Search Results (16)

Background: Saxifraga umbellulata var. pectinata (Saxifragaceae) is recognized as a genuine medicinal material from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China. This paper presents the chloroplast (cp) genome of S. umbellulata var. pectinata, marking the first report for this genus. The Tibetan medicinal plants documented in ‘Chinese Medicinal Plant Resources’ are associated with their chloroplast genomes and medicinal mechanisms. Objective: In order to resolve any potential ambiguity in conventional classifications, this study reconstructs the evolutionary position of S. umbellulata var. pectinata within the genus by comparing its chloroplast genetic information with that of other groupings. Methods: The chloroplast genome of S. umbellulata var. pectinata was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Subsequent sequence assembly, annotation, and characterization were performed using bioinformatics analysis. The NJ phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA 7.0 software. Results: The complete chloroplast genome of S. umbellulata var. pectinata is 146,549 bp in length, comprising four subregions: a large single-copy (LSC) region of 79,318 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 16,390 bp, separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions each 25,421 bp long. This cp genome contains 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content is 38.1%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 20 cp genomes indicates that S. umbellulata var. pectinata is closely related to Saxifraga sinomontana and Saxifraga stolonifera. Full article

Background: Astilbe, consisting of about 18 species, is distributed throughout East Asia and Northeastern America, and most Astilbe species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants. A total of four species of Astilbe have been confirmed to be distributed throughout Korea, two of which are endemic to Korea. Methods: In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genomes of two endemic Korean plants using Illumina sequencing technology, identified simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and repetitive sequences, and compared them with three previously reported chloroplast genomes. Results: The chloroplast genomes of the two species were 156,968 and 57,142 bp in length and had a four-part circular structure. They consisted of a large single-copy region of 87,223 and 87,272 bp and a small single-copy region of 18,167 and 18,138 bp, separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb, 25,789 and 25,866 bp). The genomes contained 130 genes, 49 SSRs, and 49 long repetitive sequences. Comparative analysis with the chloroplast genomes of five Astilbe species indicated that A. uljinensis was closely related to A. chinensis and A. taquetii to A. koreana. Conclusions: This study provides valuable references for the identification of two endemic Korean Astilbe species and contributes to a deeper understanding of the phylogeny and evolution of the genus Astilbe. Full article

Chrysosplenium, a perennial herb in the family Saxifragaceae, prefers to grow in low light and moist environments and is divided into two sections of Alternifolia and Oppositifolia based on phyllotaxy. Although there has been some progress in the phylogeny of Chrysosplenium over the years, the phylogenetic position of some species is still controversial. In this study, we assembled chloroplast genomes (cp genomes) of 34 Chrysosplenium species and performed comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses in combination with other cp genomes of previously known Chrysosplenium species, for a total of 44 Chrysosplenium species. The comparative analyses revealed that cp genomes of Chrysosplenium species were more conserved in terms of genome structure, gene content and arrangement, SSRs, and codon preference, but differ in genome size and SC/IR boundaries. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cp genomes effectively improved the phylogenetic support and resolution of Chrysosplenium species and strongly supported Chrysosplenium species as a monophyletic taxon and divided into three branches. The results also showed that the sections of Alternifolia and Oppositifolia were not monophyletic with each other, and that C. microspermum was not clustered with other Chrysosplenium species with alternate leaves, but with C. sedakowii into separate branches. In addition, we identified 10 mutational hotspot regions that could serve as potential DNA barcodes for Chrysosplenium species identification. In contrast to Peltoboykinia, the clpP and ycf2 genes of Chrysosplenium were subjected to positive selection and had multiple significant positive selection sites. We further detected a significant positive selection site on the petG gene between the two sections of Chrysosplenium. These evolutionary characteristics may be related to the growth environment of Chrysosplenium species. This study enriches the cp genomes of Chrysosplenium species and provides a reference for future studies on its evolution and origin. Full article

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common and fatal cancer reported, representing 72.5% of malignancies around the world. The majority of HCC incidents have been associated with infections caused by hepatitis B and C viruses. Many first- and second-line conventional drugs, e.g., sorafenib, cabozantinib, or ramucirumab, have been used for the management of HCC. Despite different combinational therapies, there are still no defined biomarkers for an early stage diagnosis of HCC. The current study evaluated the potential of Bergenia stracheyi, Bergenia ciliata, Bergenia pacumbis, and Bergenia purpurascens, which belong to the family Saxifragaceae, to treat HCC using an integrated network pharmacology and molecular docking approach. Four active phytochemicals were selected based on oral bioavailability (OB) and drug likeness (DL) parameters. The criteria of phytochemical selection were set to OB > 30% and DL > 0.18. Similarly, the gene targets related to Bergenia spp. and the genes related to HCC were retrieved from different databases. The integration of these genes revealed 98 most common overlapping genes, which were mainly interrelated with HCC pathogenesis. Ultimately, the 98 Bergenia-HCC associated genes were used for protein–protein interaction (PPI), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. Finally, the topological analysis revealed the top ten hub genes with maximum degree rank. From the top ten genes, STAT3, MAPK3, and SRC were selected due to their involvement in GO annotation and KEGG pathway. To confirm the network pharmacology results, molecular docking analysis was performed to target STAT3, MAPK3, and SRC receptor proteins. The phytochemical (+)-catechin 3-gallate exhibited a maximum binding score and strong residue interactions with the active amino acids of MAPK3-binding pockets (S-score: −10.2 kcal/mol), SRC (S-score: −8.9 kcal/mol), and STAT3 (S-score: −8.9 kcal/mol) as receptor proteins. (+)-Catechin 3-gallate and β-sitosterol induced a significant reduction in cell viability in HepG2 after 24 h of treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The results of this study explore the potential of (+)-catechin 3-gallate and β-sitosterol, which can be used in the future as potential drug candidates to suppress HCC. Full article

Ribes meyeri is a Ribes genus in the Saxifragaceae family, which is used as both medicine and food. However, the active components and biological activities of R. meyeri fruits are still unknown. In this paper, the phenolic components and their antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities of R. meyeri fruits were studied. Firstly, a total of 42 phenolic components of R. meyeri fruits, including 26 anthocyanins, 9 flavonoids, and 7 phenolic acids, were tentatively identified using HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, and the main four anthocyanins were quantified using UPLC-MS/MS. The result indicated that cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside is the main anthocyanin in the R. meyeri fruits. The anthocyanin fraction of R. meyeri fruits exhibited significant inhibitory activity on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The anthocyanin fraction from R. meyeri fruits significantly increased the glucose uptake of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This is the first study of a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the phenolics of R. meyeri fruits. Full article

Bergenin is a glycosidic derivative of trihydroxybenzoic acid that was discovered in 1880 by Garreau and Machelart from the rhizomes of the medicinal plant Bergenia crassifolia (currently: Saxifraga crassifolia—Saxifragaceae), though was later isolated from several other plant sources. Since its first report, it has aroused interest because it has several pharmacological activities, mainly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. In addition to this, bergenin has shown potential antimalarial, antileishmanial, trypanocidal, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antinociceptive, antiarthritic, antiulcerogenic, antidiabetic/antiobesity, antiarrhythmic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and cardioprotective activities. Thus, this review aimed to describe the sources of isolation of bergenin and its in vitro and in vivo biological and pharmacological activities. Bergenin is distributed in many plant species (at least 112 species belonging to 34 families). Both its derivatives (natural and semisynthetic) and extracts with phytochemical proof of its highest concentration are well studied, and none of the studies showed cytotoxicity for healthy cells. Full article

Chrysosplenium macrophyllum Oliv., belonging to the family Saxifragaceae, is a traditional and unique Chinese herbal medicine. However, the lack of adequate molecular markers has hampered the progress regarding population genetics and evolution within this species. In this research, we used the DNBSEQ-T7 Sequencer (MGI) sequencing assay to analyze the transcriptome profiles of C. macrophyllum. SSR markers were developed on the basis of transcriptomic sequences and further validated on C. macrophyllum and other Chrysosplenium species. The genetic diversity and structure of the 12 populations were analyzed by using polymorphic expressed sequence tag simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers. A potential pool of 3127 non-redundant EST-SSR markers were identified for C. macrophyllum in this study. The developed EST-SSR markers had high amplification rates and cross-species transferability in Chrysosplenium. Our results also showed that the natural populations of C. macrophyllum had a high level of genetic diversity. Genetic distance, principal component analysis, and popular structure analysis revealed that all 60 samples clustered into two major groups that were consistent with their geographical origins. This study provided a batch of highly polymorphic EST-SSR molecular markers that were developed via transcriptome sequencing. These markers will be of great significance for the study of the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of C. macrophyllum and other Chrysosplenium species. Full article

Saxifraga species are widely distributed in alpine and arctic regions in the Northern hemisphere. Highly morphological diversity within this genus brings great difficulties for species identification, and their typical highland living properties make it interesting how they adapt to the extreme environment. Here, we newly generated the chloroplast (cp) genomes of two Saxifraga species and compared them with another five Saxifraga cp genomes to understand the characteristics of cp genomes and their potential roles in highland adaptation. The genome size, structure, gene content, GC content, and codon usage pattern were found to be highly similar. Cp genomes ranged from 146,549 bp to 151,066 bp in length, most of which comprised 130 predicted genes. Yet, due to the expansion of IR regions, the second copy of rps19 in Saxifraga stolonifera was uniquely kept. Through sequence divergence analysis, we identified seven hypervariable regions and detected some signatures of regularity associated with genetic distance. We also identified 52 to 89 SSRs and some long repeats among seven Saxifraga species. Both ML and BI phylogenetic analyses confirmed that seven Saxifraga species formed a monophyletic clade in the Saxifragaceae family, and their intragenus relationship was also well supported. Additionally, the ndhI and ycf1 genes were considered under positive selection in species inhabiting relatively high altitudes. Given the conditions of intense light and low CO₂ concentration in the highland, the products of these two genes might participate in the adaptation to the extreme environment. Full article

The influence of medicinal plants on humanity spans time immemorial. These plants are also used at present with local and tribal peoples for the cures of various illnesses. Nature has produced an immense number of medicinal plants, which directly or indirectly help to treat various ailments and have numerous applications in the fields of pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food flavors and preservatives, aromas, and cosmetics. Bergenia pacumbis (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) C.Y.Wu & J.T.Pan (synonym: Bergenia ligulate Engl.), is an important medicinal plant belonging to the Saxifragaceae family, and not to be confused with Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb., and is popularly known as Pashanbheda (meaning to dissolve the kidney stone). This plant is a rich source of secondary metabolites (SMs) such as coumarins, flavonoids, benzenoids, lactones, tannins, phenols, and sterols, which make this plant a highly valued medicinal herb with a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anti-urolithic, antioxidant, anti-viral, free radical scavenging, antidiabetic, anti-hepatotoxic, diuretic, antipyretic, anti-oxaluria, anti-tumour, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective. This review summarizes traditional uses and offers up to date data for future research on B. pacumbis. Full article

Bergenin (BER), a key constituent of Bergenia crassifolia (Saxifragaceae), has gained extensive attention, owing to its array of pharmacological actions, including anti-infective, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-urolithiatic, anti-hyperuricemic, and anti-bradykinin properties. Despite ever-intensifying support for its therapeutic features, the poor solubility, lower oral bioavailability, shorter half-life, and more intestinal pH degradation (pH 6.8 or above) of BER have puzzled researchers. To circumvent these pharmaceutical challenges, and to improve its therapeutic efficacy, newer approaches have been adopted by research scientists. Thus, a discussion of the existing literature may provide complete information about the advances in delivery strategies for enhancing its utility. This paper summarizes up-to-date works on the design and development of novel delivery carriers of this bioactive compound, such as phospholipid complexes, extended-release core tablets, prodrugs, herbal gels, polyherbal ointments, nanoparticles, and poly (lactic acid) polymers, with the objective of harnessing its full potential. This review also provides a deep insight into its bioactivities, along with mechanisms. Additionally, the physicochemical attributes, chemistry, and pharmacokinetics of BER are discussed herein. Hence, the comprehensive information documented in this review may introduce new avenues for research advancements of BER. Full article

Bergenia (Saxifragaceae) genus is native to central Asia and encompasses 32 known species. Among these, nine are of pharmacological relevance. In the Indian system of traditional medicine (Ayurveda), “Pashanabheda” (stone breaker) is an elite drug formulation obtained from the rhizomes of B. ligulata. Bergenia species also possess several other biological activities like diuretic, antidiabetic, antitussive, insecticidal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-bradykinin, antiviral, antibacterial, antimalarial, hepatoprotective, antiulcer, anticancer, antioxidant, antiobesity, and adaptogenic. This review provides explicit information on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological significance of the genus Bergenia. The extant literature concerned was systematically collected from various databases, weblinks, blogs, books, and theses to select 174 references for detailed analysis. To date, 152 chemical constituents have been identified and characterized from the genus Bergenia that belong to the chemical classes of polyphenols, phenolic-glycosides, lactones, quinones, sterols, tannins, terpenes, and others. B. crassifolia alone possesses 104 bioactive compounds. Meticulous pharmacological and phytochemical studies on Bergenia species and its conservation could yield more reliable compounds and products of pharmacological significance for better healthcare. Full article

Evolutionary processes fuelling rapid species diversification are not yet fully understood, although their major contribution to overall patterns of plant biodiversity is well established. Hybridisation is among the least understood of these processes, despite its multifaceted role in speciation processes being widely accepted. Species of the large arctic-alpine genus Saxifraga are notorious for their ability to hybridise; however, the overall role of hybridisation and polyploidisation for the diversification of this genus remains unknown. Here, we provide a comprehensive genus-wide review of hybridisation accounts and ploidy levels. We find that the sections of Saxifraga vary greatly in their propensity to hybridise. The majority of natural hybridisation accounts are from recent localised events (n = 71). Hybridisation hotspots were located in the Pyrenees and the European Alps, thus contrasting with the overall distribution of species richness in the genus. Hybrids or hybrid populations are often short-lived in Saxifraga due to a multitude of reproductive barriers, most commonly low F₁ hybrid fertility. However, these barriers are not always fully effective, allowing for backcrossing and the formation of hybrid swarms. In addition, we find that the incidence of polyploidy varies widely across different sections of Saxifraga, with species-rich sections Porphyrion and Saxifraga showing divergent polyploidy proportions. Overall, we show that hybridisation and polyploidisation played differential roles in the diversification of this large genus. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of species are yet to be scrutinised, particularly among the Asian Saxifraga species, illustrating the need for systematic further study to fully unravel the role of hybridisation during the evolution of Saxifraga. Full article

The genus Sedum, with about 470 recognized species, is classified in the family Crassulaceae of the order Saxifragales. Phylogenetic relationships within the Saxifragales are still unresolved and controversial. In this study, the plastome of S. plumbizincicola was firstly presented, with a focus on the structural analysis of rrn operon and phylogenetic implications within the order Saxifragaceae. The assembled complete plastome of S. plumbizincicola is 149,397 bp in size, with a typical circular, double-stranded, and quadripartite structure of angiosperms. It contains 133 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 36 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and four pseudogenes (one ycf1, one rps19, and two ycf15). The predicted secondary structure of S. plumbizincicola 16S rRNA includes three main domains organized in 74 helices. Further, our results confirm that 4.5S rRNA of higher plants is associated with fragmentation of 23S rRNA progenitor. Notably, we also found the sequence of putative rrn5 promoter has some evolutionary implications within the order Saxifragales. Moreover, our phylogenetic analyses suggested that S. plumbizincicola had a closer relationship with S. sarmentosum than S. oryzifolium, and supported the taxonomic revision of Phedimus. Our findings of the present study will be useful for further investigation of the evolution of plastid rRNA operon and phylogenetic relationships within Saxifragales. Full article

Selecting suitable species to enhance ecological functions is crucial for improvements in the planning and design of roof greening and in maintaining sustainable urban development, especially in rapidly urbanized areas. Assisted by field trips to enhance studies, the present project assessed the ecological functions of 207 plant species used for roof greening in Beijing based on their key functional traits. The results indicate that regulating, cultural, supplying, and supporting functions differed significantly among species and families in the study area. Rosaceae species have higher levels of overall ecological functions than other species, and a large number of Compositae species have lower-level functions. Compared to other families, Araliaceae and Nyctaginaceae have higher mean values of cultural and supporting functions and the highest mean overall function value of 37. Ulmaceae, Sapindaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Berberidaceae, and Aceraceae have higher mean regulating, cultural, supporting, and overall function values. Amaranthaceae, Umbelliferae, Lamiaceae, Saxifragaceae, Ericaceae, and Gramineae have lower values. The existing roof greening in Beijing includes some pitfalls with respect to plant composition as well as plant selection that does not consider ecological functions. The following measures could be proposed to increase ecological functions: (1) Increasing the number of plants with shallow roots and with strong adaptation traits to roof conditions; (2) Enriching ecological communities with diverse plants with high ecological functions; and (3) Carrying out rational ecological planning and management based on detailed and objective data on plant species. Future studies should focus on specifying plant functional traits to enhance ecological functions. Full article

Arbutin (also called β-arbutin) is a natural product occurring in the leaves of a variety of different plants, the bearberries of the Ericaceae and Saxifragaceae families being prominent examples. It is a β-glucoside derived from hydroquinone (HQ; 1,4-dihydroxybenzene). Arbutin has been identified in traditional Chinese folk medicines as having, inter alia, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that useful in the treatment of different ailments including urinary diseases. Today, it is also used worldwide for the treatment of skin ailments by way of depigmenting, which means that arbutin is a component of many products in the cosmetics and healthcare industries. It is also relevant in the food industry. Hundreds of publications have appeared describing the isolation, structure determination, toxicology, synthesis, and biological properties of arbutin as well as the molecular mechanism of melanogenesis (tyrosinase inhibition). This review covers the most important aspects with special emphasis on the chemical and biocatalytic methods for the production of arbutin. Full article