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Fluorescence in Phytopreparations
Published in Victoria Vladimirovna Roshchina, Fluorescence of Living Plant Cells for Phytomedicine Preparations, 2020
Victoria Vladimirovna Roshchina
The higher intensity of light emission in the male gametophyte, known as pollen, and the position of maxima in the fluorescence spectra differentiate these plant male cells from animal sexual cells (Roshchina et al. 1996, 1997b; Roshchina and Melnikova 1996, 1999). The fluorescence of 21 grass species changed (20–40 nm shifts to longer wavelengths) during the first 10–30 s after the UV light excitation was switched on (Driessen et al. 1989). In particular, within 30 s, the pollen cytoplasm of Bromus hordeaceus became yellow-orange instead of yellow. Pore emission in pollen grains of Festuca arundinacea and Holcus mollis was yellow, while in other species, it was white-blue. Among the 21 studied grass species, maxima in blue (460–490 nm) were specific to Alopecurus pratensis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactilis glomerata, Elymus repens, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Molinea caerulea, Phalaris arundinacea, Phleum pratensis, and Poa trivialis, while Poa pratensis, Agrostis stolonifera, and Alopecurus pratensis fluoresce in green (500–530 nm), and Bromus hordeaceus, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca arundinacea, and Holcus mollis fluoresce in green-yellow or yellow (540–575 nm). The fluorescence of pollen may be useful for the estimation of the cell state and viability as well as self-incompatibility in the contact of pollen as the male gametophyte and the pistil as the female gametophyte (Roshchina et al. 1997b, Roshchina 2008).
Plant DNA: Contents and Systematics
Published in S. K. Dutta, DNA Systematics, 2019
In the genus Phalaris the species with 2n = 12 have approximately double the DNA content as compared to those with 2n = 14 and seem to form a natural grouping in this respect. The perennial species in each chromosome number group have less DNA than the annual, the least DNA in both the groups is depicted by P. coerulescens, supposedly the most primitive perennial species.51 Similar results have been reported in Chrysanthemum,52Anacyclus and Anthemis,53,54 and Aster.55 There are also genera in which speciation has occurred without any change in DNA, e.g., Hordeum,34Amaranthus,56 and Ficus.57
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
Aqueous extracts of S. cumini dry leaves can be used to control the weeds in arable lands. Arshad et al. (2006b) examined the effect of 2%, 4%, and 8% (w/v) aqueous extracts of dry leaves of S. cumini against germination and seedling growth of one of the most serious weeds of wheat, that is, Phalaris minor Retz. The aqueous extract of S. cumini at its highest concentration of 8% exhibited a significant negative impact against the germination of P. minor. Aqueous extract bioassays were also conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of S. cumini, for its use to control Parthenium hysterophorus, one of the world’s worst weeds (Shafique et al. 2005; Arshad et al. 2006a). Aqueous extracts of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% (w/v), obtained from dry leaves, were bioassayed on P. hysterophorus seeds. Toxicity of the aqueous extracts was assessed by recording their effect on germination, radicle and plumule length, and seedling biomass of the test weed species. Aqueous extracts of 8% and 10% concentrations invariably and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) suppressed germination of P. hysterophorus seeds.
An overview of spirooxindole as a promising scaffold for novel drug discovery
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2020
Li-Ming Zhou, Ren-Yu Qu, Guang-Fu Yang
Horsfiline, Coerulescine, and Elacomine are the simplest compounds with tricyclic spirooxindoles, which were isolated from the roots of Horsfieldia superba, Phalaris coerulescens, and Elaeagnus commutate, respectively [7,8]. Spirobrassinin and its analog methoxyspirobrassinin, oxindole alkaloids containing dihydrothiazole, are a kind of plant antitoxins with promising bactericidal and antitumor activities [9]. Rhynchophylline is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, which is regarded as a neuroprotective agent (such as antihypertensive, antipyretic, and anticonvulsant medicine) [10]. Strychnofoline can effectively inhibit mitosis of multiple cells, thereby displaying potent inhibitory effects against melanoma and Ehrlich tumor cells [11]. Spindomycin B is a spirooxindole derivative isolated from Streptomyces sp. xzqh-9, which exhibits weak inhibition toward tyrosine kinase Bcr-Abl (Philadelphia chromosome) [12].
Chemical Composition of Traditional and Analog Ayahuasca
Published in Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2021
Helle Kaasik, Rita C. Z. Souza, Flávia S. Zandonadi, Luís Fernando Tófoli, Alessandra Sussulini
Analogues of ayahuasca (“anahuasca” or “pharmahuasca” (Ott 1999)) consisting of plant-derived or synthetic MAO inhibitors and a source of DMT (e.g. plants of genera Mimosa, Acacia or Phalaris) are sometimes used in ceremonies outside of South America and for psychonautic experimentation (Ott 1994). Ayahuasca analogues offer an alternative to commercialization of traditional ayahuasca. However, “anahuasca” and “pharmahuasca” are variable combinations of plants and chemicals with risks of toxicity (Ott 1996) and short history of human use. Risks increase if such substances are ingested without adequate knowledge of the composition and dose.