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Palestinian Plants As a Source of Antimycotics
Background: Due to its unique geography, and diverse climate zones, Palestine has a large variety of native plants. However, local species have not been systematically screened for their biological activities. Methods: Plant samples were collected from 76 natural sites distributed in different geographical and climate zones. Samples were assessed for thirteen types of anti-disease/health protection activity using fielddeployable
bioassays based on the Screen to Nature (STN) technique developed by the Global Institute of BioExploration (GIBEX). Plant extracts were assessed for medicinal activity on a scale of 0 (no activity) to 3 (most potent). Results: More than 1470 plant samples derived from 588 plant species belonging to 100 families were
screened. Approximately 329 species (56%) belonged to 12 families, notably the Papilionaseae, Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Lamiaceae, Brassicaceae, and Apiaceae families. About 93% (1369/1471) of the extracts showed at least one high-potency bioactivity (3/3); 16.4% (241/1471) extracts exhibited 4-5 antiinfectious activities.
Plants growing in areas with more extreme conditions (Irano-Turanian and Sudanian Penetration Territories) showed more bioactivity compared to those in less harsh climates (Mediterranean Territory) Antiradical activity, glucosidase inhibition, amylase inhibition, planaria lethality, and glucosidase activity were most common; antibacterial, antifungal, protozoa lethality, protease inhibition, planaria regeneration, anthocyanin,
round worm lethality, and protease activity were also seen. Conclusions: The Screen to Nature (STN) technique enables rapid, accurate field deployable screening of diverse plant species for multiple anti-infectious/health protection activities. By using this technique several plant samples were identified as
plants with potential to serve as a source of biological material for medicinal purposes.
Context: Despite several pharmacological applications of the medicinal plants in the Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine in Palestine (TAPHM), studies on their antioxidant properties are still scarce. Objective: This work evaluates the antioxidant and antitumor activities of the ethanol extracts from different parts of six plants: [Arum palaestinum Boiss (Araceae), Urtica pilulifera L. (Urticaceae), Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb (Lamiaceae), Majorana syriaca (L.) Rafin. (Lamiaceae), Teucrium creticum L. (Lamiaceae), and Teucrium capitatum L. (Lamiaceae)] used in the TAPHM. Materials and methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated for the ethanol extracts by DPPH and b-carotene–linoleic acid assays together with total contents of phenols and flavonoids. For the anti-carcinogenic evaluation, the extracts were tested for the ability to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) using the MTT reduction assay. Results: Among the extracts, the U. pilulifera had the highest amount of total phenolics, possessing the second highest total flavonoids. It also showed a maximum cytotoxic activity (IC 50 ¼ 63 mg/ml), followed by C. capitatus, and A. palaestinum. Otherwise, the extract of T. creticum was demonstrated to be an efficient scavenger of O 2 (IC 50 ¼ 83 mg/ml), followed by M. syriaca, C. capitatus, T. capitatum, A. palaestinum, and U. pilulifera. Discussion and conclusion: The results suggest that the investigated plants have shown varied antioxidant capacities which were strongly correlated with their contents of phenolics. Accordingly, this study proposes that the therapeutic benefit of these plants can be, at least in part, attributed to its potential inhibition of oxidative processes.
ontext: Despite several pharmacological applications of the medicinal plants in the Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine in Palestine (TAPHM), studies on their antioxidant properties are still scarce.
Objective: This work evaluates the antioxidant and anti-tumor activities of the ethanol extracts from different parts of six plants: [Arum palaestinum Boiss (Araceae), Urtica pilulifera L. (Urticaceae), Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb (Lamiaceae), Majorana syriaca (L.) Rafin. (Lamiaceae), Teucrium creticum L. (Lamiaceae), and Teucrium capitatum L. (Lamiaceae)] used in the TAPHM. Materials and methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated for the ethanol extracts by DPPH and b-carotene–linoleic acid assays together with total contents of phenols and flavonoids. For the anti-carcinogenic evaluation, the extracts were tested for the ability to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) using the MTT reduction assay.
Results: Among the extracts, the U. pilulifera had the highest amount of total phenolics,
possessing the second highest total flavonoids. It also showed a maximum cytotoxic activity (IC50¼63mg/ml), followed by C. capitatus, and A. palaestinum. Otherwise, the extract of T. creticum was demonstrated to be an efficient scavenger of O2 (IC50¼83mg/ml), followed by M. syriaca, C. capitatus, T. capitatum, A. palaestinum, and U. pilulifera. Discussion and conclusion: The results suggest that the investigated plants have shown varied antioxidant capacities which were strongly correlated with their contents of phenolics. Accordingly, this study proposes that the therapeutic benefit of these plants can be, at least in part, attributed to its potential inhibition of oxidative processes.
Palestine Bioexploration Center: Use of the Screen-To-Nature (STN) technology for exploring biological activities Palestinian flora.
M. S. Ali-Shtayeh, Rana M. Jamous
Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center (BERC), Til, Nablus, Palestine.
BERC- Bio-Xploration Center (BERC-BEC) was established in 2013 through the Bio-Xplore project: “Novel methodology for the Identification of Valuable Natural Products Derived from Mediterranean Flora” funded by European Union under the ENPI CBC MED programme (Bio-Xplore I B/1.1/288).
BERC-BEC provides scientific support for converting some folklore medicine into pharmaceuticals or other useful products developed according to international standards. It increases job opportunities and strengthen economic clusters. Based upon the new findings of BERC-BEC, local scientists will be able to increase research and identify valuable active compounds. Discovering of new compounds will result in increasing agricultural area for targeted plants. Successful growing of crops will lead to building of new local factories to extract the active materials, which can be used for producing new cosmetic component, dry spice and tradition flavors additives. BERC-BEC also helps protect the environment, especially threatened plant species. Its educational programs will increase the public’s awareness of the value of the native flora and the importance of its conservation. BERC-BEC has introduced the Screen-to-Nature (STN) technology into different Palestine, through the GIBEX program. The technology was introduced to the community as well as to scientists. All the workshops and research started with caution and suspicion and ended with much excitement and motivation to work together. Scientist as well as local people and traditional doctors were amazed to realize the benefits of the collaboration from both sides. From then on much excitement was involved in the project and it turned out to be very successful. Results were presented and discussed. The STN technology which is implemented at BERC-BEC is a novel technique, as it enables the screen of tens of thousands of specimens in a relatively short time thereby increasing the chances of discovering new valuable compounds. The STN technology is innovative in the sense that it allows local people to be involved in Research &Development (R&D) tasks and work. This is something which is not usually available and which might help promoting R&D activities among students in Palestine. Since the screening of the plants is done in the field the screens must be light and easy to carry. The screens are simple to understand and simple to operate in different environment and produce fast but accurate and reliable results. Through the Bio-Xplore project were used 10 STN kits. These include among others antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, protease and protease inhibitors, round worm lethality, planaria regeneration and lethality. During the project period BERC team was able to screen more than 1500 plant extracts belonging to 602 plant species, these plants are distributed among 368 genera and 109 Family. The results of these screens are discussed in this presentation.
Context: Despite several pharmacological applications of the medicinal plants in the Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine in Palestine (TAPHM), studies on their antioxidant properties are yet scarce.
Objective: This work evaluates the antioxidant and anti-tumor activities of the ethanol extracts from different parts of six plants: (Arum palaestinum Boiss (Araceae), Urtica pilulifera L. (Urticaceae), Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb ( Lamiaceae), Majorana syriaca (L.) Rafin. (Lamiaceae), Teucrium creticum L. (Lamiaceae), Teucrium capitatum L. (Lamiaceae), used in the TAPHM.
Materials and methods: The antioxidant activity was evaluated for the ethanol extracts by DPPH and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays together with total contents of phenols and flavonoids. For the anti-carcinogenic evaluation, the extracts were tested for the ability to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) using the MTT reduction assay
Results: Among the extracts, the U. pilulifera had the highest amount of total phenolics, possessing the second highest total flavonoids. It also showed a maximum cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 63 µg/ ml), followed by C. capitatus, and A. palaestinum. Otherwise, the extract of T. creticum has demonstrated to be an efficient scavenger of O2 (IC50= 90 µg/ml), followed by C. capitatus, T. capitatum, A. palaestinum, and U. pilulifera.
Discussion and conclusion: The results suggest that the investigated plants have shown varied antioxidant capacities which were strongly correlated with their contents of phenolics. Accordingly, this study proposes that the therapeutic benefit of these plants can be, at least in part, attributed to its potential inhibition of oxidative processes.
The helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) is a multifunctional protein found among
potyviruses. It plays multiple roles in the viral infection cycle and some of these functions
have been mapped to different regions of the protein. The subcellular localization of several
viral RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) proteins was identified. In this study, we have shown
that the Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) HC-Pro wild type (HC-ProFRNK) and its
mutant, HC-ProFINK, had a diffuse cytoplasmic localization and formed aggregates along the
endoplasmatic reticulum (ER).
HC-ProFRNK and HC-ProFINK were stably expressed in N. benthamiana and A. thaliana
plants. In addition, the HC-ProFRNK and HC-ProFINK were fused to a nuclear localization
signal (NLS) sequence (NLS-HC-ProFRNK and NLS-HC-ProFINK) and these transgenes
constructs were also stably transformed into N. benthamiana and A. thaliana. Expression of
all four transgenes caused different effects in the two plant species. HC-ProFRNK–producing
A. thaliana plants displayed severe phenotypic alterations. In A. thaliana, the HC-ProFINK led
to a reduced number of seed set. In N. benthamiana expressing HC-ProFRNK/FINK, generally no
or only slight phenotypic changes were monitored. The NLS-HC-ProFRNK/FINK-producing
plants displayed clear phenotypes. Flower malformations and severe reduction of seed set
were the most conspicuous observations made. In general, more severe developmental
disturbances were observed in transgenic A. thaliana than in N. benthamiana plants.
ZYMV HC-Pro RSS activity was previously demonstrated in N. benthamiana plants
by transient expression experiments. In this study, RSS activity was confirmed in N.
benthamiana lines stably expressing ZYMV HC-ProFRNK/FINK. Notably, these plants did not
show significant morphological alterations. Because the RSS activity of HC-Pro leads to
enhanced transgene expression, our “symptom-free” transgenic N. benthamiana plants may
serve as a platform for over-expression of foreign genes.
In tobacco, transient or over-expression of rgs-CaM mimicked the phenotypic effects
of Tobacco etch virus (TEV) HC-Pro, indicating that TEV HC-Pro may up-regulate rgs-CaM
expression. However, our data revealed no significant difference in the levels of rgs–CaM
mRNA in N. benthamiana plants expressing HC-ProFRNK/FINK when compared with the
steady-state mRNA level found in the wild type plants. It is likely that RSS proteins from
related viruses do not necessarily exhibit identical effects on RNA silencing. In addition,
plant species might also differentially respond to identical RSS proteins.
The small RNA (sRNA) binding activity of HC-Pro was evident in N. benthamiana
plants co-expressing the HC-ProFRNK and an infectious transgene construct of Potato spindle
tuber viroid (PSTVd). In comparison to PSTVd-infected N. benthamiana plants, Northern
122 Summary
blot analysis showed increase accumulation of viroid-derived sRNAs in the double
transformed plants.
There is indirect evidence showing that in plants, transient or stable expression of HCPro
results in decreased accumulation of methylated sRNAs. In this study, we demonstrated
that recombinant ZYMV HC-Pro inhibited the methyltransferase activity of the A. thaliana
Hua enhancer 1 (AtHEN1) in vitro. Moreover, we found that HC-ProFINK lacking sRNAbinding
activity, also inhibited AtHEN1 activity. In contrast, truncated HC-Pro and total
soluble bacterial proteins did not affect AtHEN1 activity. Using enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assays, we provided evidence that the HC-ProFRNK/FINK, both bound to
AtHEN1. Our results strongly indicated that inhibition of the AtHEN1 activity by HC-Pro is
probably due to direct interactions between both proteins. We concluded that AtHEN1
inhibition and sRNA-binding activities of HC-Pro are independent of each other. Using the
yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system, we could show that in contrast to RSS proteins from some
other viruses, the HC-ProFRNK/FINK proteins did not interact with the Argonaute 1 (AGO1)
protein.
Similar to previous reports our data confirmed that HC-Pro interacts with itself to
form homodimers. Notably, only HC-ProFRNK but not HC-ProFINK was able to interact with
itself. The conserved FRNK box is located in the central domain of HC-Pro and this domain
has been previously shown to be involved in self-interaction.
The antimicrobial activities of 56 Palestinian medicinal plants against etiologic agents of acne vulgaris, mainly Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus was studied using disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. The results from the disc diffusion method demonstrated that these plants differ significantly in their activity against the studied microorganisms. The most active plants against all bacterial strains were Rhus coriaria, Ricinus communis, and Sarcopoterium spinosum. Test microorganisms differed significantly in relation to their susceptibility to different plant extracts used. Generally, anaerobic bacteria were more susceptible to plant extracts than aerobic bacteria. Those plants which could inhibit the growth of P. acnes, R. coriaria, R. communis, and S. spinosum had strong inhibitory effects. 43 plants could inhibit the growth of all aerobic bacteria. Based on a broth dilution method, the R. coriaria extract had the greatest antimicrobial effect against P. acnes (MIC 6 mg/ml, MBC 6 mg/ml), S. aureus (MIC 4 mg/ml, MBC 6 mg/ml), E. coli (MIC 6 mg/ml, MBC 8 mg/ml) and P. aeruginosa (4 and 6 mg/ml). Taken together, our data indicate that R. coriaria, R. communis had a strong inhibitory effect on P. acnes and most other test bacteria. Therefore, the two plants would be an interesting topic for further study and possibly for an alternative treatment for acne.
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