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Indigenous Biosecurity
Published in Kezia Barker, Robert A. Francis, Routledge Handbook of Biosecurity and Invasive Species, 2021
Simon J. Lambert, Melanie Mark-Shadbolt
European settlers also deliberately introduced species for food, sport and aesthetic reassurance, simultaneously culling those species deemed ‘pests’. While not all settler introductions were successful, the expansion of the post-contact European ecological portmanteau was inexorable (Crosby, 1986). European travellers to Australia in the early 19th century found about 20 weeds, most from England but also from South Africa and South America. One commentator in the mid-1900s complained the Tasmanian vegetation was boring because it was too English (Low, 1999). This colonial policy of biotic replacement was exemplified by the eradication of the bison, a key food species for Indigenous Peoples of the North American prairies, the removal of which caused famine, disease and the loss of a major cultural icon (Daschuk, 2013). Other key cultural species have been undermined by the modern spread of pests and disease. Several tribes in North America, including Wabanakis and Mohawk, value the ash tree (Fraxinus spp.) for its use in basketry. Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), an invasive insect native to Asia that attacks ash, was found in southeastern Michigan and southern Ontario in 2002. The disease spread rapidly to 27 US states and two Canadian provinces and has killed millions of North American ash trees (Costanza et al., 2017). While there are many factors determining the arrival of a new pest, the imposition of colonial development has led to a catastrophic loss of biological heritage, and Indigenous Peoples have been forced to adapt to new bioeconomies.
Ethnic Uses of Plant species Among Magar People in Nepal
Published in Mahendra Rai, Shandesh Bhattarai, Chistiane M. Feitosa, Wild Plants, 2020
Kham Magar of Rolpa district is highly knowledgeable about the use of plant species. The diverse wild plant resources, including medicinal, food, fiber, and dye yielding plants found in the region, and the remoteness of the region allows them to understand and use them. Specifically, the older generation was highly knowledgeable about the diverse use of the species. The use of a few species, such as Juglans regia, Fraxinus floribunda, and Maharanga emodi as dye was reported from two elders who were in their nineties. The very first case study conducted in Kham Magar community documented and provided the importance of plants for the fulfillment of their daily needs in the region. A total 175 species were identified as ethnobotanically useful species based on empirical ethnobotanical study. Twenty five new species have been added in the list of useful flora of Nepal from this study, of which 10 are medicinal, 1 is poisonous, and 14 species have other uses (Table 4.1). The findings of this study support the possibility of recording new information on ethnobotanical importance through extensive ethnobotanical in Kham Magar community. Most of the wild plant species were used for food and medicine, as reported in other parts of Nepal (Kunwar and Bussmann 2008, Gautam 2012, Uprety et al. 2012), as well as elsewhere in the world (Rossato et al. 1999).
Plant Lectins in Cancer Treatment: The Case of Viscum album L.
Published in Spyridon E. Kintzios, Maria G. Barberaki, Evangelia A. Flampouri, Plants That Fight Cancer, 2019
The toxic effect of ML results from the cooperation of both polypeptide chains. The B chain is selectively bound to carbohydrates on cell surfaces, and afterwards, the cytotoxic A-chain inhibits the protein synthesis by targeting and cleaving a specific adenine residue from the 28S ribosomal RNA, causing apoptosis or necrosis (Endo et al. 1988). Mistletoe lectin I when administered in low concentrations towards the human T-cell leukemia line MOLT-4 caused cell death, resulting from apoptotic processes (Möckel et al. 1997). Caspase-derived apoptotic cell death was demonstrated against leukemic T- and B-cell lines treated with ML-I, where the administration of the protein was followed by the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 (Bantel et al. 1999). The European mistletoe extract Abnobaviscum F®, from the host tree Fraxinus, induced apoptosis towards in vitro cultures of human myeloid leukemia K562, human plasmacytoma RPMI-8226, and murine lymphocytic leukemia L1210 cells. Α more detailed analysis of K562 cells highlighted the existence of multiple processes leading to cell death, such as the activation of the intrinsic caspase pathway (caspase-9, JNK-1/2, and p38 MAPK), the phosphorylation of Protein kinase B, the reduction of cellular glutathione, and the augmentation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (Park et al. 2012). The Korean mistletoe lectin induced apoptosis in human hepatic adenocarcinoma SK-Hep-1 and human hepatoma Hep3B cell lines, by regulating caspase 3 processes and telomerase inhibition (Lyu et al. 2002).
Cytotoxic effects of extracts obtained from plants of the Oleaceae family: bio-guided isolation and molecular docking of new secoiridoids from Jasminum humile
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Khaled Ahmed Mansour, Ahmed Elbermawi, Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy, Mohamed-Farid Lahloub, Mona El-Neketi
Oleaceae (the olive family) includes 28 genera and about 900 species (Akhtar et al. 2021). It is well-known for its multiple nutritional, perfumery, and horticultural uses. Moreover, oleaceous plants are widely used as traditional treatments. In Belarus, the buds of Syringa vulgaris L. are processed into wine and used for the treatment of joint pain. In Southern Italy, the bark of Fraxinus ornus L. is often used as antidiarrheal and hypocholesterolemic. The fruits of the Chinese tree Ligustrum lucidum W.T. Aiton are used to improve both liver and kidney functions. In Greece, the leaves of Olea europaea L. are used as hypotensive. The volatile oil extracted from O. europaea is used as an antirheumatic and used as a laxative in Oman. In addition, olive oil has been reported to have both anticancer and antioxidant effects (Huang et al. 2019; El Haouari et al. 2020; De Bruno et al. 2021).
Oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of esculetin following intravenous and oral administration in rats
Published in Xenobiotica, 2021
Jae-Hwan Kwak, Younghwa Kim, Christine E. Staatz, In-hwan Baek
Esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin) is the main active ingredient that is isolated from Artemisia montana (Nakai) Pamp. and Euphorbia lathyris L. (Kim et al.2000, Masamoto et al.2003). Artemisia montana (Nakai) Pamp. is a well-known Asian herbal medicine used to treat haemorrhoids, hepatotoxicity, hyperglycaemia, hypertension and fever (Kim et al.2000, Ahuja et al.2011). Euphorbia lathyris L., which is a common traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat amenorrhoea, constipation, hemodynamic dysfunctions, schistosomiasis, scabies and snake poison (Hou et al.2011, Lu et al.2014). Also, esculetin is a bioactive coumarin of Cortex Fraxini (dried bark of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance, Fraxinus chinensis Roxb., Fraxinus chinensis var. acuminata Lingelsh. and Fraxinus fallax Lingelsh.) which has been used for the clinical treatment of arthritis, bacillary dysentery, gout and hyperuricaemia (Wu et al.2007, Wang et al.2016). Isolated esculetin is known to have anticancer, anti-obesity, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities (Huang et al.1993, Martín-Aragón et al.1998, Witaicenis et al.2010, Wang et al.2012, Anand et al.2013, Kim and Lee 2015).
Oleuropein isolated from Fraxinus rhynchophylla inhibits glutamate-induced neuronal cell death by attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction
Published in Nutritional Neuroscience, 2018
Mi Hye Kim, Ju-Sik Min, Joon Yeop Lee, Unbin Chae, Eun-Ju Yang, Kyung-Sik Song, Hyun-Shik Lee, Hong Jun Lee, Sang-Rae Lee, Dong-Seok Lee
Fraxinus rhynchophylla (FR) is a Chinese traditional medicinal plant. This plant has been reported to contain various bioactive compounds.1 In a previous study, we first reported that syringin isolated from FR has protective effects against Aβ(25–35)-induced neuronal cell damage.2 However, syringin has hydrophilic groups making it hard to be considered a potential drug candidate. Therefore, we sequentially isolated drug candidate compounds from FR, and consequently isolated the polyphenolic compound oleuropein (Ole) in the protective effects fraction of FR. Ole, a phenolic compound,3 has been isolated from the bark of FR and olive leaf extracts. In many studies, Ole and its derivatives, such as hydroxytyrosol, have shown significant pharmacological activities, including antioxidant,4 antimicrobial,5 anticarcinogenic,6 and anti-obesity7 properties both in vivo and in vitro. However, the neuroprotective effect of Ole has not been shown.