on resistance physiological characteristics and the secondary metabolism of two-year-old I. domestica during the vegetative and reproductive growth period were investigated. The results showed that the dry weight and fresh weight of rhizomes and roots under severe drought stress were significantly decreased, while those under moderate drought stress were not significantly changed. Meanwhile, the SOD activities, POD activities, MDA content and Pro content increased to resist drought at D1 and D2. In the vegetative growth period, the changes in isoflavone concentration and the expression levels of genes in isoflavone synthesis were more dramatic. Isoflavone accumulation was promoted, to some extent, in the reproductive growth period under the D1 drought treatment. In the actual production process, different measures, namely short-term stress regulation in the vegetative growth period and moderate drought stress (13.44% < soil water content ≤ 16.8%) in the reproductive growth period, need to be adopted to regulate isoflavone biosynthesis. Full article

Iris pallida Lam. is traditionally cultivated in Italy to sell its rhizomes to perfume-producing industries and is particularly sought-after because of its high content of irones, ketone compounds responsible for the violet smell of the orris essence. One of the critical aspects of its cultivation is the propagation method, performed by subdividing and replanting sections of the rhizome, which leads to the sacrifice of salable material. A solution is provided via in vitro propagation using the somatic embryogenesis technique, an effective method that allows the production of plants without the use of the rhizome. To facilitate the scale up of the activities of micropropagation companies, the method of slow growth storage (SGS) for orris plantlets and a somatic embryo encapsulation technique were developed for the first time. Orris plantlets were placed at 4 °C in the dark for 30, 60, 90 and 120 days and monitored 7 and 30 days after treatment. Synthetic seeds were obtained by encapsulating somatic orris embryos in sodium alginate beads, which were stored for 14 and 28 days at 4 °C and 24 °C. The results showed that it is possible to cold-preserve orris plantlets for up to 90 days without significant damages and that orris synthetic seeds can be produced and stored for a short-to-mid-term period. These conservation techniques can be useful for germplasm conservation and can also be integrated in the micropropagation cycle of orris, helping to solve issues related to the traditional propagation method. Full article

The role of bHLH transcription factors in plant response to abiotic stress and regulation of flavonoid metabolism is well documented. However, to date, the bHLH transcription factor family in Iris domestica remains unreported, impeding further research on flavonoid metabolism in this plant. To address this knowledge gap, we employed bioinformatics to identify 39 IdbHLH genes and characterised their phylogenetic relationships and gene expression patterns under both drought and copper stress conditions. Our evolutionary tree analysis classified the 39 IdbHLHs into 17 subfamilies. Expression pattern analysis revealed that different IdbHLH transcription factors had distinct expression trends in various organs, suggesting that they might be involved in diverse biological processes. We found that IdbHLH36 was highly expressed in all organs (Transcripts Per Million (TPM) > 10), while only 12 IdbHLH genes in the rhizome and four in the root were significantly upregulated under drought stress. Of these, four genes (IdbHLH05, -37, -38, -39) were co-upregulated in both the rhizome and root, indicating their potential role in drought resistance. With regards to copper stress, we found that only 12 genes were upregulated. Further co-expression analysis revealed that most bHLH genes were significantly correlated with key enzyme genes involved in isoflavone biosynthesis. Thereinto, IdbHLH06 showed a significant positive correlation with IdC4H1 and Id4CL1 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a transient expression assay confirmed that the IdbHLH06 protein was localised in the nucleus. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular basis and regulatory mechanisms of bHLH transcription factors in isoflavone biosynthesis in I. domestica. Full article

Iris pallida Lam., also known as Sweetie Iris, is a perennial ornamental and medicinal plant that produces a wide range of secondary metabolites. The Sweetie Iris was recently reported to have high allelopathic properties with the potential to be explored in sustainable weed management. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the contributions of compounds involved in the inhibitory effects of the rhizome of Sweetie Iris. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used to determine the content of β-ionone in the rhizome of Sweetie Iris. The phytotoxicity of β-ionone was evaluated on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and other test plants. The content of β-ionone in the crude extract of Sweetie Iris rhizome was found to be 20.0 mg g⁻¹ by HPLC analysis. The phytotoxicity bioassay showed that β-ionone had strong inhibitory activity on the growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and the other test plants, including Taraxacum officinale, Stellaria media, Eleusine indica, Amaranthus hybridus, Vicia villosa, and Brassica napus. At a concentration of 23.0 µg mL⁻¹, β-ionone inhibited the growth of all test plant species treated. Therefore, β-ionone is an active compound among the other allelopathic substances contained in the rhizome of Sweetie Iris. Full article

Drought is among the most important abiotic stresses on plants, so research on the physiological regulation mechanisms of plants under drought stress can critically increase the economic and ecological value of plants in arid regions. In this study, the effects of drought stress on the growth status and biochemical indicators of Iris japonica were explored. Under drought stress, the root system, leaves, rhizomes, and terrestrial stems of plants were sequentially affected; the root system was sparse and slender; and the leaves lost their luster and gradually wilted. Among the physiological changes, the increase in the proline and soluble protein content of Iris japonica enhanced the cellular osmotic pressure and reduced the water loss. In anatomical structures, I. japonica chloroplasts were deformed after drought treatment, whereas the anatomical structures of roots did not substantially change. Plant antioxidant systems play an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis; but, as drought stress intensified, the soluble sugar content of terrestrial stems was reduced by 55%, and the ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) activities of leaves and the MDHAR activity of roots were reduced by 29%, 40%, 22%, and 77%, respectively. Overall, I. japonica was resistant to 63 days of severe drought stress and resisted drought through various physiological responses. These findings provide a basis for the application of I. japonica in water-scarce areas. Full article

Plant-derived exosomes can exert therapeutic effects against various dermatological conditions. Several studies have demonstrated that plant-derived exosomes can have positive effects on the skin, preventing aging, hyperpigmentation, and hair loss. In this study, the protective effects of Iris germanica L. rhizome-derived exosomes (Iris-exosomes) on oxidative-stress-induced cellular dysfunction were investigated in human epidermal keratinocytes (nHEKs). Iris-exosomes with a diameter range of 100–300 nm were detected. In the cytotoxicity assay, Iris-exosomes with up to 10⁷ particles per milliliter were found to possess no cytotoxicity, and we recovered H₂O₂-induced cell viability loss. In nHEKs, H₂O₂-induced ROS levels were significantly reduced using Iris-exosomes and additionally associated with increases in antioxidant enzyme transcription. The H₂O₂-induced SA-β-gal-positive nHEKs were decreased using Iris-exosomes; these effects correlate with the changed levels of cell cycle arrest marker p21. Furthermore, the H₂O₂-induced loss of in vitro wound-healing properties and early detection of keratin 1 and 10—keratinization markers—were restored to control levels using Iris-exosomes. Altogether, these results indicate the possibility that Iris-exosomes exert antioxidant and anti-senescence effects in order to protect against oxidative-stress-induced cellular dysfunction in nHEKs. Full article

Neutrophils play a crucial role in providing protection against intracellular pathogens, such as viruses and mycobacteria, but also in regulating systemic anaphylaxis or allergic skin reactions. Neutrophils intimately shape the adaptive immune response at various levels, including the B cells, dendritic cells, and T cell populations. In pharmacy, significant attention is given to the search for natural substances that can affect the immune system and neutrophil function with less adverse side effects. The phytoconstituents, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, or terpenes, may serve as good candidates. Previously, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of various plant extracts of the Iridaceae family and identified extracts of Iris spp. rhizomes and Crocus sativum corms as promising anti-neutrophilic agents. The current study further extends this analysis of various groups of biologically active substances found in extracts from Ukrainian plants. The tested samples include polysaccharide complexes of Crocus flowers and corms, Juno leaves and corms, Iris leaves and rhizomes, and Chamaenerion leaves, as well as water and ethanolic extracts from Chamaenerion leaves. Using fMLF/CB-induced superoxide anion generation and elastase release assays applied to human neutrophils, the C. angustifolium ethanolic (50%, vol/vol) and water extracts almost completely inhibited the fMLF/CB-induced elastase release at 10 μg/mL (IC₅₀ 2.8–4.1 μg/mL). Interestingly, the Iris leaf polysaccharide extract also inhibited elastase release by 39.0% (10 μg/mL), while the C. angustifolium polysaccharides extract inhibited the superoxide by 45.5% (10 μg/mL). This suggests that phenolic compounds may possess a better activity in comparison with polysaccharides. The present study provided primary pharmacological evidence for anti-inflammatory agents derived from C. angustifolium. Full article

Iris (Iridaceae) is one of the most widely admired ornamental plants. It has been used mainly in medicine due to the high concentration of chlorogenic acid (CGA), flavonoids, isoflavones, lignans, and other compounds in its rhizomes. In iris, the gene functions related to CGA and flavonoids biosynthesis are still unclear. In this study, we compared the I. germanica rhizome with a high accumulation level of CGA but a low accumulation level of flavonoids, and the I. pallida rhizome with a low accumulation level of CGA but a high accumulation level of flavonoids at the transcriptome and metabolome levels. A total of 761 metabolites were detected, including 202 flavonoids and 106 phenolic acids based on metabolome profiling. In total, 135 flavonoids were highly accumulated in I. pallida, including three flavanols, 51 flavonoids, 12 flavonoid carbonosides, 31 flavonols, and 21 isoflavones. Based on single-molecule long-read sequencing technology, 94,461 transcripts were identified in iris. Expression analysis indicated that the high accumulation level of C4H and 4CL in I. germanica were essential for CGA accumulation, while CHS, DFR, ANS, ANR, LAR, and 3GT were essential for flavonoids biosynthesis in I. pallida. Many transcription factors such as transcript_83288 (MYB), transcript_57970 (WRKY), and transcript_77465 (WRKY) act as regulators, playing important roles in these biological processes. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with the biosynthesis and regulation of flavonoids and CGA in the iris rhizome, and highlight the usefulness of an integrated approach for understanding this process. Full article

A dozen Iris species (Iridaceae) are considered traditional remedies in Kurdistan, especially for treating inflammations. Phytochemical studies are still scarce. The information reported in the literature about Iris species growing in Kurdistan has been summarized in the first part of this paper, although, except for Iris persica, investigations have been performed on vegetal samples collected in countries different from Kurdistan. In the second part of the work, we have investigated, for the first time, the contents of the methanolic extracts of Iris postii aerial parts and rhizomes that were collected in Kurdistan. Both extracts exhibited a significant dose-dependent free radical scavenging and total antioxidant activities, comparable to those of ascorbic acid. Medium-pressure liquid chromatographic separations of the two extracts afforded l-tryptophan, androsin, isovitexin, swertisin, and 2″-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl swertisin from the aerial parts, whereas ε-viniferin, trans-resveratrol 3,4′-O-di-β-d-glucopyranoside, and isotectorigenin were isolated from the rhizomes. This is the first finding of the last three metabolites from an Iris species. The various remarkable biological activities of isolated compounds scientifically sustain the traditional use of I. postii as a medicinal plant. Full article