IMPACT OF CULTIVAR AND HARVEST TIME ON GROWTH, PRODUCTION AND ESSENTIAL OIL OF ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS CULTIVATED IN EGYPT

Objective: The objective of this research was to compare growth and essential oil content and composition among eight dill cultivars harvested two times before the bolting of inflorescences.Methods: A two years field experiment was conducted on eight cultivars of dill in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons. Growth, herb fresh weight (g/plant) and essential oil content of the eight cultivars of dill were recorded at the first and second harvests after 60 and 90 d from sowing. The volatile oil content was analyzed by GC/MS.Results: Common cultivar was the best in plant height, the number of branches and fresh herb weight while Elephant cultivar was the best in the essential oil percentage. On the other, Compatto cultivar was least in plant height, the number of branches, fresh herb weight and essential oil %. The essential oil content was found to vary from 0.007-0.008% in the first harvest (harvest 60 d after sowing) and 0.042-0.045% in the second harvest (harvest 90 d after sowing). Anethum graveolens cv. Elephant was the highest in essential oil followed by cv. Bouquet, cv. Dukat and then cv. Common, cv. Tetra, cv. Vierling, cv. Local and finally cv. Compatto, which gave the lowest essential oil content. From the results of GC/MS obtained for the eight dill cultivars, six major compounds exist in eight cultivars, but with different percentages. α-phellandrene>limonene>dill apiol (Anethum graveolens cv. Local, cv. Compatto, cv. Common and cv. Bouquet); α-phellandrene>limonene>myristcin (Anethum graveolens cv. Tetra, cv. Vierling, cv. Dukat and cv. Elephant) were the major components in the first harvest (α-phellandrene chemotype). α-phellandrene>limonene>dill ether (Anethum graveolens cv. Local, cv. Tetra, cv. Vierling, cv. Ducat and cv. Common); α-phellandrene>limonene>p-cymene>dill ether (Anethum graveolens cv. Compatto, cv. Bouquet and cv. Elephant) were the major components in the second harvest(α-phellandrene and limonene chemotype). The second harvest gave the best values of growth, fresh herb weight and essential oil content as well as α-phellandrene, limonene, p-cymene and dill ether percentage in all cultivars than the first harvest. Except, myristcin which decreased in the European cultivars and increased in local cultivar in the second harvest than first one. Also, dillapiole increased only in Tetra cultivar in the second harvest and decreased in the other cultivars compared to the first harvest.Conclusion: The results obtained in this research clearly indicated superiority of European cultivars (Common, Bouquet, Elephant, Dukat, Vierling and Tetra, except Compatto cultivar) than the Egyptian cultivar (Local) in fresh herb weight (g/plant) and volatile oil content. Also, Common cultivar was more superior in growth characters, fresh herb weight (g/plant), essential oil content and the percentage of both α-phellandrene, limonene and dill ether. Elephant cultivar gave the lowest % of dill apiol (2.30-0.25%) in the first and second harvests, respectively.Keywords: Dill, Cultivar (cv.), Essential oil, α-phellandrene, Limonene, p-cymene, Dill ether, Dill apiol, Myristci

ESSENTIAL OIL CONTENT AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EIGHT DILL (ANETHUM GRAVEOLENS L.) CULTIVARS CULTIVATED UNDER EGYPTIAN CONDITIONS

Objective: The objective of this research was to evaluate the essential oil content and composition of the eight dill cultivars under Egypt conditions.Methods: A two years field experiment was conducted on eight dill cultivars in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons. The volatile oil content of the eight dill cultivars was studied at fruiting stage. Extracted volatile oil by water distillation was analyzed with GC-MS.Results: Essential oil % of the eight dill cultivars under study was varied from 1.93-3.26%. Anethum graveolens cv. Common was the highest in essential oil followed by cv. Local, cv. Compatto, cv. Bouquet, cv. Elephant cv. Vierling, cv. Tetra and then cv. Dukat which gave the lowest in essential oil content. From the results of GC/MS obtained for the eight seeds dill cultivars, two chemotypes were found. The seven European cultivars that belong to type 1 contained limonene (9.60–18.0%), carvone (81.35–89.98%), whereas the Local cultivar belongs to type 2 (cv. Local) contains limonene (18.81%), carvone (56.61%), dillapiole (15.71%) and piperitone (7.41%). No dillapiole and piperitone were found in the essential oil of the first type cultivars (European cultivars).Conclusion: The results obtained in this research work clearly indicated superiority of European cultivar (Common) to all cultivars on volatile oil content. Also all European cultivars were best in the volatile oil quality. European cultivars contain the highest percentage of carvone and were free from dillapiol and piperitone.Keywords: Dill, Cultivar (cv.), Essential oil, Chemotype, Carvone, Limonene, Dillapiole, Piperiton

HUMIC ACID AND INDOLE ACETIC ACID AFFECT YIELD AND ESSENTIAL OIL OF DILL GROWN UNDER TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN EGYPT

Objective: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of humic acid, indole acetic acid or combination on productivity, essential oil of dill plant cultivated in two different locations. Also, to study the dill straw as a new source of essential oil instead of neglecting this by-product.Methods: In 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, a field experiment was conducted in Egypt to evaluate the effect of humic acid (0 and 400 ppm), indole acetic acid (0 and 400 ppm) and region (Nile Valley and Delta, Giza governorate and Sinai Peninsula, North Sinai governorate) on dill productivity, oil content and its composition.Results: Results demonstrated that dill straw can be explored as a new source of essential oil. Generally found that the cultivation of dill in Giza gave the best results from cultivation in the North Sinai. For spraying treatments, there was a disparity in the response studied characters, where spraying by humic acid gave the best results of survival %, plant height, number of branches, number of umbles and seed oil yield (l/fed). While the best values of dill straw (g/plant or kg/fed) and the percentage of oil seed were obtained with indole acetic acid spray. Also, indole acetic acid+humic acid gave the best values of seed weight (g/plant or kg/fed) and straw volatile oil content (% or l/fed). But, non-spraying plants gave lower values of all studied characters. As for interaction treatments, spraying by humic acid gave the best results of plant height, number of branches and number of umbles in both regions and seed oil (% or yield) at Giza as well as straw oil yield at North Sinai. At the same time, indole acetic acid gave the highest straw (g/plant or kg/fed) and seeds oil % at North Sinai. But, indole acetic acid+humic acid gave the highest seeds (g/plant or kg/fed) and straw oil in regions as well as seeds and straw oil yields in North Sinai and Giza, respectively. Overall, indole acetic acid under the conditions of the Giza region gave the best results for straw (g/plant or kg/fed), while spray with humic acid gave the highest values of plant height, number of branches, number of umbles and seed volatile oil (% or yield) in Giza as well as the highest of seed weight (g/plant or kg/fed) and straw volatile oil (% or yield) was obtained by indole acetic acid+humic acid. In view of the components of the volatile oil found that carvone, dihydrocarvone, limonene, dill apiol and piperitone compounds in the seed and α-phellandrene, limonene, β-phellandrene, p-cymene and dill ether compounds in straw was the main compounds. The percentages of these compounds affected by factors under study.Conclusion: Cultivation of dill in Giza region gave the best results from cultivation in the North Sinai region. Humic acid and indole acetic acid play an important role in plant growth, yield and ameliorate the deleterious effects of salt stress. The content of carvone, dihydrocarvone, limonene, dill apiol and piperitone in the seed oil as major compounds and α-phellandrene, limonene, β-phellandrene, p-cymene, dill ether as major compounds in the straw oil affected by factors under study. Dill straw can be explored as a new source of essential oil

Possible inhibition of hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA reductase activity by nicotinic acid and ergosterol: as targeting for hypocholesterolemic action

Objective: Coronary artery diseases including atherosclerosis is considered as commonest problem worldwide. Ergosterols are the main components of vegetable oils and nuts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential hypoplipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of ergosterol in combination with niacin in rats fed high fat diet (HFD).Methods: Eighty male albino rats were included in this study divided into two main groups: Group I: Normal rats fed standard diet treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/Kg b.w) or both. Group II; rats fed HFD treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/Kg b.w) or both The feeding and treatment lasted for 8 weeks.Results: A significant elevation in the levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, VLDL-c, LDL-c and atherogenic factor (p<0.001) in rats fed on HFD compared with normal control while HDL-c was significantly reduced in HFD rats compared with control group. Supplementation of diet with niacin or ergosterol or combined exerts improvement in the studied parameters by lowering triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, LDL-c and atherogenic factor and elevate HDL-c near to the value of control. Niacin combined with ergosterol were effective in the reduction of hydroxy methyl glutaryl-CoA reducatase (HMGCoA) compared with control (p<0.001). The combined effect was more potent than individual alone.Conclusion: Utilization of niacin and ergosterol may prevent the hypercholesterolemia and incidence of coronary heart diseases. These functional foods act as nutriceutical as dyslipidemics.Keywords: Nicotinic acid, cholesterol, ergostero

Possible inhibition of hydroxy methyl glutaryl CoA reductase activity by nicotinic acid and ergosterol: as targeting for hypocholesterolemic action.

Objective: Coronary artery diseases including atherosclerosis is considered as commonest problem worldwide. Ergosterols are the main components of vegetable oils and nuts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential hypoplipidemic and hypocholesterolemic effects of ergosterol in combination with niacin in rats fed high fat diet (HFD). Methods: Eighty male albino rats were included in this study divided into two main groups: Group I: Normal rats fed standard diet treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/kg b.w) or both. Group II; rats fed HFD treated with either niacin (8.5 mg /kg b.w) or ergosterol (100 mg/kg b.w) or both The feeding and treatment lasted for 8 weeks. Results: A significant elevation in the levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, VLDL-c, LDL-c and atherogenic factor (p<0.001) in rats fed on HFD compared with normal control while HDL-c was significantly reduced in HFD rats compared with control group. Supplementation of diet with niacin or ergosterol or combined exerts improvement in the studied parameters by lowering triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, LDL-c and atherogenic factor and elevate HDL-c near to the value of control. Niacin combined with ergosterol were effective in the reduction of hydroxy methyl glutaryl-CoA reducatase (HMGCoA) compared with control (p<0.001). The combined effect was more potent than individual alone. Conclusion: Utilization of niacin and ergosterol may prevent the hypercholesterolemia and incidence of coronary heart diseases. These functional foods act as nutriceutical as dyslipidemics

SIGNALING PATHWAYS REGULATED BY BRASSICACEAE EXTRACT INHIBIT THE FORMATION OF ADVANCED GLYCATED END PRODUCTS IN RAT BRAIN

Background: The goal of this study was identification signaling molecules mediated the formation of AGEs in brain of rats injected with CdCl2 and the role of camel whey proteins and Brassicaceae extract on formation of AGEs in brain. Methods: Ninety male rats were randomly grouped into five groups; Normal control (GpI) and the other rats (groups II-V) were received a single dose of cadmium chloride i.p (5 μg/kg/b.w) for induction of neurodegeneration. Rats in groups III-V were treated daily with whey protein (1g/kg b.w) or Brassicaceae extract (1mg/kg b.w) or combined respectively for 12 weeks. Results: It was found that whey protein combined with Brassicaceae extract prevented the formation of AGEs and enhance the antioxidant activity compared with untreated group (

WDR34, a candidate gene for non-syndromic rod-cone dystrophy

Rod-cone dystrophy (RCD), also called retinitis pigmentosa, is characterized by rod followed by cone photoreceptor degeneration, leading to gradual visual loss. Mutations in over 65 genes have been associated with non-syndromic RCD explaining 60% to 70% of cases, with novel gene defects possibly accounting for the unsolved cases. Homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing applied to a case of autosomal recessive non-syndromic RCD from a consanguineous union identified a homozygous variant in WDR34. Mutations in WDR34 have been previously associated with severe ciliopathy syndromes possibly associated with a retinal dystrophy. This is the first report of a homozygous mutation in WDR34 associated with non-syndromic RCD

Genome wide analysis of gene expression changes in skin from patients with type 2 diabetes

Non-healing chronic ulcers are a serious complication of diabetes and are a major healthcare problem. While a host of treatments have been explored to heal or prevent these ulcers from forming, these treatments have not been found to be consistently effective in clinical trials. An understanding of the changes in gene expression in the skin of diabetic patients may provide insight into the processes and mechanisms that precede the formation of non-healing ulcers. In this study, we investigated genome wide changes in gene expression in skin between patients with type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic patients using next generation sequencing. We compared the gene expression in skin samples taken from 27 patients (13 with type 2 diabetes and 14 non-diabetic). This information may be useful in identifying the causal factors and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of diabetic related diseases

Evaluation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, prolylpeptidyl isomerase A, and a set of stably expressed genes as reference mRNAs in urate crystal inflammation

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