Up-regulation of wheat nitric oxide synthase gene in response to Zataria multiflora essential oil dispersion

Abstract

Abstract Overproduction of nitric oxide (NO) results in nitrative stress, in turn causing peroxidation of lipids, oxidation of protein and damage to nucleic acids among many others. Presumbly, a simple mode to suppression of nitrative stress is found to be a natural antioxidant from aromatic plants. Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZO) is known for its potent antioxidant activities. Highly insoluble in water, ZO can be easily degraded by light, oxygen, high temperature and extreme pH. Dispersion of ZO into polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) might enhance its stability and self-life while storage and applications. The present research assesses in vitro antioxidant function of PVP/ZO dispersion versus nitrite and nitric oxide (NO). Followed by this efficiency of the PVP/ZO dispersion on the production of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mRNAs in the wheat seedlings in hydroponic condition was evaluated. PVP and PVP/ZO dispersions characterized with negative zeta-potential was a non-Newtonian shear-thickening fluid. PVP/ZO was fraught with effective in vitro nitrite (IC 50 , 160 µg/mL) and NO (IC 50 , 168 µg/mL) scavenging activities. The result indicated that PVP/ZO dispersion up-regulated NOS (3.5 folds, at 30 µg/mL) mRNA production while down-regulated it at higher concentration. Hence, once applied at low concentration PVP/ZO can be promising as plant modulator for plant growth regulation