Search Results (11)

Filipendula vulgaris Moench (syn. F. hexapetala Gilib., dropwort, Rosaceae) is widely used in folk medicine as an antitumour agent, but there is a lack of scientific knowledge about it. This research aimed to study the phytochemical composition and cytotoxic and antitumour activity of aqueous and aqueous–alcoholic extracts from rhizomes with roots of F. vulgaris to investigate their effect on the development of experimental Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice, and their effect on the animals’ lifespan. A total of 10 phenolics and 14 amino acids were determined by HPLC in the extracts. The dominant phenolic compounds were procyanidins B1, B2, and C1, as well as metabolites of the tannins (+)-catechin and epicatechin gallate. For the first time, 27 volatile substances were identified and semiquantified using GC-MS. The principal volatile components were palmitic acid (41.0%), methyl salicylate (24.2%), and benzyl salicylate (17.5%). The aqueous–alcoholic extract was significantly more effective than the aqueous one. The treatment of mice with Ehrlich carcinoma using the F. vulgaris aqueous–alcoholic extract normalised the studied indicators. The growth inhibition coefficient of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma was 62.3% and 65.8% on the 7th and 14th days, respectively. This was manifested in the inhibition of tumour growth based on a decrease in the content of ascites fluid in the abdominal cavity; a more intense manifestation of cytotoxic action on cancer cells; improvements in haematopoiesis, the antioxidant defence system, and the content of the studied bioelements in the blood serum; and an increase in the lifespan of experimental animals by around two times. The study results allow us to consider F. vulgaris rhizomes with roots as a promising anticancer agent for the design of pharmaceutical preparations and further study their effects on the human body. Full article

Cadmium ion (Cd²⁺) stress is a major abiotic stressor affecting plant photosynthesis. However, the impact of sustained high-concentration Cd stress on the photosynthetic electron transport chain of aquatic plants is currently unclear. Here, prompt fluorescence (PF), delayed fluorescence (DF), and P700 signals were simultaneously measured to investigate the effect of Cd stress on photosynthesis in water dropwort [Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC.]. We aimed to elucidate how Cd stress continuously affects the electron transport chain in this species. The PF analysis showed that with prolonged Cd stress, the F_J, F_I and F_P steadily decreased, accompanied by a positive shift in the K-band and L-band. Moreover, JIP-test parameters, including TR_O/ABS, ABS/CS_O, TR_O/CS_O and PI_ABS, were significantly reduced. The P700 signals showed that exposure to Cd stress hindered both the fast decrease and slow increase phases of the MR transient, ultimately resulting in a gradual reduction in both V_PSI and V_PSII−PSI. The DF analysis showed a gradual decrease in the I₁ and I₂ values as the duration of stress from Cd increased. The above results suggested that Cd stress affected the photosynthetic electron transport in water dropwort by influencing the amount of active PSII and PSI, primarily affecting PSII RCs in the early to mid-stages and PSI reductive activity in the later stage. Full article

Oenanthe javanica (OJ) is a perennial herb that grows wildly or is cultivated in Asia, and it is used as food or in traditional medicine. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of OJ-derived materials have been extensively explored previously, but their effects on the cytotoxicity of air pollution are currently unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the hot water extract of OJ on atmospheric particulate matter 10 (PM₁₀)-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative damage in human HaCaT keratinocytes, and to identify its active ingredient and mechanism of action. When the hot water extract of OJ was divided into methylene chloride, ethyl acetate (EA), n-butanol (BA), and water fractions, caffeic acid was enriched in the EA fraction and chlorogenic acid was enriched in the BA fraction. PM₁₀ increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and inflammatory prostaglandin (PG) E₂ production in cells. The BA fraction reduced the PM₁₀-induced ROS production in cells more effectively than the total extract and other solvent fractions. Chlorogenic acid was more effective in reducing ROS levels than caffeic acid and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Chlorogenic acid attenuated the increase in lipid peroxidation and the PG E₂ production of cells due to PM₁₀ exposure. Of the genes involved in PG E₂ production, phospholipase A2 group IVA (PLA2G4A), Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (PTGS1), and 2 (PTGS2) were transcriptionally up-regulated by PM₁₀, whereas phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A) was down-regulated and prostaglandin E synthetase 1 (PTGES1) and 2 (PTGES2) were a little altered. The PM₁₀-induced increase in PLA2G4A mRNA was alleviated by chlorogenic acid and NAC. Accordingly, PM₁₀ increased the expression levels of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) protein and its phosphorylated form, which were attenuated by chlorogenic acid and NAC. Thus, chlorogenic acid may attenuate the PM₁₀-induced PG E₂ production through the suppression of PLA2G4A mRNA and cPLA2 protein expressions. This study suggests that chlorogenic acid contained in OJ extract may help alleviate the oxidative damage to and inflammatory responses of the skin cells due to exposure to air pollutants. Full article

Water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC.) is an important vegetable crop. Nutrient liquid culture has become an important cultivation method in the production of water dropwort. However, the effects of different nutrient solution cultivation methods on the growth and quality of water dropwort remains unclear. In this study, to screen the most suitable nutrient solution formula for the cultivation of water dropwort, the effects of different nutrient solution formulas (Hoagland, Cooper, Dutch greenhouse, Garden-style, Yamasaki and SCAU) on plant physiological and quality characteristics are investigated. The plant height, root length, water content (%), distribution rate of dry matter (%), chlorophyll, VC, flavonoid, total phenolic, DPPH and dietary fiber of water dropwort under different nutrient solutions were determined. According to the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) of the growth index and quality index of water dropwort under different nutrient solutions, the Yamazaki nutrient solution was considered to be the most suitable nutrient solution formula for water dropwort. To further confirm the differences of water dropwort under nutrient solution culture and soil culture, the broadly targeted metabolomics were performed. A total of 485 metabolites were detected in water dropwort under optimal nutrient solution and soil cultivation. Metabolomics analysis showed that flavonoids were the most abundant differential accumulated metabolites, and most flavonoids were up-regulated. A qRT-PCR assay indicated that the structural genes of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway (PAL, C4H, CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, UFGT) were significantly higher under the Yamasaki nutrient solution treatment. The current study provided a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the nutrient solution cultivation of water dropwort. Meanwhile, this study provides new insights into the study of flavonoids in water dropwort. Full article

Oenanthe javanica, commonly known as water dropwort, has long been used to treat acute and chronic hepatitis, abdominal pain, alcohol hangovers, and inflammation in various traditional medicine systems in Asia. However, whether O. javanica has beneficial effects on colitis-induced intestinal damage remains elusive. This study tested the hypothesis that O. javanica has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. First, treatment of O. javanica ethanol extract (OJE) inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-affected macrophages. Second, in mice with DSS-induced colitis, OJE administration reduced pathological damage to the colon while alleviating weight gain and decreasing colon length, including inflammation and mucosal necrosis. In addition, OJE significantly (p < 0.01) restricted the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and increased the expression of Nrf2-phase 2 antioxidant enzymes. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing workflows for taxonomic assignment analysis confirmed that the diversity (richness and evenness) of fecal microbiota was markedly elevated in the OJE group. OJE administration reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria including Escherichia and increased the abundance of the genus Muribaculum. These results suggested that OJE exerts beneficial effects on inflammation and gut microbial composition in a mouse model of colitis. Full article

Research is lacking on the health risks of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water dropwort grown in livestock wastewater. Our results showed that antibiotics from livestock wastewater were absorbed and bioaccumulated by water dropwort. The concentration of antibiotics was higher in the roots than in the stems and leaves. The health-risk coefficients of antibiotics in water dropwort were below the threshold (<0.1), indicating that in this case study, the consumption of water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater was safe for humans considering accumulated antibiotics. ARGs were closely correlated between livestock wastewater and water dropwort, with the results showing that all 13 ARGs detected in the livestock wastewater were also found in the water dropwort. Tetracycline resistance genes were more abundant than the other ARGs in both the livestock wastewater and water dropwort. The estimated daily intake of ARGs in water dropwort for humans ranged from 2.06 × 10⁶ to 7.75 × 10¹² copies g⁻¹_, suggesting the potential risk of intaking ARGs in water dropwort cannot be ignored. Although the safety of consuming water dropwort used to purify livestock wastewater, considering accumulated antibiotics and ARGs, was assessed in this study, more studies should be conducted to ensure we fully understand the health risks. Full article

Field blanching is a process used in agriculture to obtain sweet, delicious, and tender stems of water dropwort by obstructing sunlight. The nutritional and transcriptomic profiling of blanched water dropwort has been investigated in our previous studies. However, the effect of blanching on the production of secondary metabolites and different vitamins in water dropwort has not been investigated at the transcriptomic level. This study explored the transcriptomic variations in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and different vitamin biosynthesis pathways under different blanching periods in the water dropwort stems (pre-blanching, mid-blanching, post-blanching, and control). The results show that polyphenol and flavonoid contents decreased; however, the contents of vitamins (A, B1, B2, and C) and antioxidant activity increased significantly after blanching. Furthermore, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of blanched water dropwort showed the downregulation of many important genes involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, and the downregulation of these genes might be the reason for the reduction in polyphenol and flavonoid contents. We also examined and highlighted the genes involved in the higher vitamin content, antioxidant activity, pale color, tenderness, and sweetness of the blanched stem of water dropwort. In conclusion, the present study explored the role of phenylpropanoid and vitamin biosynthesis, and it will provide a basis for future investigation and application in the blanch cultivation of water dropwort. Full article

In recent years, with the frequent global occurrence of harmful algal blooms, the use of plant allelopathy to control algal blooms has attracted special and wide attention. This study validates the possibility of turning water dropwort into a biological resource to inhibit the growth of harmful Microcystis aeruginosa blooms via allelopathy. The results revealed that there were 33 types of allelopathic compounds in the water dropwort culture water, of which 15 were phenolic acids. Regarding water dropwort itself, 18 phenolic acids were discovered in all the organs of water dropwort via a targeted metabolomics analysis; they were found to be mainly synthesized in the leaves and then transported to the roots and then ultimately released into culture water where they inhibited M. aeruginosa growth. Next, three types of phenolic acids synthesized in water dropwort, i.e., benzoic, salicylic, and ferulic acids, were selected to clarify their inhibitory effects on the growth of M. aeruginosa and their mechanism(s) of action. It was found that the inhibitory effect of phenolic acids on the growth of M. aeruginosa increased with the increase of the exposure concentration, although the algae cells were more sensitive to benzoic acid than to salicylic and ferulic acids. Further study indicated that the inhibitory effects of the three phenolic acids on the growth of M. aeruginosa were largely due to the simultaneous action of reducing the number of cells, damaging the integrity of the cell membrane, inhibiting chlorophyll a (Chl-a) synthesis, decreasing the values of F₀ and F_v/F_m, and increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) of M. aeruginosa. Thus, the results of this study indicate that both culture water including the rich allelochemicals in water dropwort and biological algae inhibitors made from water dropwort could be used to control the growth of noxious algae in the future. Full article

In the agricultural field, blanching is a technique used to obtain tender, sweet, and delicious water dropwort stems by blocking sunlight. The physiological and nutritional parameters of blanched water dropwort have been previously investigated. However, the molecular mechanism of blanching remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated transcriptomic variations for different blanching periods in the stem of water dropwort (pre, mid, post-blanching, and control). The results showed that many genes in pathways, such as photosynthesis, carbon fixation, and phytohormone signal transduction as well as transcription factors (TFs) were significantly dysregulated. Blanched stems of water dropwort showed the higher number of downregulated genes in pathways, such as photosynthesis, antenna protein, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, which ultimately affect the photosynthesis in water dropwort. The genes of hormone signal transduction pathways (ethylene, jasmonic acid, brassinosteroid, and indole-3-acetic acid) showed upregulation in the post-blanched water dropwort plants. Overall, a higher number of genes coding for TFs, such as ERF, BHLH, MYB, zinc-finger, bZIP, and WRKY were overexpressed in blanched samples in comparison with the control. These genes and pathways participate in inducing the length, developmental processes, pale color, and stress tolerance of the blanched stem. Overall, the genes responsive to blanching, which were identified in this study, provide an effective foundation for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of blanching and photosynthesis regulations in water dropwort and other species. Full article

The rapid growth of the livestock and poultry industries has resulted in the production of a large amount of wastewater, and the treatment of this wastewater requires sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches such as phytoremediation. A substrate-free floating wetland planted with water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica), a common vegetable in Southeast China, was constructed to purify a lagoon with anaerobically and aerobically treated swine wastewater in Suqian, China. The average removal rates of total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand were 79.96%, 95.04%, 86.14%, and 59.91%, respectively, after 40 days of treatment. A total of 98.18 g∙m⁻² nitrogen and 19.84 g∙m⁻² phosphorus were absorbed into plants per harvest through the rapid growth of water dropwort biomass, and the nitrogen accumulation ability was similar to that observed of other plants, such as water hyacinth. In addition, the edible part of water dropwort was shown to comply with the Chinese National Food Sanitation Standards and be safe for human consumption. Its low soluble sugar content also makes it a suitable addition to the daily diet. Overall, substrate-free floating constructed wetlands planted with water dropwort could be more widely used for livestock wastewater purification and could be integrated with plant–livestock production in China because of its high removal efficiency and recycling utilization of water dropwort biomass. Full article

Abiotic stress, such as drought and salinity, severely affect the growth and yield of many plants. Oenanthe javanica (commonly known as water dropwort) is an important vegetable that is grown in the saline-alkali soils of East Asia, where salinity is the limiting environmental factor. To study the defense mechanism of salt stress responses in water dropwort, we studied two water dropwort cultivars, V11E0022 and V11E0135, based on phenotypic and physiological indexes. We found that V11E0022 were tolerant to salt stress, as a result of good antioxidant defense system in the form of osmolyte (proline), antioxidants (polyphenols and flavonoids), and antioxidant enzymes (APX and CAT), which provided novel insights for salt-tolerant mechanisms. Then, a comparative transcriptomic analysis was conducted, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the carbohydrate metabolic process could reduce oxidative stress and enhance energy production that can help in adaptation against salt stress. Similarly, lipid metabolic processes can also enhance tolerance against salt stress by reducing the transpiration rate, H₂O₂, and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that DEGs involved in hormone signals transduction pathway promoted the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced oxidative stress; likewise, arginine and proline metabolism, and flavonoid pathways also stimulated the biosynthesis of proline and flavonoids, respectively, in response to salt stress. Moreover, transcription factors (TFs) were also identified, which play an important role in salt stress tolerance of water dropwort. The finding of this study will be helpful for crop improvement under salt stress. Full article