Search Results (25)

A plant species in a community often grows with some other plant species. While many studies have assessed interspecific interactions between two target plant species, few have considered the impacts of the other plant species (e.g., the third, fourth, and fifth plant species) on these interactions. To assess the impacts, we grew one seedling of each of the five herbaceous plant species that are common in China (Cynodon dactylon, Plantago asiatica, Taraxacum mongolicum, Nepeta cataria, and Leonurus japonicus) alone (no competition) or with one seedling of one, two, three, or four of the other species. The presence of a neighbor plant generally reduced the growth of the target species, suggesting that the interspecific relationships were mostly competitive. The presence of other neighbor species (the third, fourth, and fifth species) could alter the interspecific interactions between two target species, but such effects varied depending on both the identity of the target species and the identity of the other species. Additionally, the effects of the third species depended little on the presence of the fourth and fifth species. We conclude that interspecific interactions between two plant species are commonly regulated by the presence of other species, facilitating species coexistence. However, our findings do not support the idea that the impacts of the fourth and fifth species on interactions among three plant species are common. This study highlights the complex interactions among multiple plant species within a community and also the importance of including these high-order interactions when modelling community dynamics and species coexistence. Full article

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study evaluated the efficacy of a shampoo containing Plantago asiatica L. on hair health in adults aged 20–60. Following a 4-week wash-out period, participants used either the test shampoo or a placebo for 12 weeks. Hair measurements using phototrichograms and hair count tests were conducted at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. The test group demonstrated progressive improvements in hair strand thickness (0.009 mm, 0.017 mm, and 0.020 mm at weeks 4, 8, and 12, respectively) and hair density (0.9 hairs/cm² at weeks 4 and 8, 1.1 hairs/cm² at week 12). Additionally, a significant reduction in hair shedding was observed compared to the placebo group. These findings suggest that shampoo containing Plantago asiatica L. effectively improves hair thickness and density while reducing hair loss, offering a natural solution for hair care concerns. Full article

Plantaginis semen is the dried ripe seed of Plantago asiatica L. or Plantago depressa Willd., which has a long history in alleviating hyperuricemia (HUA) and chronic kidney diseases. While the major chemical ingredients and mechanism remained to be illustrated. Therefore, this work aimed to elucidate the chemicals and working mechanisms of PS for HUA. UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS was applied to identify the main components of PS in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was conducted to explore the gene expression profile, and the genes involved were further confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). A total of 39 components were identified from PS, and 13 of them were detected in the rat serum after treating the rat with PS. The kidney tissue injury and serum uric acid (UA), xanthine oxidase (XOD), and cytokine levels were reversed by PS. Meanwhile, renal urate anion transporter 1 (Urat1) and glucose transporter 9 (Glut9) levels were reversed with PS treatment. RNA-seq analysis showed that the PPAR signaling pathway; glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism signaling pathway; and fatty acid metabolism signaling pathway were significantly modified by PS treatment. Further, the gene expression of Slc7a8, Pck1, Mgll, and Bhmt were significantly elevated, and Fkbp5 was downregulated, consistent with RNA-seq results. The PPAR signaling pathway involved Pparα, Pparγ, Lpl, Plin5, Atgl, and Hsl were elevated by PS treatment. URAT1 and PPARα proteins levels were confirmed by Western blotting. In conclusion, this study elucidates the chemical profile and working mechanisms of PS for prevention and therapy of HUA and provides a promising traditional Chinese medicine agency for HUA prophylaxis. Full article

A clear trend of replacing synthetic cosmetic ingredients with natural ones can be observed in modern cosmetology. This entails the need to search for bioactive ingredients in the natural environment, especially in plants. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of dermatological, cosmetic, and pharmacological properties of highly potent plants, namely Acmella oleracea (A. oleracea), Centella asiatica (C. asiatica), Psoralea corylifolia (P. corylifolia), Plantago lanceolata L. (P. lanceolata L.), and Solidago virgaurea L. (S. virgaurea L.). Biological activity and phytochemical constituents are presented for all plants, but special attention is paid to ingredients of particular value to the cosmetics industry. The advantages of spilanthol and bakuchiol as a replacement for the popular botulinum toxin and retinol are discussed. Natural habitats, ethnomedical importance, cultivation area, as well as extraction methods of active plant ingredients are presented in detail. A wide spectrum of biological activity indicates the enormous potential of the presented plants in formulating new cosmetic and dermatological preparations. Full article

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a plant defense mechanism that provides protection against a broad spectrum of pathogens in distal tissues. Recent studies have revealed a concerted function of salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP) in the establishment of SAR against bacterial pathogens, but it remains unknown whether NHP is also involved in SAR against viruses. We found that the local application of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a synthetic analog of SA, suppressed plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV) infection in the distal leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. This suppression of infection in untreated distal leaves was observed at 1 day, but not at 3 days, after application. ASM application significantly increased the expression of SAR-related genes, including PR1, SID2, and ALD1 after 1 day of application. Viral suppression in distal leaves after local ASM application was not observed in the sid2-2 mutant, which is defective in isochorismate synthase 1 (ICS1), which is involved in salicylic acid synthesis; or in the fmo1 mutant, which is defective in the synthesis of NHP; or in the SA receptor npr1-1 mutant. Finally, we found that the local application of NHP suppressed PlAMV infection in the distal leaves. These results indicate that the local application of ASM induces antiviral SAR against PlAMV through a mechanism involving NHP. Full article

Cell membrane chromatography (CMC) has been widely recognized as a highly efficient technique for in vitro screening of active compounds. Nevertheless, conventional CMC approaches suffer from a restricted repertoire of cell membrane proteins, making them susceptible to oversaturation. Moreover, the binding mechanism between silica gel and proteins primarily relies on intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which is inherently unstable and somewhat hampers the advancement of CMC. Consequently, this investigation aimed to establish a novel CMC column that could augment protein loading, enhance detection throughput, and bolster binding affinity through the introduction of covalent bonding with proteins. This study utilizes polydopamine (PDA)-coated silica gel, which is formed through the self-polymerization of dopamine (DA), as the carrier for the CMC column filler. The objective is to construct the HK-2/SiO₂-PDA/CMC model to screen potential therapeutic drugs for gout. To compare the quantity and characteristics of Human Kidney-2 (HK-2) cell membrane proteins immobilized on SiO₂-PDA and silica gel, the proteins were immobilized on both surfaces. The results indicate that SiO₂-PDA has a notably greater affinity for membrane proteins compared to silica gel, resulting in a significant improvement in detection efficiency. Furthermore, a screening method utilizing HK-2/SiO₂-PDA/CMC was utilized to identify seven potential anti-gout compounds derived from Plantago asiatica L. (PAL). The effectiveness of these compounds was further validated using an in vitro cell model of uric acid (UA) reabsorption. In conclusion, this study successfully developed and implemented a novel CMC filler, which has practical implications in the field. Full article

Inhibiting the excessive release of glutamate in the brain is emerging as a promising therapeutic option and is efficient for treating neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of plantainoside D (PD), a phenylenthanoid glycoside isolated from Plantago asiatica L., on glutamate release in rat cerebral cortical nerve terminals (synaptosomes). We observed that PD inhibited the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-evoked release of glutamate and elevated concentration of cytosolic Ca²⁺. Using bafilomycin A1 to block glutamate uptake into synaptic vesicles and EDTA to chelate extracellular Ca²⁺, the inhibitory effect of PD on 4-AP-evoked glutamate release was prevented. In contrast, the action of PD on the 4-AP-evoked release of glutamate in the presence of dl-TBOA, a potent nontransportable inhibitor of glutamate transporters, was unaffected. PD does not alter the 4-AP-mediated depolarization of the synaptosomal membrane potential, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of PD on glutamate release is associated with voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (VDCCs) but not the modulation of plasma membrane potential. Pretreatment with the Ca²⁺ channel blocker (N-type) ω-conotoxin GVIA abolished the inhibitory effect of PD on the evoked glutamate release, as did pretreatment with the protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203x. However, the PD-mediated inhibition of glutamate release was eliminated by applying the mitochondrial Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger inhibitor CGP37157 or dantrolene, which inhibits Ca²⁺ release through ryanodine receptor channels. These data suggest that PD mediates the inhibition of evoked glutamate release from synaptosomes primarily by reducing the influx of Ca²⁺ through N-type Ca²⁺ channels, subsequently reducing the protein kinase C cascade. Full article

Natural products are one of the resources for discovering novel pesticide leads. Here, by molecular hybridization between the natural enamino diketone skeleton and the reported herbicide lead compound I, a series of 3-(1-aminoethylidene)-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione derivatives (APD) were rationally designed, synthesized and tested for herbicidal activity in a greenhouse. The bioassay results showed that most of the target compounds possessed good herbicidal activity under pre-emergence conditions, of which the analog APD-II-15 displayed good pre-emergent herbicidal activity against Abutilon theophrasti Medicus, Amaranthus retroflexus L., Echinochloa crus-galli, Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees, Avena fatua L., Cyperus difformis L., Chenopodium album L., Ixeris denticulata, Plantago asiatica L., Capsella bursa-pastoris (Linn.) Medic and Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze with > 60% inhibition even at a dosage of 187.5 g ha⁻¹, and displayed good crop safety for wheat, soybean, millet and sorghum at a dosage of 375 g ha⁻¹. The preliminary study of the molecular mode of action by RNA sequencing suggested that a growth inhibition of weeds by APD-II-15 might result from the disruptions of carbon metabolism and formation of a cytoskeleton. The present work indicated that APD-II-15 might be used as a novel herbicidal lead compound for further optimization. Full article

Geumgwesingihwan (GGSGH) is an oriental herbal formula made by adding Achyranthes bidentate Blume and Plantago asiatica L. to Yukmijiwhanghwan. It has been used for the treatment of edema since ancient times. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a method for simultaneous quantification of 11 components: gallic acid (1), 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (2), geniposidic acid (3), morroniside (4), loganin (5), paeoniflorin (6), acteoside (7), cornuside (8), benzoic acid (9), benzoylpaeoniflorin (10), and paeonol (11), using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS). Compounds 1–11 were separated on a Capcell Pak UG 80 C₁₈ column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using a mobile phase of a distilled water–acetonitrile system, both containing 0.1% formic acid. In UPLC–MS/MS, compounds 1–11 were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) using a mobile phase of a distilled water–acetonitrile system containing 1.0% acetic acid. Using these methods, samples of GGSGH were determined to contain 0.13–2.87 mg/g (HPLC–DAD) and not detected–4.60 mg/g (UPLC–MS/MS) of compounds 1–11. The developed HPLC–DAD assays for simultaneous determination of all analytes were validated with respect to linearity, limits of detection and quantification, recovery, and precision. The established HPLC assay will be used to obtain basic data for quality evaluation of GGSGH and related oriental herbal formulas. Full article

Plantago asiatica L. (PAL) as a medicinal and edible plant is rich in chemical compounds, which makes the systematic and comprehensive characterization of its components challenging. In this study, an integrated strategy based on three-dimensional separation including AB-8 macroporous resin column chromatography, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF MS), and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with ion-mobility spectrometry (UHPLC-IM-MS) was established and used to separate and identify the structures of compounds from PAL. The extracts of PAL were firstly separated into three parts by AB-8 macroporous resin and further separated and identified by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS and UHPLC-IM-MS, respectively. Additionally, UHPLC-IM-MS was used to identify isomers and coeluting compounds, so that the product ions appearing at the same retention time (RT)can clearly distinguish where the parent ion belongs by their different drift times. UNIFI software was used for data processing and structure identification. A total of 86 compounds, including triterpenes, iridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, guanidine derivatives, organic acids, and fatty acids, were identified by using MS information and fragment ion information provided by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS and UHPLC-IM-MS. In particular, a pair of isoforms of plantagoside from PAL were detected and identified by UHPLC-IM-MS combined with the theoretical calculation method for the first time. In conclusion, the AB-8 macroporous resin column chromatography can separate the main compounds of PAL and enrich the trace compounds. Combining UHPLC-IM-MS and UHPLC-Q-TOF MS can obtain not only more fragments but also their unique drift times and RT, which is more conducive to the identification of complex systems, especially isomers. This proposed strategy can provide an effective method to separate and identify chemical components, and distinguish isomers in the complex system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Full article

Geumgwesingihwan (GSH) is a traditional herbal prescription composed of eight medicinal herbs: Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., Dioscorea japonica Thunb., Cornus officinalis Siebold and Zucc., Poria cocos Wolf, Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews, Alisma plantago-aquatica subsp. orientale (Sam.) Sam., Achyranthes bidentate Blume, and Plantago asiatica L. This study developed and validated an ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for simultaneous determination of 14 compounds (allantoin, gallic acid, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, geniposidic acid, oxypaeoniflorin, loganin, geniposide, paeoniflorin, ecdysterone, verbascoside, cornuside, benzoylpaeoniflorin, paeonol, and alisol B acetate) in GSH. The chromatographic separation of all marker analytes was carried out on an Acquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) using gradient elution of a mobile phase of distilled water–acetonitrile containing 0.1% acetic acid. The newly established UPLC–MS/MS MRM method was validated by evaluating the linearity, the limits of detection and quantification, recovery, and precision. All markers were detected at concentrations of 6.94–4126.28 mg/kg. In addition, the recovery was 76.65–119.49% and the relative standard deviation value of the precision was 0.19–9.91%. The newly developed and validated UPLC–MS/MS assay will provide useful information for quality assessment of GSH. Full article

Understanding the mechanisms underlying seed dispersal is a fundamental issue in plant ecology and vegetation management. Several species demonstrate myxospermy, a phenomenon where the seeds form mucilage after absorbing water. Mucilage is thought to act as a glue, enabling seeds to attach to the external surfaces of dispersing agents. However, there have been no quantitative investigations of the efficacy of this function of seed mucilage. We performed a trampling and walking experiment to investigate the seed dispersal of a perennial herb, Asian plantain (Plantago asiatica L.), which forms polysaccharide mucilage upon hydration. Our experiment showed that: (1) after trampling, more seeds of P. asiatica attached to shoes in wet conditions (after rainfall), in which seed mucilage was created, than in dry conditions (no rainfall); and (2) after walking for 1000 m, more seeds remained attached to shoes in wet conditions than in dry conditions. Our results indicate that mucilage promotes the adherence of seeds to the surface of vectors. We therefore provide the first empirical evidence that seed mucilage facilitates epizoochory and human-mediated dispersal. Full article

Ecosystems are vulnerable to large areas of rocky desertification, which results in patchy soils and stone-inlaid soils. Karst landforms are typically characterized by heterogeneous phosphorus (P) distributions in soils at high calcium (Ca), but root foraging behavior has not been fully documented in agronomical plants. In this study, Bidens pilosa L. and Plantago asiatica L. were raised in pots in a simulated soil environment with sands at high Ca (2 g kg⁻¹) and low Ca (0.63 g kg⁻¹) levels. Inner spaces were divided into four sections to receive P in homogeneous (Homo.) (four quarters: 2 mg P kg⁻¹) or heterogenous (Hete.) (one quarter: 8 mg P kg⁻¹; three quarters: no-P input) patterns. Both species had longer roots in high P sections compared to no P sections. Foraging scale (highest length or surface-area(SA)) was higher in P. asiatica plants subjected to the Hete. pattern than to the Homo. pattern in low Ca pots. Foraging precision (length or SA differences between P patches as a proportion of the total) was also higher for P. asiatica subjected to the Hete. pattern but did not change in response to Ca level or P placement pattern. Overall, P. asiatica has a higher foraging ability than B. pilosa because of higher levels of foraging scale and precision from high-P (8 mg kg⁻¹) patches in soils subjected to low Ca (0.63 g kg⁻¹). Full article

Six perennial herbs (Plantago asiatica, Polygonum viviparum, Anaphalis lactea, Kobresia humilis, Leontopodium nanum and Potentilla chinensis) widely distributed in alpine meadows were reciprocally transplanted at two sites in eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Hongyuan (3434 m, 2.97 °C, 911 mm) and Qilian (3701 m, 2.52 °C, 472 mm), aiming to evaluate the responses of alpine plants to changing environments. When plants were transplanted from Hongyuan to Qilian, most plant species showed a decrease of total wax coverage in first year and reverse trend was observed for some plant species in second year. However, when plants were transplanted from Qilian to Hongyuan, the response of total wax coverage differed greatly between plant species. When compared with those in first year, plasticity index of average chain length of alkane decreased whereas carbon preference index of alkane increased at both Hongyuan and Qilian in second year. The total wax coverage differed between local and transplanted plants, suggesting both environmental and genetic factors controlled the wax depositions. Structural equation modeling indicated that co-variations existed between leaf cuticular waxes and leaf functional traits. These results suggest that alpine herbs adjust both wax depositions and chain length distributions to adapt to changing environment, showing climate adaptations. Full article

Lily symptomless virus (LSV), Lily mottle virus (LMoV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Shallot yellow stripe virus (SYSV), and Plantago asiatica mosaic virus (PlAMV) are five of the economically important viruses infecting lilies (Lilium spp.) worldwide. In order to prevent the occurrence and spread of these viruses, it is necessary to develop a rapid, effective, and sensitive detection method for the simultaneous detection and specific quantification of these viruses. In this study, specific primers and probes for multiplex TaqMan real-time PCR assays designed from conserved regions of the coat protein sequence of each virus were used for the simultaneous detection of these viruses in lilies (Lilium spp.). The optimal concentration of primers and probes and reaction annealing temperature were 20 µM and 55.9 °C, respectively. The detection limits of the assay were 1.33 × 10², 1.27 × 10¹, 1.28 × 10¹, 2.33 × 10², and 2.01 × 10² copies·μL⁻¹ for LSV, LMoV, CMV, SYSV, and PlAMV, respectively. Specificity was determined using seven viral pathogens of lilies. Variability tests of intra- and inter-assays showed high reproducibility with coefficients of variation <2%. The multiplex TaqMan real-time PCR assay was used to detect these viruses from lily samples in China. In brief, our developed assay showed high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of five lily-infecting viruses and can be used for certification and quarantine programs. Full article