Search Results (19,665)

Pancreatic lipase activity depends strongly on interfacial conditions created by bile salts, motivating the search for plant-derived surfactants that may modulate lipid digestion. In our previous work, ginseng root and horse chestnut seed extracts were identified as potent stimulators of pancreatic lipase. Here, we expanded this investigation to additional Panax and Aesculus species and to saponin-rich extracts from Acer pseudoplatanus, Herniaria glabra, and Polypodium vulgare. Extracts were evaluated for effects on pancreatin lipolysis in relation to equilibrium surface tension, surface rheology, and olive-oil emulsion stability. Antiradical and antioxidant activities, total phenolic content, and flavonoid content were also determined. White ginseng root extract (Panax ginseng) produced the strongest stimulation, followed by horse chestnut seed extract (Aesculus hippocastanum), whereas Aesculus marylandica seed peel extract inhibited lipase activity. Several extracts showed concentration-dependent switching from weak inhibition to stimulation. Antioxidant and antiradical activities correlated strongly with total phenolic content, while emulsion stabilization did not correlate with lipase stimulation. Molecular modeling showed that cholate, escinescin Ia, osladin, and ginsenoside Rg1 did not persistently occlude the catalytic pocket, whereas several other saponins showed active-site blocking. Together, the results support a mechanism in which saponin-rich extracts regulate lipolysis through combined interfacial effects and compound-specific enzyme interactions. Full article

Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) and atherosclerosis remain a major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Endothelial dysfunction is a central driver of atherosclerosis, which is significantly accelerated in diabetes mellitus through hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) accumulation, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Phenolic acids, a class of plant-derived polyphenols, have gained attention as vasoprotective agents due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Among them, rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid have gained attention, yet no previous review has systematically compared their distinct molecular mechanisms. This review addresses the gap by summarizing the pathophysiological mechanisms linking endothelial dysfunction to atherosclerotic progression and comparing how rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid modulate oxidative stress, nitric oxide signaling, inflammatory responses, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Rosmarinic acid primarily exerts its effects through the p38 MAPK-FOXO1-TXNIP and AMPK/eNOS pathways, while salvianolic acid mainly acts via the PKM2/PKR and NF-ĸB/NLRP3 signaling pathways. Despite these findings, clinical evidence remains limited, primarily limited to Phase 1 pharmacokinetic studies and mixed-extract trials, leaving compound-specific efficacy in humans unverified. This review highlights these translational gaps and suggests prioritizing clinical trials of purified compounds, bioavailability optimization, and dose-standardization studies to advance rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid toward clinical application in diabetic atherosclerosis. Full article

The dramatic rise in global aquaculture has brought renewed focus on filamentous fungi impacting fish health and aquafeeds. The fungal genus Aspergillus has a Janus-like role in aquaculture. On the pathogenic side, opportunistic pathogens like A. flavus, A. niger and A. fumigatus cause outbreaks of aspergillosis, with granulomatous lesions and significant mortality, especially in fish with impaired immunity and/or poor environmental conditions. Toxigenic strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus also contaminate aquafeeds with aflatoxins, some of the most toxic natural hepatotoxins and carcinogens, which have been shown to affect growth, immunity and aflatoxin residues in edible fish fillets. On the positive side, non-toxigenic strains of A. niger, A. oryzae and A. awamori are increasingly used as fungal probiotics, solid-state fermenters to upgrade plant protein feed supplements, and as sources of industrially useful hydrolytic enzymes, secondary metabolites and antifungal compounds. Synthesizing evidence from over 90 peer-reviewed studies, this narrative review elucidates how species, strain, and rearing context jointly determine whether Aspergillus behaves as a pathogen or as a functional additive. We highlight knowledge gaps, offer an interpretative model and suggest practical strategies to limit risks and leverage the biotechnological uses of Aspergillus for sustainable aquaculture. The novelty of this review lies in integrating, within a single finfish-focused framework, the three usually separate faces of Aspergillus—pathogen, aflatoxin producer, and functional feed additive—and in translating this dual nature into practical, strain-level guidance for aquaculture. Full article

Actaea racemosa L. (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt., black cohosh) rhizomes contain triterpene glycosides (TTGs) that serve as principal quality markers in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) monograph. However, discrepancies between chromatographic profiles of the plant material and the herbal reference standard (HRS) dry extract complicate quality assessment. This study elucidated the chemical origin of these discrepancies and evaluated whether the extract-based HRS can represent the analytical fingerprint of the plant material. Thirteen TTGs were identified and characterized within the official Ph. Eur. HPLC–ELSD method using centrifugal partition chromatography, semi-preparative UPLC, HRMS, GC–MS and NMR spectroscopy, employing reference standards and isolated compounds. Three malonylated TTGs (8a, 9a, 10a) were detected in wild and cultivated rhizomes but were absent from the A. racemosa dry extract HRS and other dry extracts. Quantitative analysis revealed that cultivated plants contained an insufficient amount of TTGs; however, after extraction, both the amount and the profile aligned with the Ph. Eur. requirements. This behavior is explained by the degradation and rearrangement pathways of the TTGs. Overall, these findings clarify the origin of chemical variability between plant and extract fingerprints and support the inclusion of malonylated TTGs in the quantitative determination of A. racemosa triterpene glycosides in the Ph. Eur. Full article

Light quality plays a critical role in regulating plant growth during both in vitro culture and hydroponic stages, attracting increasing research attention. However, comprehensive studies incorporating far-red LED light throughout the entire growth cycle of Spathiphyllum floribundum (Linden & André) N.E.Br. ‘Tianjiao’ remain limited. To investigate the effects of red, blue, and far-red light ratios on proliferation, rooting, and hydroponic acclimatization, six LED treatments were established with red: blue ratios of 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40, each with or without far-red light supplementation. Fluorescent light was used as the control. At each stage, morphological traits, photosynthetic pigments, osmotic compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, and photosynthetic parameters were measured. The results identified distinct optimal light combinations for each growth phase. The optimal treatment for proliferation was 80%R + 20%B + Fr, which produced significant proliferation coefficients and enhanced chlorophyll b and soluble protein content. For rooting, 60%R + 40%B + Fr was most effective, resulting in the highest total chlorophyll content (0.109 mg·g⁻¹) and improved carotenoid accumulation and CAT activity. During hydroponic acclimatization, 60%R + 40%B without far-red light yielded the best performance, achieving the highest plant height (15.28 cm) and net photosynthetic rate (4.77 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹), along with improved water-use efficiency. These results provide potential LED light strategies for the complete process from tissue culture to hydroponics, offering a theoretical basis for designing specialized LED lighting systems for plant tissue culture and hydroponic production. Full article

Pathogenic strains of Fusarium oxysporum are major soilborne fungal pathogens responsible for Fusarium wilt in tomato, leading to significant yield losses worldwide. This study evaluated the biocontrol potential of rhizospheric bacterial isolates from argan (Argania spinosa) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus) soils through an integrated approach combining in vitro screening, greenhouse validation, and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 27 bacterial isolates were screened for antifungal activity using dual culture assays, of which ten exhibited more than 50% inhibition of fungal growth. Selected isolates were further evaluated for volatile organic compound (VOC)-mediated inhibition. Despite strong in vitro performance for several isolates, greenhouse experiments revealed that antifungal activity in vitro was not a reliable predictor of in planta efficacy. Among the tested isolates, BSA25, BSA23, and BSF8 significantly reduced disease severity and incidence under greenhouse conditions, with BSA25 achieving the greatest suppression. In addition to disease control, certain isolates promoted plant growth under pathogen stress, indicating dual functionality as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Molecular identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis (Neighbor-Joining, Kimura 2-parameter) revealed that the isolates belong to PGPR-associated genera, including Bacillus and Pseudomonas, while also highlighting functional variability among closely related taxa. Overall, this study demonstrates that multi-trait evaluation, integrating mechanistic screening and in planta validation, provides a more reliable framework for selecting effective biocontrol agents. The identified isolates, particularly BSA25, represent promising candidates for further evaluation for sustainable management of Fusarium wilt in tomato production systems. Full article

The spotted-wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive pest causing substantial economic losses in berry production worldwide. Reliable monitoring is essential for effective integrated pest management; however, information on the field performance of locally produced vinegar-based attractants remains limited. This study compared the attractiveness of four vinegar-based attractants (homemade grape vinegar, homemade hawthorn vinegar, homemade apple vinegar, and commercial apple vinegar) for monitoring D. suzukii in blackberry (Rubus spp.) and blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) orchards in southeastern Türkiye during the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons. In addition, the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of the attractants were characterized using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC–MS). A total of 80,571 adult flies were captured during the study. Significant differences among attractants were detected in all host plant–year combinations (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). Generalized linear mixed model analysis further demonstrated significant effects of the host plant, attractant type, sampling week, and year on weekly trap captures (p < 0.05). Homemade grape vinegar consistently produced the highest trap captures, whereas commercial apple vinegar showed the lowest trapping performance. Fourteen volatile compounds belonging mainly to carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and monoterpenes were identified, revealing differences in the volatile profiles of the evaluated attractants. Overall, homemade grape vinegar proved to be the most effective vinegar-based attractant under the conditions of this study and represents a practical, low-cost option for monitoring D. suzukii in berry orchards. Further studies incorporating replicated chemical analyses and behavioural bioassays are needed to clarify the contribution of individual volatile compounds to insect attraction. Full article

Pichia manshurica (P. manshurica), a gas-producing spoilage yeast prevalent in fermented foods, causes package swelling, off-flavor formation, and quality deterioration, thereby shortening shelf life and reducing commercial value. Carvacrol, a natural phenolic compound from plant essential oils, has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, but its mechanism for inhibiting P. manshurica’s gas production is unclear. In this study, in vitro and in situ experiments confirmed that carvacrol significantly inhibits gas production by P. manshurica in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptomic analysis identified 374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were mainly enriched in biological processes such as nitrogen compound metabolism, lipid metabolism, and organic substance biosynthesis, as well as cellular components including the cell membrane, mitochondrion, and endoplasmic reticulum. Metabolomic analysis screened a total of 440 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), primarily involving carboxylic acids, phospholipids, fatty acids, and amino acids. Integrated transcriptome–metabolome analysis revealed that carvacrol disrupts cell membrane integrity, blocks the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, and interferes with energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism in P. manshurica, thereby suppressing its gas production. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which carvacrol inhibits gas production by P. manshurica, providing a theoretical basis for the development and application of carvacrol as a natural preservative in fermented foods. Full article

Coumarins are compounds that are naturally found in various plants and are known for their potential pharmacological characteristics, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and anticoagulant activities. Despite the potential pharmacological properties, structural modification of coumarins is important to enhance the biological activity, solubility, bioavailability, and various therapeutic characteristics. Microbial transformation is a promising method to modify coumarins since this method offers regioselective and stereospecific transformation, which is challenging to obtain through chemical synthesis. Various microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, play an essential role in the microbial transformation of coumarins. These microorganisms employ enzymatic mechanisms involving various enzymes to catalyze several reactions, such as hydroxylation, oxidation, reduction, and demethylation. Among these microbial transformation processes, the demethylation process is a significant mechanism for altering the bioactivity of coumarins by converting methoxy groups into hydroxyl groups. Despite all the advantages, microbial transformation also has limitations such as low substrate specificity, contamination during inoculation, variable enzymatic activity, and challenges to scale up the production of bioactive coumarins. These challenges can be addressed through the optimization of the bioprocess to enhance the efficiency of microbial coumarin metabolism. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the microbial transformation of coumarins, highlighting the role of various microorganisms, enzymatic mechanisms, and the transformation processes. Full article

Agricultural and horticultural by-products represent an underexploited source of valuable bioactive compounds that can contribute to the development of more sustainable production systems. This study investigated the chemical composition and biological activities of the essential oil obtained from the horticultural byproducts of Artemisia dracunculus. The waste aerial biomass was subjected to steam distillation, and the essential oil was characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Its antioxidant, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory, phytotoxic, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities were subsequently evaluated. The essential oil was characterized as an estragole-rich chemotype (70.17%), with trans-β-ocimene and cis-β-ocimene as other main constituents. The essential oil showed moderate antioxidant activity and measurable enzyme inhibitory activity and, despite showing limited effects on seed germination, it significantly inhibited radical elongation in selected plant species. Furthermore, it demonstrated excellent antibiofilm activity, significantly reducing the metabolic activity of mature cells of bacteria associated with biofilm formation: Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The results demonstrate how horticultural by-products from A. dracunculus maintain a chemical profile comparable to conventional plant material and represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds with promising potential for sustainable agri-food applications. Full article

Emerging contaminants (ECs) represent a growing environmental problem due to their presence in various environmental matrices. In Mexico, research on ECs remains limited. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, analyzes their environmental fate during the period 2004–2025, considering their distribution in surface and groundwater, sediments, and influents and effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The reviewed studies demonstrate the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), personal care products, phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides, illicit drugs, xanthines, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), metabolites, and industrial compounds. The Apatlaco, Cuautla, and Santa Catarina rivers exhibit the greatest diversity of ECs, while groundwater shows evidence of infiltration of PhACs, phthalates, bisphenols, and triclosan, associated with urban, industrial, and tourist discharges. In sediments, PhACs and EDCs accumulate at concentrations in the ng/g range, while phthalates reach concentrations of thousands of ng/g, indicating their affinity for the solid phase. At Mexican wastewater treatment plants, conventional treatment methods do not completely remove ECs, allowing residual amounts to be discharged into receiving bodies of water. Overall, national monitoring should be expanded to include metabolites, transformation products, and advanced treatment assessment. Full article

Background: Plant synthetic biology reprograms metabolic networks for the sustainable production of high-value compounds. Recent computational advances incorporate machine learning to accelerate the design-build-test-learn (DBTL) cycle, enabling more predictable and scalable engineering in photoautotrophic chassis. However, the translation of AI-generated designs into stable plant phenotypes remains constrained by incomplete plant-specific training datasets, tissue heterogeneity, and limited in vivo validation. Scope: This review examines the convergence of machine learning methods with plant metabolic engineering across four spatial engineering levels: subcellular compartmentalization, cell/tissue/organ-specific control, developmental or inducible regulation, and genome-level organization. Spatial omics is considered a cross-cutting validation layer, and the evidence supporting each technology is classified as plant-demonstrated, non-plant proof-of-concept, or prospective. Conclusions: Integrating predictive machine learning with spatial engineering offers promising strategies to design complex biosynthetic pathways. Hybrid approaches, combining constraint-based metabolic models with generative algorithms, reduce trial-and-error in crop engineering. Future plant synthetic biology is likely to rely increasingly on automated and data-rich workflows to support more predictable plant bioproduction. Full article

Long-term cultivation of strawberries can alter plant-associated microbial communities; however, the responses of root-associated bacteria within the combined rhizoplane and endophytic community remain insufficiently characterized. This study compared bacterial community composition, co-occurrence patterns, and predicted ecological functions in root-associated bacteria from short-term (4 months; 4 mon) and long-term (16 months; 16 mon) cultivation of Dandong 99 strawberry plants. Because the two groups differed simultaneously in soil cultivation history, plant age, and root developmental stage, all observed differences are interpreted as correlates of cultivation duration rather than as effects of continuous cropping per season. The 6 composite root samples were analyzed using Illumina NovaSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA V4 region, followed by ASV-based diversity analysis, taxonomic profiling, LEfSe, FastSpar-based co-occurrence network analysis, and FAPROTAX functional prediction. Across all samples, 264,350 high-quality sequences and 11,442 ASVs were obtained. Long-term cultivation was associated with lower observed ASV richness and a marked shift in community composition (PERMANOVA R² = 0.935; ANOSIM R = 1). At the phylum level, Actinobacteria declined significantly (30.50% to 12.85%), while Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota were enriched. At the genus level, Streptomyces, Steroidobacter, Bradyrhizobium, and unidentified Rhizobiaceae decreased significantly. Network analysis identified Sphingobium, Bradyrhizobium, and Steroidobacter as highly connected genera by degree centrality, with the latter two also showing reduced relative abundance. Functional prediction indicated significantly lower predicted chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, nitrogen fixation, nitrate reduction, and chitinolysis, alongside higher predicted methylotrophy, methanol oxidation, ureolysis, and aromatic compound degradation. These findings provide genus-level evidence that cultivation duration is associated with compositional and predicted functional shifts in strawberry root-associated bacteria. The depleted Actinobacteria and Bradyrhizobium partially align with microbial signatures of continuous cropping obstacles, warranting future validation in age-controlled, temporally replicated studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dittrichia viscosa (L.) W. Greuter (Asteraceae) is a Mediterranean medicinal plant whose polar phenolic fraction remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to characterize the phenolic composition and evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and mechanistic bioactivity of aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts collected from the Rmilate Forest in Tangier, northern Morocco. Methods: Extracts were characterized by ICP-AES for elemental content and by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS for phenolic annotation, and total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents were quantified. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC assays. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against four reference strains, with time–kill kinetics and membrane integrity assays used to probe the mechanism of action, and antifungal activity was tested against dermatophytic and phytopathogenic fungi. Molecular docking against four bacterial, fungal, and antioxidant enzyme targets and ProTox-3 toxicity prediction were also performed. Results: ICP-AES revealed high concentrations of calcium (12,476.75 mg/kg) and potassium (29,699 mg/kg). The methanolic extract showed higher total phenolic (55.05 mg GAE/g), flavonoid (84.18 mg QE/g), and tannin (262.1 mg TAE/g) contents and superior antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀: 0.090 mg/mL). Twelve phenolic compounds were tentatively annotated, including caffeic acid, caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, and quercetin/kaempferol glycosides. Antibacterial activity (MIC: 0.25–1 mg/mL) was consistent with cell envelope disruption, and up to 88% mycelial inhibition was achieved against Trichophyton rubrum. Docking ranked kaempferol-3-O-pentoside (−10.3 kcal/mol) among the top-scoring ligands, and the top compounds were assigned to toxicity class 5. Conclusions:D. viscosa is a promising source of bioactive phenolics for pharmaceutical and agrochemical development. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hypericum perforatum L. is a medicinal plant containing diverse specialized metabolites, including flavonoids, naphthodianthrones, phloroglucinols, and phenolic acids. However, the relationship between its quantitative flavonoid composition and extract-level anti-inflammatory activity remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to profile the chemical constituents of H. perforatum extract (HPE), quantify selected flavonoid markers, and relate these data to nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods: HPE was chemically characterized by LC–MS/MS, and selected flavonoid constituents were quantified using HPLC/PDA analysis. Cell viability and NO production were evaluated in RAW 264.7 macrophages using MTT and Griess assays, respectively. Results: LC–MS/MS profiling tentatively identified 36 compounds in HPE, with flavonoid-related metabolites representing the largest portion of the annotation list. Multiple quercetin-derived glycosides and conjugates were detected, indicating a flavonoid-rich phenolic profile. HPLC/PDA analysis showed that hyperoside (2) was the most abundant quantified marker at 12.44 mg/g extract, followed by rutin (1, 9.18 mg/g), quercetin (4, 6.64 mg/g), and avicularin (3, 5.55 mg/g), whereas amentoflavone (5) was detected only at trace level. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, HPE significantly suppressed LPS-induced NO production, iNOS protein expression, and the mRNA expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines Tnf and Il6 in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compounds 1–4 also reduced NO production and iNOS protein expression, although their effects on cytokine mRNA expression differed among compounds. Conclusions: HPE exhibited anti-inflammatory potential in LPS-stimulated macrophages, as shown by inhibition of NO production, downregulation of iNOS protein expression, and reduced Tnf/Il6 mRNA expression. However, extract-equivalent comparison indicated that the extract-level response could not be directly assigned to any single quantified flavonoid marker. The broader flavonoid-rich phenolic matrix may provide a plausible context for this response, but additive or synergistic interactions among constituents were not directly demonstrated and require further validation. Full article