Rare earth element scandium mitigates the chromium toxicity in Lemna minor by regulating photosynthetic performance, hormonal balance and antioxidant machinery

MakaleWOS:000904949200001PubMed ID: 36379288Chromium (Cr) toxicity is a serious problem that threatens the health of living organisms and especially agricultural production. The presence of excess Cr leads to biomass loss by causing the imbalance of biochemical metabolism and inhibiting photosynthetic activity. A new critical approach to cope with Cr toxicity is the use of the rare earth elements (REEs) as an antioxidant defence system enhancer in plants. However, the effect of scandium (Sc), which is one of the REEs, is not clear enough in Lemna minor exposed to Cr toxicity. For this purpose, the photosynthetic and biochemical effects of scandium (50 μM and 200 μM Sc) treatments were investigated in Lemna minor under Cr stress (100 μM, 200 μM and 500 μM Cr). Parameters related to photosynthesis (Fv/Fm, Fv/Fo) were suppressed under Cr stress. Stress altered antioxidant enzymes activities and hormone contents. Sc applications against stress increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), NADPH oxidase (NOX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), lutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). In addition to the antioxidant system, the contents of indole-3- acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were also rearranged. However, in all treatment groups, with the provision of ascorbate (AsA) regeneration and effective hormone signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) retention which result in high hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were effectively removed. Sc promoted the maintenance of cellular redox state by regulating antioxidant pathways included in the AsA-GSH cycle. Our results showed that Sc has great potential to confer tolerance to duckweed by reducing Cr induced oxidative damage, protecting the biochemical reactions of photosynthesis, and improving hormone signaling.Selcuk University Scientific Research Projects Coordinating Offic

Hormetic activation of nano-sized rare earth element terbium on growth, PSII photochemistry, antioxidant status and phytohormone regulation in Lemna minor

MakaleWOS:000911837200007PubMed ID: 36470151Soils contaminated with rare earth elements (REEs) can damage agriculture by causing physiological disorders in plants which are evaluated as the main connection of the human food chain. A biphasic dose response with excitatory responses to low concentrations and inhibitory/harmful responses to high concentrations has been defined as hormesis. However, not much is clear about the ecological effects and potential risks of REEs to plants. For this purpose, here we showed the impacts of different concentrations of nano terbium (Tb) applications (510-25-50-100-250-500 mg L-1) on the accumulation of endogeneous certain ions and hormones, chlorophyll fluoresence, photochemical reaction capacity and antioxidant activity in duckweed (Lemna minor). Tb concentrations less than 100 mg L (-1) increased the contents of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), manganese (Mn2+) and iron (Fe2+). Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm and Fv/Fo) was suppressed under 250-500 mg L-1 Tb. In addition, Tb toxicity affected the trapped energy adversely by the active reaction center of photosystem II (PSII) and led to accumulation of inactive reaction centers, thus lowering the detected level of electron transport from photosystem II (PSII) to photosystem I (PSI). On the other hand, 5-100 mg L-1 Tb enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), NADPH oxidase (NOX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Tb (5-50 mg L-1) supported the maintenance of cellular redox status by promoting antioxidant pathways involved in the ascorbateglutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle. In addition to the antioxidant system, the contents of some hormones such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA), cytokinin (CK) and salicylic acid (SA) were also induced in the presence of 5-100 mg L-1 Tb. In addition, the levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were controlled through ascorbate (AsA) regeneration and effective hormonal modulation in L. minor. However, this induction in the antioxidant system and phytohormone contents could not be resumed after applications higher than 250 mg L-1 Tb. TBARS and H2O2, which indicate the level of lipid peroxidation, increased. The results in this study showed that Tb at appropriate concentrations has great potential to confer tolerance of duckweed by supporting the antioxidant system, protecting the biochemical reactions of photosystems and improving hormonal regulation

Untargeted phenolic profiling and functional insights of the aerial parts and bulbs of Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn

Drimia maritima (L.) Stearn (squill), belonging to the Asparagaceae family, is acknowledged as a medicinally valuable species from the Drimia genera. In this study, water, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts of D. maritima aerial parts and bulbs were investigated for their polyphenols profile and evaluated for their antioxidant and enzyme inhibition properties. Phenolics were profiled through an untargeted metabolomics approach using an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatograph coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS). This analysis revealed an enrichment of low molecular weight phenolics and flavonoids in the aerial parts of D. maritima, while lignans mainly characterized bulb extracts. Antioxidant capacity was investigated by different assays, including phosphomolybdenum assays, radical scavenging (DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; ABTS: 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), as well as reducing ability (CUPRAC: cupric reducing antioxidant capacity; FRAP: ferric reducing antioxidant power), and metal chelating. In radical scavenging and reducing power assays, the water extract of aerial parts exhibited the strongest ability (DPPH: 36.99 mg trolox equivalent (TE)/g; ABTS: 85.96 mg TE/g; CUPRAC: 87.37 mg TE/g; FRAP: 55.43 mg TE/g). In general, the ethyl acetate extracts from aerial parts and bulbs provided the weakest antioxidant capacity. Concerning enzyme inhibitory activities, the water extracts of the bulb were poorly active, while the ethyl acetate extracts from both plant portions displayed the best α-amylase inhibitory abilities. The best acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) abilities were recorded by ethyl acetate extract of aerial parts (2.36 mg galantamine equivalent (GALAE)/g) and bulbs (5.10 mg GALAE/g), respectively. Overall, these results support the medicinal aptitude of D. maritima and its possible use as a natural source of antioxidants and enzyme inhibitors with functional potential

Responses of individual and combined polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics on hormonal content, fluorescence/photochemistry of chlorophylls and ROS scavenging capacity in Lemna minor under arsenic-induced oxidative stress

MakaleWOS:000923403700001PubMed ID: 36657731Nanoplastics alter the adverse impacts of hazardous contaminants such as heavy metals by changing their adsorption and accumulation. Few findings are available on the interaction between nanoplastic and heavy metals in plants. However, there is no report on the mechanisms for removing metal stress-mediated oxidative damage by the combination treatments of nanoplastics. To address this lack of information, polystyrene nano-plastic (PS, 100 mg L-1) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, 100 mg L-1) were hydroponically applied to Lemna minor exposed to arsenate (As, 100 mu M) for 7 days. PS or PMMA caused a reduction in the contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Mn, but the improved contents were detected in the presence of PS or PMMA plus As stress. The hormone contents (auxin, gibberellic acid, cytokinin, salicylic acid and jasmonic acid) reduced by stress were re-arranged through PS or PMMA applications. Based on chlorophyll efficiency, fluorescence kinetics and performance of PSII, the impaired photosynthesis by As stress was improved via PS or PMMA applications. This alleviation did not continue under the combined form of PS and PMMA in As-applied plants. All analyzed antioxidant activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), monodehydroascorbate reduc-tase (MDHAR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR)) decreased or unchanged under As, PS or PMMA. Due to the inactivation of the defense system, L. minor had high levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), showing lipid peroxidation. After As toxicity, induvial applications of PS or PMMA indicated the activated enzyme capacity (SOD, POX, GST and GPX) and upregulated AsA/DHA, GSH/ GSSG and redox state of GSH, which facilitated the removal of radical accumulation. The efficiency of the antioxidant system in As + PS + PMMA-applied L. minor was not enough to remove damage induced by As stress; hereby, TBARS and H2O2 contents were similar to the As-treated group. Our findings from alone or combined application of PS and PMMA provide new information to advance the tolerance mechanism against As exposure in L. minor

Chemical Composition, Biological Activities and In Silico Analysis of Essential Oils of Three Endemic <i>Prangos</i> Species from Turkey

In this study, the essential oils (EOs) obtained from three endemic Prangos species from Turkey (P. heyniae, P. meliocarpoides var. meliocarpoides, and P. uechtritzii) were studied for their chemical composition and biological activities. β-Bisabolenal (12.2%) and caryophyllene oxide (7.9%) were the principal components of P. heyniae EO, while P. meliocarpoides EO contained sabinene (16.7%) and p-cymene (13.2%), and P. uechtritzii EO contained p-cymene (24.6%) and caryophyllene oxide (19.6%), as the most abundant components. With regard to their antioxidant activity, all the EOs were found to possess free radical scavenging potential demonstrated in both DPPH and ABTS assays (0.43–1.74 mg TE/g and 24.18–92.99 mg TE/g, respectively). Additionally, while no inhibitory activity was displayed by P. meliocarpoides and P. uechtritzii EOs against both cholinesterases (acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterases). Moreover, all the EOs were found to act as inhibitors of tyrosinase (46.34–69.56 mg KAE/g). Molecular docking revealed elemol and α-bisabolol to have the most effective binding affinity with tyrosinase and amylase. Altogether, this study unveiled some interesting biological activities of these EOs, especially as natural antioxidants and tyrosinase inhibitors and hence offers stimulating prospects of them in the development of anti-hyperpigmentation topical formulations

A comparative study of chemical profiling and biological effects of Doronicum orientale extracts

In this study, the aerial part and root extracts obtained using solvents of different polarity (hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water, and water) of one of the species of Doronicum genus, D. orientale were subjected to phytochemical and pharmacological screening. For instance, the extracts yielded total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the range of 12.13−45.67 mg GAE/g and 0.75−12.44 mg QE/g, respectively, while the total antioxidant capacity of the extracts determined by the phosphomolybdenum assay ranged from 0.88−2.53 mmol TE/g. HPLC-MS/MS analysis revealed 5-caffeoylquinic acid (2.52−337.05 µg/g) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3.12−299.36 µg/g) to be the major components present in the investigated extracts. The ethanol and ethanol/water extracts of both the aerial parts (856.83 and 697.97 µg/g, respectively) and roots (500.43 and 425.59 µg/g, respectively) were found to contain the highest bioactive contents. Antioxidant activity in terms of radical scavenging ability of the extracts ranged from 0.82−45.56 mg TE/g in DPPH assay and from 5.07−104.58 mg TE/g in ABTS assay. Additionally, CUPRAC and FRAP revealed the extracts to display reducing activity in the range of 31.81−151.15 mg TE/g and 14.05−84.32 mg TE/g, respectively. Moreover, the extracts were found to display metal chelating power (7.13−36.17 mg EDTAE/g). The tested extracts were found to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (aerial part: 0.50−2.33 mg GALAE/g; roots: 0.40−2.43 mg GALAE/g), while with the exception of the water extracts, the other extracts showed butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (aerial part: 2.46−5.02 mg GALAE/g; root: 2.93−4.17 mg GALAE/g). Similarly, all extracts except the water extracts demonstrated anti-tyrosinase activity (24.72−61.02 mg KAE/g). Amylase and glucosidase inhibitions were also exhibited by all extracts (0.08−1.37 mmol ACAE/g and 0.23−2.26 mmol ACAE/g, respectively). In general, the enzyme inhibition assays revealed the water extracts to be weak inhibitors of the tested enzymes especially compared to the ethanol and ethanol/water extracts which yielded higher bioactive contents. Overall, this study presented an interesting scope of this species in phytomedicine with preliminary data demonstrating some of the tested extracts to possess high bioactive contents, antioxidant potential and enzyme inhibitory activity. Thus, additional investigations are necessary to confirm their safety in herbal drug applications

Integration of in vitro and in silico approaches to assess three Astragalus species from Turkey flora: A novel spotlight from lab bench to functional applications

Members of the genus Astragalus have a great interest as a source of natural bioactive compounds on a scientific platform. To provide multidirectional insights into three Astragalus species (A. setulosus, A. anthylloides, and A. ovalis), the current work focused on the chemical characterization and biological properties of their extracts (aerial parts and roots). The chemical characterization of the extracts was detected by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The biological properties were evaluated by antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, and cytotoxic parameters. Assays for radical quenching, reducing capacity, and metal chelation were also used to evaluate antioxidant properties. To test the enzyme inhibitory effects of the extracts, cholinesterases, tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase were utilized as target enzymes. Two cancer cell lines, (MCF-7 (human breast cancer cell line) and HeLa (Human cervix cancer cell line), were selected to evaluate cytotoxic effects. Generally, 5- caffeoylquinic acid (2.43–283.92 μg/g extract), hyperoside (4.33–216.22 μg/g extract) and rutin (1.09–184.98 μg/g extract) were the main constituents. The extracts from aerial parts and roots of A. anthylloides showed stronger radical scavenging and reducing power abilities compared to A. setulosus and A. ovalis. The best AChE and BChE inhibitory effects were determined in the aerial parts of A. setulosus (2.18 mg GALAE/g) and roots of A. ovalis (4.76 mg GALAE/g), respectively. The extracts of A. ovalis had the highest tyrosinase inhibitory abilities. The extract from aerial parts of A. setulosus showed stronger cytotoxic effects compared to other extracts. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that the presence of some compounds (resveratrol, p-coumaric, 5-caffeoylquinic, and ferulic acids, etc) was linked to the observed biological activities. Molecular docking was also provided for the possible interaction of enzymes as well as protein targets of the tested cell lines. Our findings provide a scientific basis for the Astragalus species, which may serve as a source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds for healthpromoting applications

Multidirectional research for the therapeutic potential of Phlomoides molucelloides (Bunge) Salmaki: LC-MS/MS, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and antiproliferative characteristics

Medicinal plants offer natural cures and inspire modern medicine's development. This study examined the antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and antiproliferative activities of various extracts obtained from aerial and root fragments of Phlomoides molucelloides (Bunge) Salmaki. The extracts' overall phenolics, flavonoids, and compounds were defined using colorimetric and LC-MS/MS analyses. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid content was measured in the methanol and infusion extracts of the aerial fragments, with 102.21 mg RE/g and 51.33 mg GAE/g, respectively. Most compounds were defined as flavonoids, predominantly as apigenin and quercetin glycosides. Methanol, 70 % methanol, and infusion extracts from aerial parts had the highest antioxidant activity determined by DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, metal chelation, and phosphomolybdenum analyses. Moreover, the methanol extract of the roots had the highest anti-acetylcholinesterase, anti-butyrylcholinesterase, and anti-glucosidase activities. The dichloromethane extracts of the roots displayed the highest anti-tyrosinase and anti-amylase activities. The antiproliferative activity of the extracts was investigated against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and HeLa cell lines. The lowest IC50 value (875.7 µg/mL) was computed for the methanol extract of the aerial part on the MCF-7 cell line at the 48th h. The findings showed that P. molucelloides extracts may offer a promising therapeutic approach due to their rich bioactive content

Chemical characterization and multidirectional biological effects of different solvent extracts of arum elongatum: in vitro and in silico approaches

Arum elongatum (Araceae) is widely used traditionally for the treatment of abdominal pain, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, rheumatism and hemorrhoids. This study investigated the antioxidant properties, individual phenolic compounds, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents (HPLC/MS analysis), reducing power and metal chelating effects of four extracts obtained from A. elongatum (ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (MeOH), methanol/water (MeOH/water) and infusion). The inhibitory activity of the extracts were also determined against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase and glucosidase enzymes. The MeOH/water extracts contained the highest amount of phenolic contents (28.85 mg GAE/g) while the highest total flavonoid content was obtained with MeOH extract (36.77 mg RE/g). MeOH/water demonstrated highest antioxidant activity against DPPH⋅ radical at 38.90 mg Trolox equivalent per gram. The infusion extract was the most active against ABTS+⋅ (133.08 mg TE/g). MeOH/water extract showed the highest reducing abilities with the CUPRAC value of 102.22 mg TE/g and the FRAP value of 68.50 mg TE/g. A strong metal chelating effect was observed with MeOH/water extract (35.72 mg EDTAE/g). The PBD values of the extracts ranged from 1.01 to 2.17 mmol TE/g. EA extract displayed the highest inhibitory activity against AChE (2.32 mg GALAE/g), BChE (3.80 mg GALAE/g), α-amylase (0.56 mmol ACAE/g) and α-glucosidase (9.16 mmol ACAE/g) enzymes. Infusion extract was the most active against tyrosinase enzyme with a value of 83.33 mg KAE/g. A total of 28 compounds were identified from the different extracts. The compounds present in the highest concentration were chlorogenic acids, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, isoquercitrin, delphindin 3,5-diglucoside, kaempferol-3-glucoside and hyperoside. The biological activities of A. elongatum extracts could be due to the presence of compounds such as gallic acid, chlorogenic acids, ellagic acid, epicatechin, catechin, kaempferol, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, isoquercitrin, and hyperoside. Extracts of A. elongatum showed promising biological activities which warrants further investigations in an endeavor to develop biopharmaceuticals