Why do Euphorbiaceae tick as medicinal plants? : a review of Euphorbiaceae family and its medicinal features

Euphorbiaceae is among the large flowering plant families consisting of a wide variety of vegetative forms some of which are plants of great importance. Its classification and chemistry have of late been subjects of interest possibly because of the wide variety of chemical composition of its members, many of which are poisonous but useful. In this review, we have tried to demonstrate why Euphorbiaceae are important medicinal plants. Two important issues have come up. The worldwide distribution of the family exposes its members, to all sorts of habitats to which they must adapt, therefore inducing a large variety of chemicals (secondary substances) that are employed for survival/defense. Succulence and the CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) pathway that characterize a good number of its members were quoted as some of the adaptations that aid colonization and survival to achieve this induction. We have also found out that medicinal properties of some of its species may be due to stress factors that characterize most habitats of the family. Varying stress factors like temperature, salinity, drought and others were seen to operate in tandem with genetic factors such as gene expression and mutation loads to bring about synthesis of a wide assemblage of secondary substances that may probably be responsible for the family's medicinal nature. It was concluded that the family is a good starting point for the search for plant-based medicines

Insect bioactive capabilities of Epichloë festucae var lolii AR48 infected Lolium perenne : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Figures printed with permission from respective publishers.As the modern world expands and develops, new innovative methodologies for more efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural practices are required. Loss of crops through abiotic (e.g. drought) and biotic (e.g. herbivory) stresses has a major effect on the success of an agricultural industry. For animal production pasture crops are a key aspect of animal husbandry and directly affects yield and health. Symbiotic fungi belonging to the genus Epichloë form associations with cool season forage grasses and have been exploited as a new innovative method for insect pest management. Ryegrass infected with the asexual E. festucae var lolii strain AR48 has insect bioactivity against both the stem boring fly (SBF-Ceradontha australis) and cutworm moth caterpillar (CC -Agrotis ipsilion). The bioactive/s targeting both insects is currently unknown. The aim of this thesis was to identify the gene/s and/or bioactive/s present in AR48 infected ryegrass that have bioactivity against the SBF and/or CC. Two approaches were taken; the known insect bioactive secondary metabolite pathways in Epichloë were investigated in AR48 through bioinformatics and mass spectrometry, and the gene ‘makes caterpillars floppy’ (mcf), encoding an insect toxin like protein, was investigated through reverse genetics and insect bioactivity trials. A new indole diterpene compound (IDT) was identified in AR48 infected plant material and this compound was absent in other Epichloë strains that do not have SBF and CC bioactivity. The same mcf gene allele as that present in the E. typhina mcf model, previously identified as having CC bioactivity, is present and predicted to be functional in AR48. The other Epichloë strains also have mcf genes predicted to be functional, however the mcf allele is different to the bioactive E. typhina mcf model. Overall, this project was able to identify a new IDT compound with potential insect bioactivity as well as identify two Epichloë mcf gene alleles that potentially have differing insect bioactivities

Euphorbia-derived natural products with potential for use in health maintenance

Euphorbia genus (Euphorbiaceae family), which is the third largest genus of angiosperm plants comprising ca. 2000 recognized species, is used all over the world in traditional medicine, especially in the traditional Chinese medicine. Members of this taxa are promptly recognizable by their specialized inflorescences and latex. In this review, an overview of Euphorbia-derived natural products such as essential oils, extracts, and pure compounds, active in a broad range of biological activities, and with potential usages in health maintenance, is described. The chemical composition of essential oils from Euphorbia species revealed the presence of more than 80 phytochemicals, mainly oxygenated sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, while Euphorbia extracts contain secondary metabolites such as sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, sterols, flavonoids, and other polyphenols. The extracts and secondary metabolites from Euphorbia plants may act as active principles of medicines for the treatment of many human ailments, mainly inflammation, cancer, and microbial infections. Besides, Euphorbia-derived products have great potential as a source of bioactive extracts and pure compounds, which can be used to promote longevity with more health.Agência financiadora FCT/MCT, supporting the cE3c centre UID/BIA/00329/2013 UID/BIA/00329/2019 QOPNA research Unit (FCT) UID/QUI/00062/2019info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic and molecular determinism of diterpenes metabolism in Coffea spp

Cafestol and kahweol are two coffee-specific diterpenes. Although various effects of these compounds have been shown or hypothesized on human health, little information is currently available on the genetic and molecular bases of their metabolism. This work presents data on diterpenes accumulation during fruit development and analysis of gene expression for three key enzymes of the diterpenes biosynthesis pathway. (Résumé d'auteur

Uprolides N, O and P from the Panamanian Octocoral Eunicea succinea.

Three new diterpenes, uprolide N (1), uprolide O (2), uprolide P (3) and a known one, dolabellane (4), were isolated from the CH₂Cl₂-MeOH extract of the gorgonian octocoral Eunicea succinea, collected from Bocas del Toro, on the Caribbean coast of Panama. Their structures were determined using spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) together with molecular modeling studies. Compounds 1-3 displayed anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and Interleukin (IL)-6 induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine macrophages

Moroccan propolis: a natural antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiofilm against Staphylococcus aureus with no induction of resistance after continuous exposure

This study was performed to evaluate the total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities of twenty-four propolis samples from different regions of Morocco. In addition, two samples were screened regarding the antibacterial effect against four Staphylococcus aureus strains. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectra (GC-MS) analysis was done for propolis samples used in antibacterial tests. The minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC, MBC) were determined. The potential to acquire the resistance after sequential exposure of bacterial strains and the impact of adaptation to propolis on virulence using the Galleria mellonella were evaluated. Additionally, the effects of propolis extract on the bacterial adherence ability and its ability to inhibit the quorum sensing activity were also examined. Among the twenty-four extracts studied, the samples from Sefrou, Outat el Haj, and the two samples marketed in Morocco were the best for scavenging DPPH, ABTS, NO, peroxyl, and superoxide radicals as well as in scavenging of hydrogen peroxide. A strong correlation was found between the amounts of phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities. Propolis extract at the MIC value (0.36 mg/mL) significantly reduced (p < 0.001) the virulence potential of S. aureus ATCC 6538 and the MRSA strains without leading to the development of resistance in the sequence of continuous exposure. It was able to impair the bacterial biofilm formation. The results have revealed that sample 1 reduces violacein production in a concentration dependent manner, indicating inhibition of quorum sensing. This extract has as main group of secondary metabolites flavonoids (31.9%), diterpenes (21.5%), and phenolic acid esters (16.5%).Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Pest-OE/QUI/UI4023/2011info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Carbocations and the Complex Flavor and Bouquet of Wine: Mechanistic Aspects of Terpene Biosynthesis in Wine Grapes.

Computational chemistry approaches for studying the formation of terpenes/terpenoids in wines are presented, using five particular terpenes/terpenoids (1,8-cineole, α-ylangene, botrydial, rotundone, and the wine lactone), volatile compounds (or their precursors) found in wine and/or wine grapes, as representative examples. Through these examples, we show how modern computational quantum chemistry can be employed as an effective tool for assessing the validity of proposed mechanisms for terpene/terpenoid formation