scholarly journals Recent Progress in Amaryllidaceae Biotechnology

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (20) ◽  
pp. 4670
Author(s):  
Vasil Georgiev ◽  
Ivan Ivanov ◽  
Atanas Pavlov
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Culture ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Acetylcholinesterase Activity ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
Biotechnological Production ◽  
Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids ◽  
In Vitro Systems ◽  
Culture Technology

Plants belonging to the monocotyledonous Amaryllidaceae family include about 1100 species divided among 75 genera. They are well known as medicinal and ornamental plants, producing pharmaceutically important alkaloids, the most intensively investigated of which are galanthamine and lycorine. Amaryllidaceae alkaloids possess various biological activities, the most important one being their anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Due to increased demand for Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (mainly galanthamine) and the limited availability of plant sources, in vitro culture technology has attracted the attention of researchers as a prospective alternative for their sustainable production. Plant in vitro systems have been extensively used for continuous, sustainable, and economically viable production of bioactive plant secondary metabolites. Over the past two decades, a significant success has been demonstrated in the development of in vitro systems synthesizing Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. The present review discusses the state of the art of in vitro Amaryllidaceae alkaloids production, summarizing recently documented plant in vitro systems producing them, as well as the authors’ point of view on the development of biotechnological production processes with a focus on the future prospects of in vitro culture technology for the commercial production of these valuable alkaloids.

scholarly journals Sesquiterpene Lactones: Promising Natural Compounds to Fight Inflammation

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 991
Author(s):  
Melanie S. Matos ◽  
José D. Anastácio ◽  
Cláudia Nunes dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activities ◽  
Sesquiterpene Lactones ◽  
Physiological State ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Inflammatory Pathways ◽  
Inflammatory State ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
Inflammatory Molecules

Inflammation is a crucial and complex process that reestablishes the physiological state after a noxious stimulus. In pathological conditions the inflammatory state may persist, leading to chronic inflammation and causing tissue damage. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are composed of a large and diverse group of highly bioactive plant secondary metabolites, characterized by a 15-carbon backbone structure. In recent years, the interest in SLs has risen due to their vast array of biological activities beneficial for human health. The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds results from their ability to target and inhibit various key pro-inflammatory molecules enrolled in diverse inflammatory pathways, and prevent or reduce the inflammatory damage on tissues. Research on the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of SLs has thrived over the last years, and numerous compounds from diverse plants have been studied, using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assays. Besides their anti-inflammatory potential, their cytotoxicity, structure–activity relationships, and pharmacokinetics have been investigated. This review aims to gather the most relevant results and insights concerning the anti-inflammatory potential of SL-rich extracts and pure SLs, focusing on their effects in different inflammatory pathways and on different molecular players.

MP55-20 ESTABLISHMENT OF LUCAP CELL LINES BY “ORGANOID” IN VITRO CULTURE TECHNOLOGY

2015 ◽  
Vol 193 (4S) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Dowling ◽  
Dong Gao ◽  
Samuel Kaffenberger ◽  
Youxin Guan ◽  
Qi Fan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Culture ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Culture Technology

scholarly journals Phytochemicals and cancer

2007 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian T. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Carcinogenic Activity ◽  
Plant Foods ◽  
Carcinogenic Effects

Epidemiological studies showing a protective effect of diets rich in fruits and vegetables against cancer have focused attention on the possibility that biologically-active plant secondary metabolites exert anti-carcinogenic activity. This huge group of compounds, now collectively termed ‘phytochemicals’, provides much of the flavour and colour of edible plants and the beverages derived from them. Many of these compounds also exert anti-carcinogenic effects in animal models of cancer, and much progress has been made in defining their many biological activities at the molecular level. Such mechanisms include the detoxification and enhanced excretion of carcinogens, the suppression of inflammatory processes such as cyclooxygenase-2 expression, inhibition of mitosis and the induction of apoptosis at various stages in the progression and promotion of cancer. However, much of the research on phytochemicals has been conducted in vitro, with little regard to the bioavailability and metabolism of the compounds studied. Many phytochemicals present in plant foods are poorly absorbed by human subjects, and this fraction usually undergoes metabolism and rapid excretion. Some compounds that do exert anti-carcinogenic effects at realistic doses may contribute to the putative benefits of plant foods such as berries, brassica vegetables and tea, but further research with human subjects is required to fully confirm and quantify such benefits. Chemoprevention using pharmacological doses of isolated compounds, or the development of ‘customised’ vegetables, may prove valuable but such strategies require a full risk–benefit analysis based on a thorough understanding of the long-term biological effects of what are often surprisingly active compounds.

scholarly journals Lclet 4 enhances pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive effects of mitoxantrone on human prostate cancer cells - in vitro study.

2013 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina Koczurkiewicz ◽  
Irma Podolak ◽  
Katarzyna Anna Wójcik ◽  
Agnieszka Galanty ◽  
Zbigniew Madeja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cancer Chemotherapy ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Human Prostate ◽  
Cytostatic Drug ◽  
Human Prostate Cancer

Triterpene saponosides are widely distributed plant secondary metabolites characterized by relatively low systemic cytotoxicity and a range of biological activities. These include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, vasoprotective and antitumor properties. In particular, the ability of saponins to enhance the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs opened perspectives for their application in combined cancer chemotherapy. Here, we used human prostate cancer DU-145 cells as an in vitro model to elucidate the synergy of the interactions between biological activities of an oleanane type 13β,28-epoxy triterpene saponoside (Lclet 4) and mitoxantrone, which is a cytostatic drug commonly used in prostate cancer therapy. No cytotoxic or pro-apoptotic effect of Lclet 4 and mitoxantrone administered at the concentrations between 0.05 and 0.1 µg/ml could be seen. In contrast, cocktails of these agents exerted synergistic pro-apoptotic effects, accompanied by the activation of the caspase 3/7 system. This effect was paralleled by attenuating effects of Lclet 4/mitoxantrone cocktails on the invasive potential, metalloproteinase expression and motility of DU-145 cells. Multifaceted and additive effects of Lclet 4 and mitoxantrone on basic cellular traits crucial for prostate cancer progression indicate that the combined application of both agents at systemically neutral concentrations may provide the basis for new promising strategies of prostate cancer chemotherapy.

scholarly journals Comparative Effects of Different Light Sources on the Production of Key Secondary Metabolites in Plants In Vitro Cultures

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1521
Author(s):  
Mariam Hashim ◽  
Bushra Ahmad ◽  
Samantha Drouet ◽  
Christophe Hano ◽  
Bilal Haider Abbasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Light Sources ◽  
In Vitro Production ◽  
Phytochemical Content ◽  
Culture Techniques

Plant secondary metabolites are known to have a variety of biological activities beneficial to human health. They are becoming more popular as a result of their unique features and account for a major portion of the pharmacological industry. However, obtaining secondary metabolites directly from wild plants has substantial drawbacks, such as taking a long time, posing a risk of species extinction owing to over-exploitation, and producing a limited quantity. Thus, there is a paradigm shift towards the employment of plant tissue culture techniques for the production of key secondary metabolites in vitro. Elicitation appears to be a viable method for increasing phytochemical content and improving the quality of medicinal plants and fruits and vegetables. In vitro culture elicitation activates the plant’s defense response and increases the synthesis of secondary metabolites in larger proportions, which are helpful for therapeutic purposes. In this respect, light has emerged as a unique and efficient elicitor for enhancing the in vitro production of pharmacologically important secondary metabolites. Various types of light (UV, fluorescent, and LEDs) have been found as elicitors of secondary metabolites, which are described in this review.

scholarly journals Alkaloid Profiling and Cholinesterase Inhibitory Potential of Crinum × amabile Donn. (Amaryllidaceae) Collected in Ecuador

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2686
Author(s):  
Luciana R. Tallini ◽  
Angelo Carrasco ◽  
Karen Acosta León ◽  
Diego Vinueza ◽  
Jaume Bastida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Activity ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition ◽  
Plant Family ◽  
Disease Symptoms ◽  
Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids ◽  
Inhibitory Potential

Natural products are one of the main sources for developing new drugs. The alkaloids obtained from the plant family Amaryllidaceae have interesting structures and biological activities, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibition potential, which is one of the mechanisms used for the palliative treatment of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Herein we report the alkaloidal profile of bulbs and leaves extracts of Crinum × amabile collected in Ecuador and their in vitro inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) enzymes. Using Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), we identified 12 Amaryllidaceae alkaloids out of 19 compounds detected in this species. The extracts from bulbs and leaves showed great inhibitory activity against AChE and BuChE, highlighting the potential of Amaryllidaceae family in the search of bioactive molecules.

scholarly journals Antiparasitic effects of selected isoflavones on flatworms

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
D. Faixová ◽  
G. Hrčková ◽  
T. Mačák Kubašková ◽  
D. Mudroňová
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Antiparasitic Drug ◽  
Wide Range

SummaryMedicinal plants have been successfully used in the ethno medicine for a wide range of diseases since ancient times. The research on natural products has allowed the discovery of biologically relevant compounds inspired by plant secondary metabolites, what contributed to the development of many chemotherapeutic drugs. Flavonoids represent a group of therapeutically very effective plant secondary metabolites and selected molecules were shown to exert also antiparasitic activity. This work summarizes the recent knowledge generated within past three decades about potential parasitocidal activities of several flavonoids with different chemical structures, particularly on medically important flatworms such as Schistosoma spp., Fasciola spp., Echinococcus spp., Raillietina spp., and model cestode Mesocestoides vogae. Here we focus on curcumin, genistein, quercetin and silymarin complex of flavonolignans. All of them possess a whole spectrum of biological activities on eukaryotic cells which have multi-therapeutic effects in various diseases. In vitro they can induce profound alterations in the tegumental architecture and its functions as well as their activity can significantly modulate or damage worm´s metabolism directly by interaction with enzymes or signaling molecules in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, they seem to differentially regulate the RNA activity in numbers of worm´s genes. This review suggests that examined flavonoids and their derivates are promising molecules for antiparasitic drug research. Due to lack of toxicity, isoflavons could be used directly for therapy, or as adjuvant therapy for diseases caused by medically important cestodes and trematodes.

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