Search Results (17)

Mistletoe species grow hemiparasitically on a wide spectrum of trees occurring in the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones. Mistletoe has been associated with fertility, vitality and fatality in humans. In the present review, we examine articles published in English and/or with the option to translate them into English on the distribution mechanism, ecological impact and value. This study aimed to interrogate and outline the phytonutrient profiling, ethnomedicinal and ethnopharmacological applications, toxicology and quality control of mistletoes, particularly the Loranthaceae and Viscaceae families. There are at least 1400 species of mistletoe belonging to these two families across the world. Humans have used mistletoe for years, and it has a rich history, mainly in traditional medicine. Recent research interests accompanied by investigations on mistletoe have made a major contribution to our understanding of the survival behavior and mechanisms of the species. This has prompted researchers to intensively investigate and justify its potential and applications in traditional medicine systems to further incorporate it into conventional scientific medicine processes. This study thoroughly outlines the nutritional and phytochemical constituents of various mistletoe species, as well as the factors that play a role in the process. The sections in this study dedicated to elaborating on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of mistletoe show that it is a plant species rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds, especially compared to its host. Its survival mechanism makes it possible for this plant species to contain significant quantities of both nutrients (proximate components and mineral elements) and bioactive compounds (viscin, alkaloids, phenolics and polyphenolics, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, and saponins). Overall, mistletoe species have potential as medicinal plants, offering a range of health benefits and the ability to treat ailments (both communicable and non-communicable diseases). However, there are insufficient investigations and records of mistletoe’s toxicity, safety and quality control. Therefore, it is important to further investigate the potential applications, mechanisms of action, and optimal uses of mistletoe preparations and/or extracts. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rhamnetin 3-O-α-rhamnoside (ARR) is a major flavonoid of the herb Loranthus tanakae Franch. & Sav., which has been used for treating liver diseases in China. However, the protective effect of ARR on the liver has not been reported. Methods: Zebrafish larvae were used as a visual animal model, and liver injury was induced by thioacetamide (TAA) for an acute liver injury (ALI) model. The hepatoprotective activity of ARR was evaluated by assessing liver morphology, liver function indices, oxidative stress, and the mRNA expression levels of inflammation-related genes in the zebrafish model. Additionally, the ROS level, inflammatory factors, and protein expression related to the IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway were measured to investigate a potential mechanism of ARR in HepG2 cells. Results: ARR ameliorated TAA-induced growth retardation, reduced liver injury phenotypes, and decreased oxidative stress in the zebrafish. ARR was also able to lower ROS levels in HepG2 cells, effectively inhibit the overactivation of the IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway in pathological conditions, inhibit NF-κB p65 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and reduce the release of intracellular inflammatory factors. Conclusions: ARR showed significant protective activity against TAA-induced liver injury in in vivo and in vitro models, and its potential mechanism was closely related to the IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway. Full article

It is assumed that climate change (global warming) worsens the living conditions for conifers and at the same time favours the cultivation of deciduous trees, including oaks. In fact, in Poland, for example, many more oaks are now being planted as forest-forming tree species than in the 1980s and 1990s. However, the monitoring of the health status of European forests (according to the International Co-operation Project) does not confirm these optimistic assumptions, and oak has been cited as one of the most damaged tree species in terms of defoliation in recent decades. The prospects for oak cultivation in European forestry are therefore a combination of abiotic conditions and biotic damage factors. This review article focuses in particular on the new threats posed by pathogenic organisms causing emerging diseases. These include newly identified bacteria responsible for the so-called Acute Oak Decline (AOD), oomycetes (especially those specialised in damaging fine roots, such as Phytophthora quercina T.Jung) and semi-parasites of the genus Loranthus. At the same time, the pressure from commonly observed insects and fungi described in connection with the complex syndrome of oak decline, which is divided into predisposing, inciting, and contributing factors (according to Manion’s disease spiral), has not abated. Therefore, international, interdisciplinary research (such as that proposed in Oakland) is needed, using modern technologies (RS remote sensing) based on the comparison of satellite images (from different years), not only to inventory the most valuable oak stands in Europe (microrefugia) but also to identify trends in changes in their condition and biodiversity. As RS has its limitations (e.g., resolution), aerial monitoring should be complemented by quantitative and qualitative inventory from the ground, e.g., monitoring of the presence of soil microorganisms using effective molecular biological methods (e.g., Next-Generation Sequencing NGS). Full article

Asian sand dust (ASD), generally produced in East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea, directly leads to the development of pulmonary disease and exacerbates underlying pulmonary diseases. Loranthus tanakae Franch. and Sav. is a traditional herbal medicine applied to improve various inflammatory conditions. Here, we evaluated the curative properties of L. tanakae ethanol extract (LTE) against pulmonary inflammation caused by ASD. Additionally, to investigate the mechanism of action of LTE, we performed network pharmacological analysis. ASD was administrated on day 1, 3, and 5 by intranasal instillation, and LTE was orally administered for 6 days. Administration of LTE significantly decreased inflammatory cytokines and the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, which was accompanied by a decrease in inflammatory cell accumulation in pulmonary tissue. Administration of LTE decreased the expression of cyclooxygenase2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in mice exposed to ASD with the decline in p65 phosphorylation. Additionally, administration of LTE significantly elevated hemeoxygenase (HO)-1 expression in the pulmonary tissue of mice exposed to ASD. These results were consistent with the data of network pharmacological analysis. This experiment showed that LTE attenuated pulmonary inflammation caused by ASD via inhibition of NF-κB and elevation of HO-1. Therefore, LTE may have potential as a therapeutic agent to treat pulmonary inflammation caused by ASD. Full article

In this study, a detailed phytochemical investigation of compounds in the twigs of the mistletoe Loranthus europaeus Jacq., which belongs to the Loranthaceae family, is presented. Specimens were collected from the mistletoe L. europaeus growing on oak trees in the mainland of Greece. The alliance of oaks and mistletoes became a symbol of knowledge and strength for many centuries. Although numerous compounds of aerial tissues of other mistletoes, e.g., Viscum album, have been published, few studies have been conducted to investigate the metabolic and physiological traits of the hemiparasitic, deciduous Loranthus europaeus. LC-HRMS-based analysis led to a detailed characterization of ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of the twigs of L. europaeus, which, to the best of our knowledge, exhibit enhanced antioxidant potential. Hence, twenty-four and twenty-six compounds were tentatively identified from the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane twigs’ extracts, respectively; these compounds belong to fatty acids, flavonoids, and flavonoid glycosides. Also, chlorophyll, soluble sugar, starch, and lipid contents in the twigs of L. europaeus, which have not hitherto been published, were investigated. Full article

Loranthus micranthus Linn. (Loranthaceae) is a botanically significant hemiparasite that grows on tree branches or trunks and is used in traditional medicine. This study compares the antioxidant activity and qualitative phytochemical screening of Nigerian and South Africa Loranthus micranthus Linn. Standard techniques for phytochemical screening were deployed while thin layer chromatography (TLC) bio-autography was utilized to analyze antioxidants qualitatively. Quantitative antioxidant analysis was performed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH); hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) free-radical scavenging; and ferric chloride reducing power. The results of qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids; glycosides; saponins; phenolic compounds; phlobatannins; tannins; and terpenoids. As for the antioxidant potentials of the four extracts—i.e., Nigerian dichloromethane (NGDCM); South African dichloromethane (SADCM); Nigerian methanol (NGMeOH); and South African methanol (SAMeOH)—the SADCM extract had more creamy bands compared to the Nigerian, thus indicating potentially more antioxidant compounds. A better complementary antioxidant potential was observed for the Nigerian methanol extracts over their South African counterparts. The DPPH quantitative analyses underpin that the SADCM exhibited greater scavenging activity compared to the NGDCM, but this was less than the gallic acid control, with the highest activity at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively. However, as the concentration increased from 0.6 to 1.0 mg/mL, the SADCM again dominated in its antioxidant potential over all the analytes. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values obtained were [SADCM = 0.31 mg/mL, NGDCM = 0.51 mg/mL, SAMeOH = 0.51 mg/mL, NGMeO = 0.17, gallic acid = 1.17 mg/mL, and BHT = 1.47 Mg/mL)]. Both the H₂O₂ scavenging and the Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ reduction assays mirrored a similar trend in the antioxidant potentials of all the analytes except for the BHT, which performed better in the ferric chloride reduction assay at a concentration of 0.2–06 mg/mL. Based on the facts gathered, it can be inferred that the South African and Nigerian Loranthus micranthus Linn. are chemically equivalent. This is in support of their similar morphology and taxonomical classification, notwithstanding the environmental, biological, and edaphic impacts experienced by each plant. Full article

To avoid flooding and erosion hazards, post-fire management actions are essential in Mediterranean forests after severe wildfires. In this regard, mulching is the most common action but some mulch materials, such as straw, may lead to adverse impacts in burned forests. The use of yellow mistletoe fruits (Loranthus europaeus Jacq., hereafter “LE”) for the production of biodegradable mulch and its effectiveness in post-fire hydrology have never been studied. To fill this gap, this study has evaluated surface runoff and rainsplash erosion in a pine forest in Central Eastern Spain burned by a wildfire and mulched by a mixture of LE fruits and straw (with or without adding clay particles) using a portable rainfall simulator. Compared to untreated sites, runoff increased in burned and mulched soils (by 13.6% for the mixture without clay and by 17.2% when clay was added, in the latter case significantly). This increase was mainly due to the compact layer created by mulch application on the soil surface. However, the peak flow and the time to peak were lower in mulched soils (on average by 32.7% and 60.5%, significantly only for the mulch mixture without clay), thus indicating that, in these soils, peak runoff takes longer and its maximum value is lower compared to untreated sites. Soil erosion noticeably and significantly decreased (up to 97%) in mulched areas in comparison to untreated sites without significant differences between the two mixtures. Overall, this study indicates to land managers that soil mulching with a mixture of Loranthus europaeus Jacq. and straw is an effective post-fire management action to reduce the soil erosion risk after a wildfire. Full article

Forestry is one of the sectors particularly affected by the threats posed by changing climatic conditions. This is reflected in the deterioration of the health status of stands due to the synergistic effect of numerous abiotic and biotic factors. Current forest health problems are due to dynamic, negative changes in the forest environment. While the amount of precipitation remains at a similar level, its distribution varies throughout the year and, in particular, the lack of soil moisture during the growing season leads to the weakening of trees, including the main forest-forming species in Poland such as Pinus sylvestris. The weakening of trees, in turn, leads to species of insect pests that were previously considered secondary becoming primary pests, such as Ips acuminatus. It is likely that weakening of trees also favours increased occurrence of parasitic plants such as Viscum album ssp. austriacum or Loranthus europaeus. Infestations of the hemiparasitic, xylem-secreting pine mistletoe are of great interest because they are spreading rapidly throughout Europe. Drought in forests is not only a long-term water shortage, but also a situation in which plant-fungal relationships are disrupted. Reduced water availability leads to a number of negative changes in the soil and the mycobiota that live there, affecting entire ecosystems. The effects of climate change and increased international trade are leading to the spread of pathogenic fungi and other harmful organisms whose range was previously restricted to the south of our continent. Unfavourable abiotic and biotic factors leading to weakening of oak stands in the western part of Poland have resulted in activation of new pests like Mediterranean oak borer. Intensification of transport and shortening of its duration, as well as climatic changes, favour the introduction of various organisms, including bark beetles (Scolytinae). In Poland, cyclic insect outbreaks are one of the most important problems in forest protection. Developing methods to monitor, prevent outbreaks and control the density of insect populations below harmful levels can be a challenge to consider. Finding an innovative system for applying insecticides to control spruce bark beetle could also be an interesting solution, where insects attracted to pheromones die after contact with the insecticide. Contact with the insecticide has a dual effect: either directly when the tree is treated, or when the bark beetle attempts to invade the tree. Opportunities for the use of biostimulants in forestry and is an attractive way to regenerate plants after negative stressors such as frost, drought or damage caused by improper use of pesticides, as well as the negative effects of diseases and pests. It acts indirectly by stimulating leaf, stem and root development and improving nutrient uptake. The effects of chemical treatments on fungal biodiversity in forests should be studied using powerful molecular tools such as NGS. Full article

Loranthus tanakae Franch. & Sav. found in China, Japan, and Korea is traditionally used for managing arthritis and respiratory diseases. In this study, we analyzed the components of L. tanakae 70% ethanol extract (LTE) and investigated the therapeutic effects of LTE on pulmonary inflammation using cells exposed to cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro and in vivo in mice and performed a network analysis between components and genes based on a public database. We detected quercitrin, afzelin, rhamnetin 3-rhamnoside, and rhamnocitrin 3-rhamnoside in LTE, which induced a significant reduction in inflammatory mediators including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and inflammatory cells in CSC exposed H292 cells and in mice, accompanied by a reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration into lung tissue. In addition, LTE increased translocation into the nuclei of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). By contrast, the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, induced by CSC exposure, decreased after LTE application. These results were consistent with the network pharmacological analysis. In conclusion, LTE effectively attenuated pulmonary inflammation caused by CSC+LPS exposure, which was closely involved in the enhancement of Nrf2 expression and suppression of NF-κB activation. Therefore, LTE may be a potential treatment option for pulmonary inflammatory diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Full article

Diabetic retinopathy remains a primary source of blindness with the growing pandemic of diabetes. Numerous studies have shown that early neurodegeneration caused by elevated oxidative stress may initiate microvascular damage in the diabetic retina during the last few decades. A variety of preventive and treatment strategies using phytochemicals that possess high antioxidants have shown great promise in reducing diabetes-induced neurodegeneration retinal damage. In this investigation, we employed an extract of Loranthus regularis, a traditional medicinal herb which is found to improve diabetes and associated complications in experimental studies. We orally treated STZ-induced diabetic rats with L. regularis and analyzed the neurodegenerative factors in the retina. After treatments, we used Western blotting techniques to analyze the protein content of neurotrophic factors (NGF, BDNF, TrkB), apoptotic factors (cytochrome c, Bcl-2, Bax), and phosphorylation of AKT in the diabetic retina. Additionally, we used ELISA methods to measure the contents of BDNF and the activity of Caspase-3 and biochemical procedures to determine the levels of glutathione and lipid peroxidation (TBARS). Our findings show that L. regularis treatments resulted in a considerable increase in neurotrophic factors and a decrease in apoptotic factors in the diabetic retina. Furthermore, in diabetic retina treated with L. regularis, the level of Bcl-2 protein increased, while the phosphor-AKT signaling improved. As a result, L. regularis may protect against diabetic-induced retinal neuronal damage by increasing neurotrophic support and reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. Therefore, this study suggests that in diabetic retinopathy, L. regularis could be a potential therapy option for preventing neuronal cell death. Full article

In traditional Yemeni medicine, various preparations of Loranthus regularis (L. regularis), such as powder, decoctions and infusions are commonly used to treat diabetes, kidney stone formations and inflammation. In the present study, we evaluated the antinephrotoxic effects of L. regularis extract in experimentally-induced diabetes in male Wistar rats. A single dose (60 mg/kg/day) of Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce type 1 diabetes. Animals were then treated for four weeks with L. regularis extract (150 or 300 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage. Renal and blood samples were subsequently harvested. Several biochemical indices, oxidative stress and inflammatory markers were assessed. Additionally, histological alterations in the renal tissue were examined. Serum glucose levels were significantly (p < 0.01) lowered while insulin levels were enhanced in L. regularis-treated diabetic animals. The increased renal markers in diabetic rats were decreased by L. regularis treatment. Serum elevated lipid profiles were markedly decreased by the plant extract. The serum and renal cytokines that were significantly increased (p < 0.001) by STZ were diminished by L. regularis treatment. Finally, renal tissue antioxidant enzymatic activity was enhanced with L. regularis treatment. Taken together, the data here indicate that L. regularis possesses therapeutic ability to reduce the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) by minimizing oxidative injury and inflammation. Full article

European oak species have long been considered relatively resistant to different disturbances, including drought. However, several recent studies have reported their decline initiated by complex changes. Therefore, we compared mature sessile oak trees (Quercus petraea (Matt.), Liebl.) infested versus non-infested by hemiparasitic yellow mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus Jacq.) during the relatively dry vegetation season of 2019. We used broad arrays of ecophysiological (maximal assimilation rate A_sat, chlorophyll a fluorescence, stomatal conductance g_S, leaf morphological traits, mineral nutrition), growth (tree diameter, height, stem increment), and water status indicators (leaf water potential Ψ, leaf transpiration T, water-use efficiency WUE) to identify processes underlying vast oak decline. The presence of mistletoe significantly reduced the Ψ by 1 MPa, and the WUE by 14%. The T and g_S of infested oaks were lower by 34% and 38%, respectively, compared to the non-infested oaks, whereas the A_sat dropped to 55%. Less pronounced but significant changes were also observed at the level of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry. Moreover, we identified the differences in C content, which probably reduced stem increment and leaf size of the infested trees. Generally, we can conclude that mistletoe could be a serious threat that jeopardizes the water status and growth of oak stands. Full article

The cytotoxic effects of the crude extract of Loranthus acaciae Zucc. and its n-hexane, chloroform, and n-butanol fractions were assessed against three cancer cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Cell apoptosis was determined using an annexin V-phycoerythrin/7-aminoactinomycin kit. We observed that the L. acaciae n-hexane extract (LAHE) could inhibit cancer cell growth, particularly of MCF7 and A549 cells. Chromatographic purification of LAHE and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis led to the identification of two compounds from this plant species, namely, betulinic acid and β-sitosterol, for the first time. Flow cytometry study suggested that betulinic acid induced cell death via apoptosis, as a distinguished marked enhancement in the early and late apoptosis of human lung (A549) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines. The isolated compounds were further estimated concurrently in LAHE using a validated high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method on a 10 × 10 cm² HPTLC plate with chloroform, methanol, and glacial acetic acid (97:2:1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase and a λ_max of 540 nm. The amounts of betulinic acid and β-sitosterol in LAHE were 69.46 and 135.53 µg/mg of dried weight of extract, respectively. The excellent cytotoxic effect of LAHE could be attributed to the presence of ample amounts of betulinic acid. Full article

Loranthus europaeus is a well-known and important medicinal plant, with a long history of traditional medicine use. Several studies showed that it contains many bioactive compounds with a wide range of pharmacological effects. In light of these past researches, L. europaeus were chosen to consider its potential antimicrobial action. To this aim, different protocols were performed to selectively extract protein compounds, from L. europaeus yellow fruits, and evaluate the antimicrobial activity against four phytopathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Alternaria spp., Penicillium spp., Botritis cinereus) and a number of foodborne bacterial pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus strains, Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli) by using serial dilutions and colony formation assays. Results evidenced no antifungal activity but a notable bactericidal efficiency of a crude protein extract against two foodborne pathogens, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values between 0.2 and 0.5 mg/mL, being S. aureus strains the most susceptible bacteria. Moreover, a strong bactericidal activity against S. aureus M7 was observed by two partially purified protein fractions of about 600 and 60 kDa molecular mass in native conditions. Therefore, these plant protein extracts could be used as natural alternative preventives to control food poisoning diseases and preserve foodstuff avoiding health hazards of chemically antimicrobial applications. Full article

Nanosizing represents a straight forward technique to unlock the biological activity of complex plant materials. The aim of this study was to develop herbal nanoparticles with medicinal value from dried leaves and stems of Loranthus micranthus with the aid of ball-milling, high speed stirring, and high-pressure homogenization techniques. The milled nanoparticles were characterized using laser diffraction analysis, photon correlation spectroscopy analysis, and light microscopy. The average size of leaf nanoparticles was around 245 nm and that of stem nanoparticles was around 180 nm. The nanoparticles were tested for their antimicrobial and nematicidal properties against a Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, a Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus carnosus, fungi Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and a nematode Steinernemafeltiae. The results show significant activities for both leaf and (particularly) stem nanoparticles of Loranthus micranthus on all organisms tested, even at a particle concentration as low as 0.01% (w/w). The results observed indicate that nanoparticles (especially of the stem) of Loranthus micranthus could serve as novel antimicrobial agents with wide-ranging biomedical applications. Full article