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Natural products with high antioxidant activity are considered as innovative prevention strategies to effectively prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the early stage because the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to the development of drusen is reported as an important cause of this disease. To investigate the prevention effects of the methanol extracts of Euphorbia heterophylla L. (MEE) on AMD, its effects on the antioxidant activity, inflammatory response, apoptosis pathway, neovascularization, and retinal tissue degeneration were analyzed in N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E)-landed spontaneously arising retinal pigment epithelia (ARPE)-19 cells and BALB/c mice after exposure to blue light (BL). The MEE contained 10 active components and showed high free radical scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and nitric oxide (NO) radicals. The pretreatments of high-dose MEE remarkably suppressed the production of intracellular ROS (88.2%) and NO (25.2%) and enhanced (SOD) activity (84%) and the phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) in A2E + BL-treated ARPE-19 cells compared to Vehicle-treated group. The activation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mediated pathway, inflammasome activation, and expression of inflammatory cytokines was significantly inhibited in A2E + BL-treated ARPE-19 cells after the MEE pretreatment. The activation of the apoptosis pathway and increased expression of neovascular proteins (36% for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9) were inhibited in the MEE pretreated groups compared to the Vehicle-treated group. Furthermore, the thickness of the whole retina (31%), outer nuclear layer (ONL), inner nuclear layer (INL), and photoreceptor layer (PL) were significantly increased by the MEE pretreatment of BALB/c mice with BL-induced retinal degeneration. Therefore, these results suggest that the MEE, with its high antioxidative activity, protects against BL-induced retinal degeneration through the regulation of the antioxidative system, inflammatory response, apoptosis, and neovascularization in the AMD mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui aktivitas antioksidan dan antidiabetes ekstrak etil asetat daun katemas (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) secara in vitro dan in silico melalui inhibisi terhadap enzim α-glukosidase. Pada penelitian ini ekstraksi sampel dilakukan menggunakan maserasi bertingkat, dimulai dengan n-heksana, selanjutnya dengan etil asetat. Ekstrak etil asetat yang didapatkan dilakukan pengujian kuantitiatif total fenolik dan flavonoid. Uji aktivitas antioksidan terhadap ekstrak dilakukan menggunakan metode DPPH. Uji aktivitas antidiabetes terhadap ekstrak dilakukan secara in vitro dan in silico melalui inhibisi terhadap enzim α-glukosidase menggunakan akarbose sebagai standar. Uji aktivitas antidiabetes terhadap kandungan senyawa bioaktif ekstrak secara in silico atau molecular docking menggunakan software Discovery Studio 4.1. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai total fenolik dari ekstrak adalah 4,24 mg GAE/g berat kering dan nilai flavonoid total adalah: 3,22 mg KE/g berat kering. Hasil uji aktivitas antioksidan ekstrak didapatkan nilai IC50 sebesar 37,56 µg/mL, digolongkan sebagai aktivitas antioksidan yang sangat kuat. Hasil uji aktivitas antidiabetes secara in vitro didapatkan nilai IC50 sebesar 138,63 µg/mL. Hasil molecular docking memperlihatkan bahwa senyawasenyawa aktif yang terdapat didalam ekstrak mampu membentuk ikatan hidrogen antara ligan dengan reseptor, tapi lebih sedikit jika dibandingkan dengan akarbose. Measurement of Total Phenolic, Flavonoids, Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activity of Catemas Leaf Ethyl Acetate Extract (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) by In Vitro and In Silico through Enzim α-Glucosidase Inhibition. This study aims to determine the antidiabetic activity of katemas (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) ethyl acetate extract in vitro and in silico through inhibition of the αglucosidase enzyme. In this study, the sample extraction was carried out by multilevel maceration, starting with n-hexane, then with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extract obtained was quantitatively tested by total phenolic and flavonoids. The antioxidant activity of the extract was tested using the DPPH method. The antidiabetic activity of the extract was examined through inhibiting the enzyme αglucosidase in vitro using a microplate reader and in silico (molecular docking) using Discovery Studio 4.1 software. The results showed that the total phenolic value of the extract was 4.24 mg GAE/g of dry weight, and the total flavonoid value was 3.22 mg KE/g of dry weight. Antioxidant activity test obtained IC50 of 37,56 µg/mL, classified as verry strong antioxidant. The in vitro antidiabetic test examined that IC50 is 138.63 µg/mL. The results of molecular docking showed that the active compounds in the extracts are able to form hydrogen bonds between ligand and receptor; however, the amount was less than the hydrogen bonds formed by acarbose.

The Wild Poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) has elevated potential to reduce the soybean yield and is a difficult to control plant due to herbicide resistance. The objectives of this study were to determine the changes in the photosynthetic physiological parameters, secondary metabolite levels, cellular damage, and antioxidant system activity in soybean plants and Wild Poinsettia biotypes with a low level of resistance or susceptibility to glyphosate in competition with soybeans. Two replacement series experiments were conducted in a greenhouse under competition between soybeans and the low-level resistant biotype (experiment I) or susceptible biotype (experiment II). The treatments consisted of different proportions of soybean plants and Wild Poinsettia [100:0 (pure stand of soybean), 50:50, and 0:100 (pure stand of Wild Poinsettia)] and different evaluation periods (the 2013/14 and 2014/15 growing seasons). The following parameters were analyzed: the chlorophyll, carotenoid (CRT), total phenol, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and lipid peroxidation levels and the catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity. Generally, competition between the soybeans and the Wild Poinsettia biotypes did not alter the photosynthetic parameters or the photosynthetic pigment levels of the crop. For the weed biotypes, competition with the soybeans negatively affected photosynthesis. Greater losses of chlorophylls and CRTs were observed for the susceptible biotype when in competition with soybeans, whereas the opposite trend was observed for the biotype with a low level of resistance. No cellular damage or alterations in antioxidant system enzyme activity was observed, which indicated a lack of oxidative stress.

This work investigates the thermodynamics parameters and adsorption mechanism of Euphorbia heterophylla L. extract as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1.5 ​M HCl. The gravimetric method was used to determine the inhibition efficiency and corrosion rate. Relevant thermodynamic equations were employed to determine the activation energy, enthalpy change and entropy change. The adsorption isotherms were used to evaluate the Gibbs free energy change. Observation from the results of the study showed that the activation energy of an inhibited process was higher when compared with the uninhibited process. Also, the enthalpy change was positive and less than 100 ​KJ/mol threshold. The adsorption study showed that the data fit into the Langmuir, Flory-Huggins, El-Awary’s and Temkin isotherms but Flory-Hugins gave the best fit. The Gibb’s free energy change of adsorption was negative and less than the −20 ​KJ/mol threshold. As concluded from the results, the adsorption of Euphorbia heterophylla L. on mild steel in 1.5 ​M HCl medium is feasible, spontaneous and it occurred by physical adsorption according to Flory-Hugins isotherm model.

Wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) is an important weed species in southern Brazil, especially due to the evolution of multiple herbicide resistance (e.g., acetolactate synthase (ALS)- inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, and glyphosate). The mechanism of resistance to imazamox was investigated in two wild poinsettia populations (R1 and R2) from southern Brazil and compared to a known susceptible (S) population. Imazamox dose-response experiments revealed high levels of resistance: 45-fold and 224.5-fold based on dry biomass reduction, for R1 and R2, respectively. Extremely high concentrations of imazamox (20,000 µM) were not sufficient to provide 50% inhibition of ALS enzyme activity (I50) for R1 or R2. Hence, resistance levels were estimated to be greater than 123-fold for both populations based on in vitro ALS assays. The ALS gene from all R1 and R2 plants had a Trp574Leu mutation. A genotyping assay was developed to discriminate resistant and susceptible alleles based on the Trp574Leu mutation.

Abstract Wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) is a troublesome weed in irrigated summer crops and orchards. Data regarding the optimal herbicide rates for control of this weed, the impact of phenology on control efficacy, and non-chemical control methods for this weed are scarce. The objectives of this study were to: conduct dose-response analyses for trifloxysulfuron at 0–11.2 g a. i. ha−1, glyphosate at 0–2880 g a. i. ha−1, glufosinate-ammonium at 0–1600 g a. i. ha−1 and propane flaming at 0–83 kg ha−1 on wild poinsettia at 4-leaf, 8-leaf and flowering stages; evaluate the long-term control efficacy of these treatments; and link these finding to physiological models. Petri dish and pot experiments examined the germination and phenology of wild poinsettia. The calculated base temperature was 11.4 °C, and physiological time and wild poinsettia fresh weight and leaf number were strongly correlated, with R2 values of 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. Wild poinsettia phenology had a crucial impact on herbicide efficacy. At the 4-leaf stage, all herbicide treatments were effective within the recommended rates with ED 90 values of 3.2, 698 and 206 g a. i. ha−1 for trifloxysulfuron, glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium, respectively. As the weed matured, it was less susceptible to these treatments. At the 8-leaf stage, only glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium achieved an ED 90 within their recommended rates. The efficacy of flaming on wild poinsettia control was high at the 4-leaf stage with a control level of 95%, compared to only 31% and 13% at the 8-leaf and flowering stages, respectively. The long-term study revealed that for the 8-leaf application, the high glyphosate rate (1440 g a. i. ha−1) was the only effective treatment, with 95% fresh weight reduction and complete flowering inhibition. This study promotes optimal herbicide applications and demonstrates the potential use of propane flaming for effective wild poinsettia control. The integration of data regarding optimal control with a phenology model offers an efficient tool to improve wild poinsettia management. Highlights • Wild poinsettia phenology stage had a crucial impact on control efficacy. • Propane flaming effectively controlled wild poinsettia at the 3–4 leaf stage. • Only Glyphosate controlled wild poinsettia effectively at later stage, 7–8 leaf. • Control data together with plant growth models offer efficient management tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raphanus sativus var. oleifer Stokes, commonly known as “oilseed radish”, is used as a green fertilizer, and its straw has been used for soil coverage and nutrient recycling. Phytochemical investigation of oilseed radish aerial parts yielded seven compounds were identified from this taxon, three phytosterols (β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and daucosterol), a norisoprenoid (S-(+)-dehydrovomifoliol), two flavonoids (kaempferol 3,7-di- O -α- l -rhamnopyranoside and quercetin 3,7-di- O -α- l -rhamnopyranoside) and a phenylpropanoid (ferulic acid). With exception of sitosterol, the compounds isolated in this work are being described for the first time in this variety of Raphanus . The phytotoxic effects of the crude methanol extract and fractions of oilseed radish were evaluated on germination and initial seedling growth of Euphorbia heterophylla L. Bidens pilosa L. and Ipomoea grandifolia (Dammer) O’ Donell, which are weed species commonly found in Brazilian agriculture. The dichloromethane fraction was the most active among those assayed and Bidens pilosa was the most sensitive weed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of molecular markers based on DNA sequences may be a promising strategy for assessing DNA-level genetic diversity in samples of wild poinsettia populations. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to assess the population structure and genetic diversity of 10 wild poinsettia populations sampled from soybean fields. A total of 133 DNA segments were amplified with nine ISSR primers, with an average of 14.77 amplicons per primer. ISSR markers showed high genetic polymorphism (98%) and divergence (Gst = 0.3607) among subpopulations. This study’s results suggest that founding and bottleneck effects, as well as different selection pressures, adopted in wild poinsettia control selected different biotypes in each subpopulation and may have caused highly structured populations within species. This analysis of wild poinsettia at the DNA level was important to identify subpopulations with the highest and lowest genetic diversity and to underscore the need for different strategies to control populations in each infested field. Furthermore, ISSR markers may help to monitor the infestation dynamics of each cropping field.

O cultivo do girassol (Helianthus annuus) vem se expandindo principalmente em virtude da qualidade do seu óleo. Entretanto, com a expansão da cultura, os problemas com plantas espontâneas têm aumentado significativamente. Diante disso, para se estabelecer métodos eficientes de controle é necessário entender a dinâmica das plantas espontâneas, por meio de estudos referentes à composição florística e a estrutura fitossociológica das mesmas. Com o objetivo de caracterizar, por meio dos parâmetros fitossociológicos, a comunidade de plantas espontâneas presentes em um cultivo de girassol, este trabalho foi realizado durante o mês de junho de 2008, em área experimental do Instituto de Ciências Agrárias da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), em Montes Claros – MG. A quantificação e identificação das plantas espontâneas ocorreram aos 50 dias após a semeadura da cultura do girassol, através do método do quadrado inventário, aplicado por um quadro de 0,5m², lançados aleatoriamente 27 vezes, perfazendo um total de 13,5m² em uma área de 400m². Foram analisados os seguintes parâmetros fitossociológicos: densidade, freqüência e abundância relativas. O levantamento florístico das plantas espontâneas presentes no cultivo de girassol evidenciou a ocorrência de 15 espécies, pertencentes a 7 famílias botânicas e 241 indivíduos. Do total de famílias, a Poaceae apresentou o maior número de espécies (33,3%), seguida pela Asteraceae (26,7%) e Euphorbiaceae (13,3%). A Euphorbia heterophylla L., da família da Euphorbiaceae, foi a espécie que mais se destacou quanto à densidade e freqüência. Entretanto, no que se refere à abundância, o destaque foi para a Eragrostis pilosa (L.) P. Beauv pertencente à família das Poaceas.

Wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla L.) is an important weed species in southern Brazil, especially due to the evolution of multiple herbicide resistance (e.g., acetolactate synthase (ALS)- inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors, and glyphosate). The mechanism of resistance to imazamox was investigated in two wild poinsettia populations (R1 and R2) from southern Brazil and compared to a known susceptible (S) population. Imazamox dose-response experiments revealed high levels of resistance: 45-fold and 224.5-fold based on dry biomass reduction, for R1 and R2, respectively. Extremely high concentrations of imazamox (20,000 µM) were not sufficient to provide 50% inhibition of ALS enzyme activity (I50) for R1 or R2. Hence, resistance levels were estimated to be greater than 123-fold for both populations based on in vitro ALS assays. The ALS gene from all R1 and R2 plants had a Trp574Leu mutation. A genotyping assay was developed to discriminate resistant and susceptible alleles based on the Trp574Leu mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O presente trabalho foi realizado na Estação Experimental Agronômica da UFRGS em 1978/79, com o objetivo de determinar a influência das condições ambientais ocorrentes em cinco horários de aplicação sobre três herbicidas pós-emergentes pulverizados sobre três espécies daninhas e sobre a cultura da soja. No experimento foram utilizados os produtos químicos acifluorfen, bentazon e dinoseb e as espécies daninhas Bidens pilosa L., Euphorbia heterophylla L. (em dois estádios de desenvolvimento), e Sida rhombifolia L. (em um estádio), como plantas teste. A ocorrência de baixa temperatura contribuiu para a redução do controle de Bidens pilosa L. com acifluorfen, enquanto condições de elevada umidade relativa do ar, contribuíram para aumentar o grau de controle de Euphorbia heterophylla L., principalmente quando pulverizada com dinoseb. Por outro lado, quanto mais eficiente foi o produto químico sobre determinada espécie, menor foi a interferência que sofreu dos fatores ambientais nos resultados alcançados no controle.This research was conducted at the Agronomic Experimental Station UFRGS, Guaíba, RS, Brazil, during 1978/79, in order to study the influence of environmental conditions during five day times of spraying on the performance of three post-emergence herbicides applied over three weed species and soybeans. In this fi eld expe riment the compounds used were acifluorfen, bentazon and dinoseb, and the weed species tested were Bidens pilosa L., Euphorbia heterophylla L., in two growth stages and Sida rhombifolia L., in one stage. The occurrence of low temperature contributed to decrease the degree of Bidens pilosa L. control with acifluorfen, while high air humidity increased the degree of Euphorbia heterophylla L. control, mainly when this species was sprayed with dinoseb. On the other hand higher the herbicide efficiency on a particular weed species, the lower was the influence of the environmental conditions on the results attained on control.

O presente trabalho, conduzido durante o ano agrícola de 1979/80 na Estação Experimental Agronômica de UFRGS, em Guaíba, RS, apresentou como objetivo testar quatro cultivares de soja (Paraná, Prata, Hood e IAS-4) quanto à sua habilidade em concorrer com Euphorbia heterophylla L. (leiteira, amendoim-bravo) estabelecida em três densidades (0, 12 e 54 plan-tas/m2, em média) e dois períodos de duração da competição (45 e 115 dias após a emergência da soja). Constatou-se que houve redução no rendimento de grãos de soja por efeito dos dois períodos de competição e das densidades de E. heterophylla L. referidas. Também os números de grãos e de legumes por área foram consideravelmente reduzidos pela presença da planta daninha associada ao período mais prolongado de competição. A espessura do caule e o número de nós das plantas de soja decresceram apenas sob o efeito da maior densidade da Euphorbia; entretanto, o número de ramos e o índice de área foliar, este aos 75 dias após a emergência da cultura, sofreram redução com a infestação de 12 plantas de Euphorbia por m2.A field experiment was performed at the Agronomy Experimental Station of UFRGS, in Guaíba, RS, Brazil, during the 1979/80 growing season, in order to test four soybean cultivars (Paraná, Prata, Hood e IAS-4) in competition with Euphorbia heterophylla L. established in three densities (0, 12 and 54 plants/m2) during two periods (45 and 115 days after soybean emergence). It was observed that soybean cultivars presented reduction of seed yields under the effect of the pe riods of competition and densities of Euphorbia heterophylla L. The number of seeds and pods per area were considerably reduced in the presence of the weed associated with the longest competition period. The stem diameter and number of nodes were reduced only by competition of the highest Euphorbia density; however, the number of branches and leaf area index, this after a period of 75 days of crop-weed association, were already reduced by a density of 12 plants/m2 of Euphorbia heterophylla L.

The use of molecular markers based on DNA sequences may be a promising strategy for assessing DNA-level genetic diversity in samples of wild poinsettia populations. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to assess the population structure and genetic diversity of 10 wild poinsettia populations sampled from soybean fields. A total of 133 DNA segments were amplified with nine ISSR primers, with an average of 14.77 amplicons per primer. ISSR markers showed high genetic polymorphism (98%) and divergence (Gst = 0.3607) among subpopulations. This study's results suggest that founding and bottleneck effects, as well as different selection pressures, adopted in wild poinsettia control selected different biotypes in each subpopulation and may have caused highly structured populations within species. This analysis of wild poinsettia at the DNA level was important to identify subpopulations with the highest and lowest genetic diversity and to underscore the need for different strategies to control populations in each infested field. Furthermore, ISSR markers may help to monitor the infestation dynamics of each cropping field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]