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Nutraceutical Intervention for Treatment of Alcoholism and Drinking Problems
Published in Raj K. Keservani, Anil K. Sharma, Rajesh K. Kesharwani, Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements, 2020
In the Middle Ages, it was used to spice mead. Due to the plant’s characteristic odor, its spray can be used as a biopesticide. The roots of the plant have an allelopathic effect and can be used in inhibiting the growth of surrounding plants, like weeds. It is also effective in repelling insect larvae, fleas, and moths indoors when planted on the edge of the area of cultivation.
Aquatic Plants Native to America
Published in Namrita Lall, Aquatic Plants, 2020
Bianca D. Fibrich, Jacqueline Maphutha, Carel B. Oosthuizen, Danielle Twilley, Khan-Van Ho, Chung-Ho Lin, Leszek P. Vincent, T. N. Shilpa, N. P. Deepika, B. Duraiswamy, S. P. Dhanabal, Suresh M. Kumar, Namrita Lall
Amidst the Brazilian flora, A. philoxeroides is rich in biologically active compounds including triterpenoids, flavonoids, and betalains. These compounds possess antitumor, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory actions being, therefore, a promising material for the search of new molecules with biological effects (Fang et al. 2007, Salvador, Zucchi et al. 2004). To accelerate that process, the choice of simple, sensitive, practical, and reliable methods, which eliminate steps in the process of separation of bioactive constituents, become indispensable. Allelopathy has been defined by the International Society of Allelopathy as processes that involve the production of secondary metabolites by plants and microorganisms, which influence the growth and development of biological systems with positive and negative effects (Rice 1979).
Potential of Syzygium cumini for Biocontrol and Phytoremediation
Published in K. N. Nair, The Genus Syzygium, 2017
S. K. Tewari, R. C. Nainwal, Devendra Singh
Weeds are extensively present in agricultural systems, competing with crop plants for space, nutrients, water, and so forth, and reducing the crop yield. Weeds are usually controlled by using mechanical methods and synthetic herbicides as well. The mechanical methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming, while application of chemical herbicides not only creates perceived hazardous impacts on agricultural products, but also enhances environmental pollution (Batish et al. 2007). Additionally, the risk of weed resistance development and a high cost–benefit ratio are other disadvantages of synthetic herbicide and pesticide usage (Kordali et al. 2009). Therefore, in recent years new approaches, such as plant allelopathic effects, have been considered to suppress weeds in agricultural systems (Dayan et al. 2009). The allelopathic potential of S. cumini and its effectiveness for weed control have been studied under both laboratory and field conditions.
Direct and indirect targets of carboxyatractyloside, including overlooked toxicity toward nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) and mitochondrial H+ leak
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2023
The effects of ATR/CATR leached from cockleburs on the environment are not neutral. Analogous to the delayed development of the parent plants from Xanthium seeds, which tightly maintain ATR/CATR reserves, the released deposits of these glycosides might play another convergent role in the wild. The secondary effect is the provision of a habitat niche maintained by growth inhibitors, e.g., targeting competing plant species. This scenario might result not exclusively from washing ATR/CATR from seeds to disrupt dormancy (Cutler and Cole 1983). The infusion of soil with these defensive glycosides may constantly occur via an unknown mechanism or the leaching of ATR/CATR from plant residues from previous years during the normal decomposition process (Kadioglu 2004). Thus, ATR/CATR producers, such as Xanthium spp., could obtain a large advantage, such as access to the appropriate amount of light across vegetation periods, for maintaining a stand in an ecosystem. This strategy might be similar to the effects of bacteria and fungi secreting antibiotics into the soil (de Boer et al. 2005). Interestingly, CATR or extracts of X. strumarium may exert negative or positive allelopathic effects on some crops and weeds; thus, their potential use as natural biocides/herbicides is limited (Cutler and Cole 1983; Kadioglu 2004). Notably, CATR is unstable in protic solvents, such as methanol, but high concentrations of ATR and CATR can be retained in the roots of A.gummifera purchased from a Moroccan herbalist for as long as seven years after drying (Carlier et al. 2014).
Polybia occidentalis and Polybia fastidiosa venom: a cytogenotoxic approach of effects on human and vegetal cells
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2021
Marcel José Palmieri, Amanda Ribeiro Barroso, Larissa Fonseca Andrade-Vieira, Marta Chagas Monteiro, Andreimar Martins Soares, Pedro Henrique Souza Cesar, Mariana Aparecida Braga, Marcus Vinicius Cardoso Trento, Silvana Marcussi, Lisete Chamma Davide
Plants have been used for many years as models in allelopathy and ecotoxicology prospection bioassays to evaluate the toxicity of environmental pollutants, oils, or plant (Fiskesjö 1985, Leme and Marin-Morales 2009, Andrade-Vieira 2011, Silveira et al. 2017, Santos et al. 2018). Plants are considered adequate test models to evaluate toxicity by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) (Grant 1982, 1999). Dong and Zhang (2010) and Grant and Owens (2006) consider using higher plants as advantageous test models because they are easy to handle and have low maintenance costs, showing reliable results and presenting good correlation with other models, including human cells (Palmieri et al. 2016). Therefore, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of two wasps’ venoms, Polybia occidentalis and Polybia fastidiosa, on the cell cycle and on the DNA of Lactuca sativa cells. However, due to the difficulty in extracting wasp venoms we performed the comet assay only with the P. occidentalis venom. The observation of the venoms' cytogenotoxic effects on the morphology of chromosomes and the cell cycle of plant cells, as well as on the genetic material of plant and human cells, uncovers a broad perspective for the utilization of plant tests in the investigation of natural, chemical, or synthetic compounds of pharmaceutical interest. Thus, it reduces the research time and costs.
Still challenging: the ecological function of the cyanobacterial toxin microcystin – What we know so far
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2018
Azam Omidi, Maranda Esterhuizen-Londt, Stephan Pflugmacher
In the end, evidence suggests that global warming and eutrophication will increase the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms with a shift toward more toxic populations in the future. Therefore, deeper studies need to get more insights into the success of Microcystis in making blooms worldwide. Improvement of the current knowledge concerning the ecological or physiological significance of MCs and the conditions influencing MC production might open the way for the control of harmful cyanobacterial blooms. For instance, allelochemicals produced by co-occurring organisms might be useable as eco-friendly biocontrol agents of Microcystis blooms. Therefore, further understanding of allelopathy can aid in biological bloom control in the future.