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Some amendments of our knowledge of the taxonomically complex genus Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) in Crete, Greece are presented, based on field work and morphological study of herbarium specimens, including types. The circumscriptions of the closely related Cretan endemics L. cornarianum and L. hierapetrae are clarified. The former species is actually restricted to the type population in Moni Kapsa (SE Crete) and a newly found population in Pacheia Ammos (NE Crete). The latter species comprises populations in SE Crete that extend from Moni Kapsa to Dermatos, and also includes the populations previously assigned to L. chrisianum and L. minoicum that are found to be conspecific. Limonium artelariae from SE Crete, similar and related to L. cornarianum and L. hierapetrae, is described as a new species. It is rather unique among Greek Limonium species for its height (up to 110 cm tall) and its large, broadly spathulate leaves. Limonium cythereum previously known from the islands of Kythira and Antikythira is newly recorded for Crete, represented by two populations in NW Crete. The report of L. fragile from Crete is found to be erroneous, based on misidentified material of L. virgatum. All accepted taxa are described, and their types, chromosome number or ploidy level, distribution and ecology are also indicated. Photographs, distribution maps and an identification key are added to facilitate further identification. Citation: Koutroumpa K. 2024: Limonium artelariae (Plumbaginaceae), a new endemic species and further taxonomic and floristic notes on the genus in the island of Crete. – Willdenowia 54: 65–79 Version of record first published online on 13 March 2024 ahead of inclusion in April 2024 issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Ceratostigma, a genus in the Plumbaginaceae, is an ecologically dominant group of shrubs, subshrub and herb mainly distributed in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and North China. Ceratostigma has been the focal group in several studies, owing to their importance in economic and ecological value and unique breeding styles. Despite this, the genome information is limited and interspecific relationships within the genus Cerotastigma remains unexplored. Here we sequenced, assembled and characterized the 14 plastomes of five species, and conducted phylogenetic analyses of Cerotastigma using plastomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) data. Results Fourteen Cerotastigma plastomes possess typical quadripartite structures with lengths from 164,076 to 168,355 bp that consist of a large single copy, a small single copy and a pair of inverted repeats, and contain 127–128 genes, including 82–83 protein coding genes, 37 transfer RNAs and eight ribosomal RNAs. All plastomes are highly conservative and similar in gene order, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), long repeat repeats and codon usage patterns, but some structural variations in the border of single copy and inverted repeats. Mutation hotspots in coding (Pi values > 0.01: matK, ycf3, rps11, rps3, rpl22 and ndhF) and non-coding regions (Pi values > 0.02: trnH-psbA, rps16-trnQ, ndhF-rpl32 and rpl32-trnL) were identified among plastid genomes that could be served as potential molecular markers for species delimitation and genetic variation studies in Cerotastigma. Gene selective pressure analysis showed that most protein-coding genes have been under purifying selection except two genes. Phylogenetic analyses based on whole plastomes and nrDNA strongly support that the five species formed a monophyletic clade. Moreover, interspecific delimitation was well resolved except C. minus, individuals of which clustered into two main clades corresponding to their geographic distributions. The topology inferred from the nrDNA dataset was not congruent with the tree derived from the analyses of the plastid dataset. Conclusion These findings represent the first important step in elucidating plastome evolution in this widespread distribution genus Cerotastigma in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The detailed information could provide a valuable resource for understanding the molecular dynamics and phylogenetic relationship in the family Plumbaginaceae. Lineage genetic divergence within C. minus was perhaps promoted by geographic barriers in the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains region, but introgression or hybridization could not be completely excluded.

Background: Ceratostigma, a genus in the Plumbaginaceae, is an ecologically dominant group of shrubs, subshrub and herb mainly distributed in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and North China. Ceratostigma has been the focal group in several studies, owing to their importance in economic and ecological value and unique breeding styles. Despite this, the genome information is limited and interspecific relationships within the genus Cerotastigma remains unexplored. Here we sequenced, assembled and characterized the 14 plastomes of five species, and conducted phylogenetic analyses of Cerotastigma using plastomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) data. Results: Fourteen Cerotastigma plastomes possess typical quadripartite structures with lengths from 164,076 to 168,355 bp that consist of a large single copy, a small single copy and a pair of inverted repeats, and contain 127–128 genes, including 82–83 protein coding genes, 37 transfer RNAs and eight ribosomal RNAs. All plastomes are highly conservative and similar in gene order, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), long repeat repeats and codon usage patterns, but some structural variations in the border of single copy and inverted repeats. Mutation hotspots in coding (Pi values > 0.01: matK, ycf3, rps11, rps3, rpl22 and ndhF) and non-coding regions (Pi values > 0.02: trnH-psbA, rps16-trnQ, ndhF-rpl32 and rpl32-trnL) were identified among plastid genomes that could be served as potential molecular markers for species delimitation and genetic variation studies in Cerotastigma. Gene selective pressure analysis showed that most protein-coding genes have been under purifying selection except two genes. Phylogenetic analyses based on whole plastomes and nrDNA strongly support that the five species formed a monophyletic clade. Moreover, interspecific delimitation was well resolved except C. minus, individuals of which clustered into two main clades corresponding to their geographic distributions. The topology inferred from the nrDNA dataset was not congruent with the tree derived from the analyses of the plastid dataset. Conclusion: These findings represent the first important step in elucidating plastome evolution in this widespread distribution genus Cerotastigma in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The detailed information could provide a valuable resource for understanding the molecular dynamics and phylogenetic relationship in the family Plumbaginaceae. Lineage genetic divergence within C. minus was perhaps promoted by geographic barriers in the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains region, but introgression or hybridization could not be completely excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemicals from various medicinal plants are well known for their antioxidant properties and anti-cancer effects. Many of these bioactive compounds or natural products have demonstrated effects against inflammation, while some showed a role that is only approximately described as anti-inflammatory. In particular, naphthoquinones are naturally-occurring compounds with different pharmacological activities and allow easy scaffold modification for drug design approaches. Among this class of compounds, Plumbagin, a plant-derived product, has shown interesting counteracting effects in many inflammation models. However, scientific knowledge about the beneficial effect of Plumbagin should be comprehensively reported before candidating this natural molecule into a future drug against specific human diseases. In this review, the most relevant mechanisms in which Plumbagin plays a role in the process of inflammation were summarized. Other relevant bioactive effects were reviewed to provide a complete and compact scenario of Plumbagin's potential therapeutic significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Flora Montibérica is the property of Flora Montiberica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Limonium species represent a source of bioactive compounds that have been widely used in folk medicine. This study aimed to synthesize the anticancer and anti-proliferative potential of Limonium species through a systematic review. Searches were performed in the electronic databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Scielo and via a manual search. In vivo or in vitro studies that evaluated the anticancer or anti-proliferative effect of at least one Limonium species were included. In total, 942 studies were identified, with 33 articles read in full and 17 studies included for qualitative synthesis. Of these, 14 (82.35%) refer to in vitro assays, one (5.88%) was in vivo, and two (11.76%) were designed as in vitro and in vivo assays. Different extracts and isolated compounds from Limonium species were evaluated through cytotoxic analysis against various cancer cells lines (especially hepatocellular carcinoma—HepG2; n = 7, 41.18%). Limonium tetragonum was the most evaluated species. The possible cellular mechanism involved in the anticancer activity of some Limonium species included the inhibition of enzymatic activities and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which suggested anti-metastatic effects, anti-melanogenic activity, cell proliferation inhibition pathways, and antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. The results reinforce the potential of Limonium species as a source for the discovery and development of new potential cytotoxic and anticancer agents. However, further studies and improvements in experimental designs are needed to better demonstrate the mechanism of action of all of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemicals from various medicinal plants are well known for their antioxidant properties and anti-cancer effects. Many of these bioactive compounds or natural products have demonstrated effects against inflammation, while some showed a role that is only approximately described as anti-inflammatory. In particular, naphthoquinones are naturally-occurring compounds with different pharmacological activities and allow easy scaffold modification for drug design approaches. Among this class of compounds, Plumbagin, a plant-derived product, has shown interesting counteracting effects in many inflammation models. However, scientific knowledge about the beneficial effect of Plumbagin should be comprehensively reported before candidating this natural molecule into a future drug against specific human diseases. In this review, the most relevant mechanisms in which Plumbagin plays a role in the process of inflammation were summarized. Other relevant bioactive effects were reviewed to provide a complete and compact scenario of Plumbagin’s potential therapeutic significance.

Limonium species represent a source of bioactive compounds that have been widely used in folk medicine. This study aimed to synthesize the anticancer and anti-proliferative potential of Limonium species through a systematic review. Searches were performed in the electronic databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Scielo and via a manual search. In vivo or in vitro studies that evaluated the anticancer or anti-proliferative effect of at least one Limonium species were included. In total, 942 studies were identified, with 33 articles read in full and 17 studies included for qualitative synthesis. Of these, 14 (82.35%) refer to in vitro assays, one (5.88%) was in vivo, and two (11.76%) were designed as in vitro and in vivo assays. Different extracts and isolated compounds from Limonium species were evaluated through cytotoxic analysis against various cancer cells lines (especially hepatocellular carcinoma—HepG2; n = 7, 41.18%). Limonium tetragonum was the most evaluated species. The possible cellular mechanism involved in the anticancer activity of some Limonium species included the inhibition of enzymatic activities and expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which suggested anti-metastatic effects, anti-melanogenic activity, cell proliferation inhibition pathways, and antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. The results reinforce the potential of Limonium species as a source for the discovery and development of new potential cytotoxic and anticancer agents. However, further studies and improvements in experimental designs are needed to better demonstrate the mechanism of action of all of these compounds.

Couple of ethnopharmacological surveys in the Indian Ladakh and Pakistani Shigar valleys has reported the medicinal use of Acantholimon lycopodioides against cardiac and gastric disorders that however, remains without scientific rationale or experimental validations. Here, we assess the in vitro bio/therapeutic activities of A. lycopodioides extracts as well as chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions. The in vitro β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching and DPPH radical scavenging methods demonstrated a very high anti-oxidative property of chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions compared to others. Cell viability assay (MTT) on human cervical (HeLa), breast (MDA-MB321) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells revealed their differential cytotoxicity, except the chloroform fraction. Of these, the precipitate exerted highest cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells followed by aqueous fraction on MDA-MB321 cells. Notably, the non-cytotoxicity of chloroform fraction coincided with its highest anti-oxidative activity. Further, the chloroform fraction showed marked hepatoprotection (up to 84%) against 3′7′dichlorofluorescin triggered free radicals induced oxidative damage. Also, the hepatoprotective chloroform fraction mildly activated CYP3A4 in HepG2 cells (dual-luciferase assay). Moreover, the A. lycopodioides extracts and fractions showed differential anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities. Of these, while S. aureus was more sensitive to the water-insoluble extract, ethyl acetate fraction showed moderate activity against E. coli and C. albicans. On the other hand, the chloroform fraction showed promising activity against S. Aureus, C. albicans, P. vulgaris and E. faecalis. In conclusion, our data for the first time, demonstrated promising anti-oxidative, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, anti-microbial and CYP3A4 activating salutations of A. lycopodioides. This warrants further studies towards isolation and identification of its therapeutically active principles.

Background: Plumbago zeylanica plant belongs to Plumbaginaceae. The plant is reported for many pharmacological activities.Aim: The objective of the study was to identify fatty acids and non-polar chemical compounds in Plumbago zeylanica leaves. Materials and methods: Petroleum ether extract was prepared using soxhlet apparatus. Saponifiable and unsaponifiable matter was separated with saponification process. To identify fatty acids in saponifiable matter further esterification was performed. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis was performed of both saponifiable and unsaponifiable fractions. All the fatty acid methyl esters and non-polar chemical compounds were identified using NIST library data.Results: A total of 14 compounds were identified with comparison of NIST data. From that, 8 fatty acid methyl esters and 6 non-polar chemical compounds were identified. Here we have analyzed fatty acids and non-polar chemical compounds by the same GC-MS method.Conclusions: The present analysis showed that Plumbago Zeylanica leaves contain 8 fatty acids and 6 non-polar chemical compounds. Principal determination of the research was development of efficient method to identify non-polar compound from plant by single injection using chromatographic technique.

The Limonium genus (Plumbaginaceae) includes several species of perennial herbs and shrubs belonging to a particular type of halophytes, known as 'recretohalophytes'. Limonium species are widely distributed in the Mediterranean region, mainly in the North-Eastern and Southern countries and several bioactivities have been well documented. In the present study, the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) of the aerial parts of Limonium lobatum (L.f.) Chaz., a species never chemically previously studied and collected in Algeria, which grows in South Spain, North Africa, and SW Asia, was analysed using GC-MS. The main constituents of the EO were monoterpenes involving eucalyptol (14.21%), β -pinene (8.62%), β -myrcene (8.18%). Among the sesquiterpene compounds β -caryophyllene (8.94%) was the major one. The chemical profile of the EO presented here was compared with the EOs of previously investigated Limonium taxa. Furthermore, a complete literature review on the ethno-pharmacological uses of Limonium species was performed.

Heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental problem worldwide, creating the necessity to find eco-friendly strategies for monitoring and remediating environments. This study aimed to evaluate morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses as indicative of Zn tolerance in Limonium brasiliense and to determine the ability of this halophyte to accumulate different concentrations of Zn (0, 100, and 200 μM) in hydroponic conditions. The leaf shape at high Zn concentration showed enlarged petioles and lanceolate blades, whereas the leaf size was reduced. Water content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and pigment content decreased with Zn addition. Of the antioxidant activities, only APx increased 75% compared to the control by Zn stress. Zn concentration was higher in aerial structures than in roots (BAC> 1 and TF> 1), suggesting that L. brasiliense could function as an accumulator of Zn. Its great ability to resist metal stress and its strong capacity to protect itself against high Zn concentration postulate it as a good phytoremediation of environments enriched with Zn. The study emphasizes using leaf morphology as an early biomonitoring tool for detecting Zn pollution, providing more evidence of their potential use as a biomarker for evaluating and assessing ecosystem health in biomonitoring programs., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and aims - Limonium minutum is an endemic plant of the eastern Balearic Islands (Majorca and Minorca), where it grows in coastal rocky habitats. The effects of temperature and salinity on seed germination of Limonium minutum were evaluated in order to set a protocol for recovery of this species in this habitat. Material and methods - Experiments to determine the effect of temperature have been carried out at temperature conditions between 10 and 23°C. Tests to determine the effect of salinity have been evaluated at 18°C with concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mM of MgCl2, MgSO4, NaCl, and Na2SO4. Key results - Maximum germination took place between 16 and 20°C. Based on the salinity tests, the highest germination values were obtained with distilled water. The use of saline solutions resulted in significant decreases in the germination percentage. However, in almost all treatments, seed germination was observed. The T50 increased at low temperatures and with increasing salt concentration. Conclusion - Limonium minutum has a wide germination temperature range and a high resistance to salinity. After being exposed to different saline solutions, once washed with distilled water, the seeds recover their full germination capacity; therefore, the effect of salts is an osmotic and non-toxic effect for this species. Sowing seeds in late August ensures that the species has an optimal chance to survive in coastal habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limonium sinuatum (L.) Mill. (2n = 2x = 16) is a popular ornamental plant with dimorphism of pollen grains (type A and type B) and stigmas (papilla and cob-like). We applied polyploidy breeding to this species in order to introduce desirable traits. Tetraploid and mixoploid L. sinuatum plants were successfully obtained with oryzalin treatment of L. sinuatum 'Early Blue' seeds. All three tetraploids had increased leaf width, stomatal size, flower length, and pollen width compared to those of the diploid, and tetraploids had four germinal pores of pollen grains, whereas the diploid had three. All tetraploids had type A pollen grains and cob-like stigmas. Furthermore, the growth of cultivated tetraploid plants was slow, with later bolting and flowering times. Mixoploids Mixo-1 and Mixo-3 were estimated to be polyploidy periclinal chimeric plants consisting of a tetraploid L1 layer and diploid L2 layer, and Mixo-2 was estimated to be a polyploidy periclinal chimeric plant consisting of the diploid L1 layer and tetraploid L2 layer. Mixo-4 had tetraploid L1 and L2 layers. Mixoploids, except Mixo-4, had type A pollen grains and cob-like stigmas, whereas Mixo-4 had type B pollen grains and papilla stigmas. These polyploids will be useful as polyploidy breeding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, new chromosome data obtained on material collected in Italy are presented. It includes the first counts for Hieracium glanduliferum s.str. and H. tenuiflorum, counts for two Armeria species endemic to Italy, and for Onopordum illyricum subsp. illyricum. We also present here the first chromosome count of Allium permixtum for Italy, where this species is known for few localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumbago scandens L. (Plumbaginaceae) occurs in all regions of Brazil. It has been described as toxic to cattle and goats. Caustic lesions in the upper digestive tract characterize poisoning. P. scandens contains a naphthoquinone named plumbagin, which presents high cytotoxic activity. Plumbago auriculata Lam., a widely used ornamental plant, is considered potentially toxic, but there is limited data about its toxicity. This work aimed to validate analytical methodologies for determining the levels of plumbagin in samples of leaves, stems, and rumen content to be used as an auxiliary chemical marker in the laboratory diagnosis of intoxication. One methodology used thin layer chromatography (TLC), and another used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The presence of palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) R.D.Webster), Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K.Simon & S.W.L.Jacobs), corn silage, and rumen content did not interfere with plumbagin in the two methodologies. The TLC methodology generates qualitative results but is simple to implement and has a low cost. The HPLC methodology showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 μg/mL and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.05 μg/mL. Leaf and stem samples of P. scandens evaluated showed high levels of plumbagin (0.261 ± 0.087 % and 0.327 ± 0.055 %, respectively). In contrast, leaves of P. auriculata did not show detectable levels of the toxin, and some stem samples showed low levels (up to 0.000114 %). Thus, these methodologies can be used to confirm or rule out the consumption of P. scandens in rumen content from animals suspected of poisoning. [Display omitted] • TLC and HPLC methods for detecting plumbagin from Plumbago scandens in rumen and plant samples were validated. • The leaves and stem of Plumbago scandens showed high levels of plumbagin. • Plumbago auriculata showed no detectable levels in the leaves and low levels in the steams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian leadwort (Plumbago indica L.) of the family Plumbaginaceae is a plant with high pharmaceutical value, as it contains plumbagin, a naphthoquinone with antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties. Among the propagation methods for the Indian leadwort, in vitro propagation is considered an effective method in producing disease-free transplants in a short period of time with high propagation rate. When plants grown in vitro are transferred to ex vitro condition, the environmental factors in the nursery house such as light, temperature, humidity and microorganism in the soil will affect their growth. Characteristics of transplants themselves is also critical for the subsequent growth. It is, thus, essential to establish the standards to evaluate and qualify in vitro plants for transplanting to ex vitro condition. Among these standards, the culture age of in vitro plants affects the maturations of their root, stem and leaves, which can in turn influence the acclimating ability and growth of in vitro plants after transplantation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the culture age of in vitro Indian leadwort plants on their performance during ex vitro stage. For this purpose, three different culture ages of uniform in vitro plants, 35, 42 and 49 day-old, were studied. After 28 days of cultivation in the nursery house under the light intensity of 70 ± 10 µmol m-2 s-1, temperature of 35 ± 4 °C and relative humidity (RH) of 60 ± 10 %, all three treatments achieved 100% survival rate. Increased fresh and dry weights and percentage of dry matter after cultivation in ex vitro condition were not statistically different between 42 day-old and 49 day-old in vitro plants, but were significantly different between these plants and 35 day-old in vitro plants. The development of shoot and root in ex vitro stage of 42 day-old and 49 day-old in vitro plants was more balanced, as shown by the higher ratio of shoot/root dry weight, than 35 day-old in vitro plants. The results of this study showed that for this Plumbago species, bigger in vitro plants led to better growth during ex vitro stage. These results also indicated that it was possible to transfer in vitro Plumbago plants to ex vitro condition after 5 weeks of in vitro culture stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delved into the influence of ecological and seasonal dynamics on the synthesis of secondary metabolites in the medicinal halophyte Limonium algarvense Erben, commonly known as sea lavender, and examined their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Aerial parts of sea lavender were systematically collected across winter, spring, summer, and autumn seasons from distinct geographic locations in southern Portugal, specifically "Ria de Alvor" in Portimão and "Ria Formosa" in Tavira. The investigation involved determining the total polyphenolic profile through spectrophotometric methods, establishing the chemical profile via liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS), and evaluating in vitro antioxidant properties using radical and metal-based methods, along with assessing anti-inflammatory capacity through a cell model. Results unveiled varying polyphenol levels and profiles across seasons, with spring and autumn samples exhibiting the highest content, accompanied by the most notable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities. Geographic location emerged as an influential factor, particularly distinguishing plants from "Ria de Alvor". Seasonal fluctuations were associated with environmental factors, including temperature, which, when excessively high, can impair plant metabolism, but also with the presence of flowers and seeds in spring and autumn samples, which also seems to contribute to elevated polyphenol levels and enhanced bioproperties of these samples. Additionally, genetic factors may be related to differences observed between ecotypes (geographical location). This study underscores sea lavender's potential as a natural source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, emphasizing the significance of considering both geographic location and seasonal dynamics in the assessment of phenolic composition and bioactive properties in medicinal plant species.

Commercial plant tissue culture now primarily serves the ornamental horticulture industry. The main pillars of the commercial tissue culture business are scalability of production, cost reduction, limited labor involvement, high quality, and genetic homogeneity of propagated plants. Based on these requirements, the current protocol employs a partially immersed liquid culture medium supported by a flexible aluminum mesh raft with a wire stand to facilitate shoot organogenesis from the horizontally placed root explants and hold the plants upright for shoot multiplication and rooting of Limonium Misty Blue. It is a florist crop that is in high demand as both dried and fresh flower fillers in various floral decorations. The majority of cultivated Limonium or statice cultivars are heterozygous in nature and propagate commercially through in vitro propagation to cater to the huge demand for planting materials needed for flower production. This is the first protocol to describe direct shoot organogenesis from the roots in a liquid half-component of Murashige and Skoog's (1962) (MS) basal medium supplemented with 1.6 μM NAA and 1.1 μM BA. The regenerated shoots are multiplied and rooted at the same time on the raft in a MS-based liquid culture medium that included 0.44 μM BA and 1.07 μM NAA. In comparison to agar-gelled medium, plants cultured in liquid medium grow more quickly without any signs of hyperhydricity. In liquid medium, a clump of 4-5 shoots is formed from a single shoot explant within 4 weeks and are rooted simultaneously within 6 weeks. On average, seven explants may fit on each raft, so on average, 25 healthy plants are produced from a single bottle. The regenerated plants are easily hardened in the greenhouse, and using ISSR-based molecular markers, the genetic homogeneity of the randomly selected hardened plants can be determined., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This article examines the distribution, ecology, and threat categories of the genus Limonium, (Plumbaginaceae) in Turkey. The specimens of Limonium used in this study were either collected during the field excursions carried out in the country over the last 10 years or otherwise stored at various herbaria. Most of the species are locally distributed endemics confined to saline habitats either on the coastal ecosystems of the Mediterranean region or inland salt lakes. They are threatened by excessive grazing, habitat alterations and global warming. A concise taxonomic revision of Limonium in Turkey, covering 27 taxa (25 species and two varieties), is also presented including keys to the species and varieties. So far, three new endemic taxa, Limonium davisii, sp. nov., Limonium lilacinum var. laxiflorum, var. nov., and Limonium globuliferum var. subglobosum, var. nov., are described for the first time. The center of Limonium diversity, according to our survey, lies in the Mediterranean Irano-Turanian region, where 14 endemic taxa (seven of them known from one locality), seven non-endemic rare taxa and six widely distributed taxa are found. We propose that threat categories for the taxa at global level be as follows: seven Critically Endangered (CR), three Endangered (EN), four Vulnerable (VU) and 13 Least Concerned. The threatened species are mainly confined to salty habitats on the coast of Mediterranean or the inland salt lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Couple of ethnopharmacological surveys in the Indian Ladakh and Pakistani Shigar valleys has reported the medicinal use of Acantholimon lycopodioides against cardiac and gastric disorders that however, remains without scientific rationale or experimental validations. Here, we assess the in vitro bio/therapeutic activities of A. lycopodioides extracts as well as chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions. The in vitro β-carotene-linoleic acid bleaching and DPPH radical scavenging methods demonstrated a very high anti-oxidative property of chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions compared to others. Cell viability assay (MTT) on human cervical (HeLa), breast (MDA-MB321) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells revealed their differential cytotoxicity, except the chloroform fraction. Of these, the precipitate exerted highest cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells followed by aqueous fraction on MDA-MB321 cells. Notably, the non-cytotoxicity of chloroform fraction coincided with its highest anti-oxidative activity. Further, the chloroform fraction showed marked hepatoprotection (up to 84%) against 3′7′dichlorofluorescin triggered free radicals induced oxidative damage. Also, the hepatoprotective chloroform fraction mildly activated CYP3A4 in HepG2 cells (dual-luciferase assay). Moreover, the A. lycopodioides extracts and fractions showed differential anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities. Of these, while S. aureus was more sensitive to the water-insoluble extract, ethyl acetate fraction showed moderate activity against E. coli and C. albicans. On the other hand, the chloroform fraction showed promising activity against S. Aureus , C. albicans, P. vulgaris and E. faecalis. In conclusion, our data for the first time, demonstrated promising anti-oxidative, hepatoprotective, anti-cancer, anti-microbial and CYP3A4 activating salutations of A. lycopodioides. This warrants further studies towards isolation and identification of its therapeutically active principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Flora Montibérica is the property of Flora Montiberica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: The evolutionary pathways leading to the heterostylous syndrome are not well understood, and models concerning the origins of distyly differ in the order in which reciprocal herkogamy and self‐incompatibility evolve. We investigated the evolution and breakdown of distyly in Plumbaginaceae, a family with considerable diversity of floral traits and reproductive systems.Using Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo analyses and stochastic character mapping, we examined the evolutionary assembly and breakdown of the heterostylous syndrome based on a well‐resolved phylogeny of 121 species of Plumbaginaceae and six outgroup taxa using five nuclear and plastid gene regions. We used the distribution of reproductive traits and reconstructed ancestral characters across phylogenies to evaluate competing models for the evolution of distyly.The most likely common ancestor of Plumbaginaceae was self‐incompatible and monomorphic for sex‐organ arrangement and pollen‐stigma characters. Character state reconstructions indicated that reciprocal herkogamy evolved at least three times and that shifts to selfing and apomixis occurred on multiple occasions.Our results provide comparative support for the early ideas of H. G. Baker on evolutionary pathways in Plumbaginaceae, and the more recent selfing avoidance model by D. & B. Charlesworth in which distyly evolves from self‐incompatible ancestors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to evaluate the phenolic content and in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and enzyme inhibitory activities of the methanol extracts and their fractions of two edible halophytic Limonium species, L. effusum (LE) and L. sinuatum (LS). The total phenolic content resulted about two-fold higher in the ethyl acetate fraction of LE (522.82 ± 5.67 mg GAE/g extract) than in that of LS (274.87 ± 1.87 mg GAE/g extract). LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that tannic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid in both species (71,439.56 ± 3643.3 µg/g extract in LE and 105,453.5 ± 5328.1 µg/g extract in LS), whereas hyperoside was the most abundant flavonoid (14,006.90 ± 686.1 µg/g extract in LE and 1708.51 ± 83.6 µg/g extract in LS). The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH and TAC assays, and the stronger antioxidant activity in ethyl acetate fractions was highlighted. Both species were more active against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram negatives and showed considerable growth inhibitions against tested fungi. Interestingly, selective acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed with LE and LS. Particularly, the water fraction of LS strongly inhibited AChE (IC50 = 0.199 ± 0.009 µg/mL). The ethyl acetate fractions of LE and LS, as well as the n-hexane fraction of LE, exhibited significant antityrosinase activity (IC50 = 245.56 ± 3.6, 295.18 ± 10.57 and 148.27 ± 3.33 µg/mL, respectively). The ethyl acetate fraction and methanol extract of LS also significantly inhibited pancreatic lipase (IC50 = 83.76 ± 4.19 and 162.2 ± 7.29 µg/mL, respectively). Taken together, these findings warrant further investigations to assess the potential of LE and LS as a bioactive source that can be exploited in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries.

Limonium is a species-rich genus in Plumbaginaceae. In this study, we determined the complete chloroplast genome of Limonium sinense for potential phylogenomic analysis in the future. The plastome is 174,033 bp in length, with a large single-copy region (LSC) of 96,128 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) of 13,517 bp and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 32,194 bp. It contains 132 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 3 pseudogenes. The overall GC content is 36.7%, while the corresponding values for the LSC, SSC, and IR region are 34.9, 31.1, and 40.6%, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis supported that L. sinense was clustered together with Plumbago auriculata in family Plumbaginaceae.

Salt (chalk) glands of Plumbaginaceae represent interesting structures involved in the excretion of calcium carbonate outside plants’ organs, especially on leaves surfaces. These chalk-glands, nominated by some authors as ‘Licopoli’ or ‘Mettenius’ organs are also very important from taxonomical point of view. Their structure has been a matter of debate for decades and a historical analysis reveals that there are still some inconsistencies regarding the contributions of earlier botanists in discovering and describing chalk-glands. The present work tries to provide a picture of historical progress recorded in the 19th century related to investigation of these structures, focusing especially on the two important names usually mentioned in relation to them: Mettenius and Licopoli. In this respect, several useful clarifications are made, with emphasis on the role played by the two botanists in the stimulation of research interest for these glands among the generations of botanists to come.

Background: Limonium Sinense (Girard) Kuntze (L. sinense) has been widely used for the treatment of anaemia, bleeding, cancer, and other disorders in Chinese folk medicine. The aim of this study is to predict the therapeutic effects of L. sinense and investigate the potential mechanisms using integrated network pharmacology methods and in vitro cellular experiments., Methods: The active ingredients of L. sinense were collected from published literature, and the potential targets related to L. sinense were obtained from public databases. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and DisGeNET enrichment analyses were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Molecular docking, cellular experiments, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were employed to further evaluate the findings., Results: A total of 15 active ingredients of L. sinense and their corresponding 389 targets were obtained. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the biological effects of L. sinense were primarily associated with "Pathways in cancer". DisGeNET enrichment analysis highlighted the potential role of L. sinense in the treatment of breast cancer. Apigenin within L. sinense showed promising potential against cancer. Cellular experiments demonstrated that the L. sinense ethanol extract (LSE) exhibited a significant growth inhibitory effect on multiple breast cancer cell lines in both 2D and 3D cultures. RNA-seq analysis revealed a potential impact of LSE on breast cancer. Additionally, analysis of GEO datasets verified the significant enrichment of breast cancer and several cancer-related pathways upon treatment with Apigenin in human breast cancer cells., Conclusion: This study predicts the biological activities of L. sinense and demonstrates the inhibitory effect of LSE on breast cancer cells, highlighting the potential application of L. sinense in cancer treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In recent years, due to the dramatic increase of the bacteria resistance to antibiotics and chemotherapeutic drugs, an increasing importance is given to the discovery of novel bioactive molecules, more potent than those in use. In this contest, methanol extracts of different parts of the medicinal plant Limoniastrum monopetalum (L.) Boiss. (Plumbaginaceae), widely occurring in Tunisia, were prepared to evaluate the antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities. The methanol extract of the roots showed the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus and E. faecalis, whereas the stem extract exhibited the highest antiproliferative effects towards a Hela cell line. Analysis of volatile fractions, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) techniques, led to the identification of camphor as the most abundant constituent, which represented from 84.85 to 99.48% of the methanol extracts. Multiple chromatographic separation of the methanol leaf extract afforded the flavonoid maeopsin-6-O-glucoside (S1) and a few fractions that were subjected to biological activity assays. One fraction exhibited interesting antibacterial activity against E. coli and E. faecalis (MIC values of 62.5 and 78.12 µg/mL, respectively), and antiproliferative effects against Hela and A549 cells (IC 50  = 226 and 242.52 μg/mL, respectively). In addition, in silico studies indicated that maesopsin-6-O-glucoside, which was moderately active against Staphylococcus aureus, strongly interacted with the active site of the accessory gene regulator protein A (AgrA) of Staphylococcus aureus., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The present part of the series provides new records of locally introduced native species in Hungary (Apium repens, Crypsis schoenoides, Limonium gmelinii, Rumex confertus, Sagina apetala). The spread of Crypsis schoenoides and Limonium gmelinii on roadsides is due to winter salting of roads, whereas the appearance of Apium repens and Sagina apetala is likely the consequence of the use of soil or peat material containing their seeds. The reports of Knautia dipsacifolia from the northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain and Spiraea crenata from the Hungarian-Romanian-Ukrainian border region is ascertained here concluding that the report of the first taxon was based on a misidentification of K. drymeia, whereas the record of Spiraea crenata is a consequence of mislocation. New records of two spreading aliens (Eragrostis virescens, Sporobolus vaginiflorus) are discussed here along with a herbarium revision of Eragrostis, which showed that all previous Hungarian records of Eragrostis parviflora refer to E. virescens. Further species discussed in the paper escaped from cultivation (Asparagus verticillatus, Euphorbia characias, Nassella tenuissima, the latter two new for the country). The fi rst record of the sedge hybrid Carex ×leutzii in Hungary is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid, eco-friendly, and cost-effective one-pot synthesis of copper nanoparticles is reported here using medicinal plants like Gnidia glauca and Plumbago zeylanica. Aqueous extracts of flower, leaf, and stem of G. glauca and leaves of P. zeylanica were prepared which could effectively reduce Cu2+ ions to CuNPs within 5 h at 100°C which were further characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Further, the CuNPs were checked for antidiabetic activity using porcine pancreatic α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition followed by evaluation of mechanism using circular dichroism spectroscopy. CuNPs were found to be predominantly spherical in nature with a diameter ranging from 1 to 5 nm. The phenolics and flavonoids in the extracts might play a critical role in the synthesis and stabilization process. Significant change in the peak at ∼1095 cm−1 corresponding to C-O-C bond in ether was observed. CuNPs could inhibit porcine pancreatic α-amylase up to 30% to 50%, while they exhibited a more significant inhibition of α-glucosidase from 70% to 88%. The mechanism of enzyme inhibition was attributed due to the conformational change owing to drastic alteration of secondary structure by CuNPs. This is the first study of its kind that provides a strong scientific rationale that phytogenic CuNPs synthesized using G. glauca and P. zeylanica can be considered to develop candidate antidiabetic nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Irano-Turanian floristic region spans a topographically complex and climatically continental territory, which has served as a source of xerophytic taxa for neighboring regions and is represented by a high percent of endemics. Yet, a comprehensive picture of the abiotic and biotic factors that have driven diversification within this biota remains to be established due to the scarcity of phylogenetic studies. Acantholimon is an important component of the subalpine steppe flora of the Irano-Turanian region, containing c. 200 cushion-forming sub-shrubby pungent-leaved species. Our recent molecular phylogenetic study has led to enlarging the circumscription of this genus to include eight mono- or oligospecific genera lacking the characteristic life-form and leaves. Using the same molecular phylogeny, here we investigate the tempo and mode of diversification as well as the biogeographic patterns in this genus, to test the hypothesis that a combination of key morphological innovations and abiotic factors is behind Acantholimon high species diversity. Molecular dating analysis indicates that Acantholimon s.l. started to diversify between the Late Miocene and the Pliocene and the biogeographic analysis points to an Eastern Iran–Afghanistan origin. Macroevolutionary models support the hypothesis that the high diversity of the genus is explained by accelerated diversification rates in two clades associated with the appearance of morphological key innovations such as a cushion life-form and pungent leaves; this would have favored the colonization of water-stressed, substrate-poor mountainous habitats along the newly uplifted IT mountains during the Mio-Pliocene. Given the apparent similarity of mountain habitats for most species of Acantholimon , we hypothesize that its current high species diversity responds to a scenario of non-adaptive radiation fueled by allopatric speciation rather than evolutionary radiation driven by ecological opportunity. Similar scenarios might underlie the high diversity of other speciose genera in the topographically complex Irano-Turanian landscape, though this remains to be tested with fine-grained distribution and climatic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumbaginaceae is characterized by a history of multiple taxonomic rearrangements and lacks a broad molecular phylogenetic framework. Limonium is the most species‐rich genus of the family with ca. 600 species and cosmopolitan distribution. Its center of diversity is the Mediterranean region, where ca. 70% of all Limonium species are endemic. In this study, we sample 201 Limonium species covering all described infrageneric entities and spanning its wide geographic range, along with 64 species of other Plumbaginaceae genera, representing 23 out of 29 genera of the family. Additionally, 20 species of the sister family Polygonaceae were used as outgroup. Sequences of three chloroplast (trnL‐F, matK, and rbcL) and one nuclear (ITS) loci were used to infer the molecular phylogeny employing maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. According to our results, within Plumbaginoideae, Plumbago forms a non‐monophyletic assemblage, with Plumbago europaea sister to Plumbagella, while the other Plumbago species form a clade sister to Dyerophytum. Within Limonioideae, Ikonnikovia is nested in Goniolimon, rejecting its former segregation as genus distinct from Goniolimon. Limonium is divided into two major clades: Limonium subg. Pteroclados s.l., including L. sect. Pteroclados and L. anthericoides, and L. subg. Limonium. The latter is divided into three well‐supported subclades: the monospecific L. sect. Limoniodendron sister to a clade comprising a mostly non‐Mediterranean subclade and a Mediterranean subclade. Our results set the foundation for taxonomic proposals on sections and subsections of Limonium, namely: (a) the newly described L. sect. Tenuiramosum, created to assign L. anthericoides at the sectional rank; (b) the more restricted circumscriptions of L. sect. Limonium (= L. sect. Limonium subsect. Genuinae) and L. sect. Sarcophyllum (for the Sudano‐Zambezian/Saharo‐Arabian clade); (c) the more expanded circumscription of L. sect. Nephrophyllum (including species of the L. bellidifolium complex); and (d) the new combinations for L. sect. Pruinosum and L. sect. Pteroclados subsect. Odontolepideae and subsect. Nobiles. A large molecular phylogeny of Plumbaginaceae with a focus on Limonium provides new insights into the evolution and systematics of this family. Revisions and additions are proposed for the taxonomic entities of Plumbaginaceae and Limonium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumbagin (PLB), a member of the quinine family, mainly found in the plant Plumbago zeylanica Linn., potentially exhibit anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antifungal, neuroprotective, hypolipidemic and antibacterial activities. However, it has been well known that the application of PLB was limited owing to its water insolubility, instability and poor bioavailability. For decades, many attempts have been made to compensate for these disadvantages with the development of improved delivery platforms as the feasible approaches. This review aims to describe the various studies supporting the biopharmaceutical aspects of PLB. In addition, it includes a section devoted to discussing the challenges associated with the drug and strategies to improve the properties of PLB such as solubility, stability and bioavailability. Also, this paper summarizes the recent works on the design and development of novel delivery systems of PLB such as liposomes, niosomes, microsphares, nanoparticles, micelles, complexization, metal nanoparticles, crystals modification, etc., with the goal of harnessing the true difficulties of this multifunctional agent in the clinical arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge and analysis of the genetic structure of an endangered species is important for its conservation and evolutionary process. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were used in evaluation of the genetic diversity and population differentiation in Limoniumbicolor (Plumbaginaceae), an endangered herb with high medicinal and horticulture value. A total of 117 alleles were detected with an average 5.85 alleles per locus using SSR and 222 bands from AFLP were amplified in six populations. It was found that L. bicolor was characterized by high levels of genetic polymorphism (100 and 83.78%), low levels of total genetic diversity (Ht= 0.2824 and 0.2424), and moderate degrees of genetic differentiation among populations (ΦST= 0.284 and 0.251). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the main variation component existed within populations (71.56%; 74.93%) rather than among populations (28.44%; 25.07%). Four main clusters were displayed in the UPGMA using TFPGA, which was consistent with the result of principal coordinate analysis (PCA) using NTSYS. Mutations or infrequent gene flow among populations can increase the plant slowly, thus in situ conservation policies should be implemented first for effective and sustainable development. At the same time, ex situ measures, such as those individuals with rare alleles, to maintain the relationships between individuals and populations are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that consists in cloning through seeds. In Limonium (Plumbaginaceae) species present a pollen-stigma dimorphism linked to a sporophytic self-incompatibility system associated with sexual and/or apomictic reproductive modes. Previous work in other genera suggests that the emergence of apomixis is associated with hybridization and/or polyploidy. In this study, our goal was to test the ability of diploid and tetraploid species to hybridize and to evaluate the variate outcomes from these crosses. To achieve this, sexual diploid (L. nydeggeri, L. ovalifolium) and facultative apomict tetraploid (L. binervosum, L. dodartii) plants from cultivated material, previously cytogenetically and reproductively characterized, were used for experimental intra- and interspecific crosses. Genome sizes, ploidy levels and morphology were examined in the resulting progenies. Results showed a high production of viable seeds in particular in plants from tetraploid × diploid (heteroploid) crosses. In these crosses, some seedlings exhibited pleiocotyly (tricotyl, tetracotyl), while others showed polyembryony. In both homoploid (diploid × diploid) and heteroploid (tetraploid × diploid) crosses, most of the offspring plants were morphologically and in their ploidy similar to the female receiver, although some morphological abnormalities were found. Molecular progeny tests using the nrDNA ITS1-ITS2 sequence demonstrated an astounding range of diploid offspring plants originated from diploid × diploid crosses that were either genetically similar or distinct from parental plants. Although in intraspecific crosses most of the resulting progeny was diploid, one triploid plant was formed. Moreover, in homoploid interspecific crosses, neopolyploids (two tetraploid plants) were produced. Progeny plants from heteroploid crosses always showed nrDNA ITS1-ITS2 sequences identical to the parental plant used as female receiver. In conclusion, diploid homoploid crosses presented genetically diverse offspring arising from sexual reproduction. By contrast, heteroploid crosses generated clonal, maternal (apomictic) offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Limonium (sea lavenders) is characterized by various taxonomically challenging complexes with great karyological diversity, and chromosomes ranging in size from diminutive to large. In this biosystematic study, our goal was to investigate cytogenetic features of twelve sexual and asexual taxa in a particular part of their distribution range. Genome size, chromosome number variation, and other cytological features were investigated in a representative set of sea lavenders with distinct leaf venation, present in the coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, France, and the Channel Islands. Flow cytometric genome size determinations were made in plants from natural populations. Cell and nuclear areas of epidermal cells, as well as, chromosome numbers and length were measured in plants from ex situ collections. Our findings revealed positive and significant correlations between holoploid genome size and cell size, nuclei area and chromosome total length. Tetraploid taxa with pinnately veined leaves had significant lower holoploid and monoploid genome sizes along with lower cell and nuclei areas and chromosome sizes than tetraploid taxa with parallel-veined leaves. The results obtained are discussed in the context of breeding relationships known or suspected among these taxa. In conclusion, our results provide a basis for future evolutionary studies, and support that pollen-stigma dimorphisms and genome size allied with chromosome counts might be important taxonomic traits in Limonium in apomictic/sexual groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and molecular parameters of photosynthetic apparatus in plants with different strategies for the accumulation of salts were investigated. The objects of the study were euhalophytes (Salicornia perennans, Suaeda salsa, Halocnemum strobilaceum), a crynohalophyte (Limonium gmelinii) and a glycohalophyte (Artemisia santonica). The euhalophytes S. perennans and S. salsa belong to plants of the halosucculent type, while the other three species represent the xerophilic type. Larger cells with a great number of chloroplasts, a high content of membrane glycerolipids and unsaturated C18:3 fatty acid and smaller pigment and light-harvesting complexes characterize the features of euhalophytes with a succulent leaf type. Therefore, the features of the halophyte photosynthetic apparatus structure are closely related to its functional indicators and are defined by a strategy in both the accumulation of salts and the method of water regime regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limonium vulgare and related species form a complex group, but until now cytological and genetic studies have been based on single species and specific geographical areas. We investigated genome size, karyological and genetic diversity in samples from Western Mediterranean and evaluated the phylogenetic relationships among the species of this complex. Genome size was assessed using flow cytometry on samples from natural populations of L. vulgare, L. maritimum and L. narbonense. Chromosome counts were conducted in plants obtained from seeds collected in the field. The internal transcribed spacer ITS1 of the nuclear rDNAs was used to assess ITS polymorphisms as well as the phylogenetic relationships within the L. vulgare complex. Our analyses showed that all species were tetraploid, with the chromosome number of L. maritimum being presented here for the first time. Significant differences were observed in genome size, with L. narbonense having lower genome sizes than the other two species, and possible aneuploids being detected. Ten new ITS sequences from L. vulgare, L. narbonense and L. maritimum were provided. Most species’ populations showed unique ribotypes, and L. narbonense has the highest ribotype diversity. One of the L. maritimum populations presented a closer genetic relationship with L. vulgare, whereas the other two seemed to be more related with L. narbonense. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed that L. vulgare and L. narbonense form a monophyletic group, sister to the remaining Limonium species. Our results put into evidence that the studied species may represent a relatively early stage of divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five undescribed guanidine alkaloids, plumbagines H K (1 – 4) and plumbagoside E (5), as well as five known analogues (6 – 10) were isolated from the roots of Plumbago zeylanica. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. In addition, 1 – 10 were accessed their anti-inflammatory activities by measuring nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. However, all compounds especially 1 and 3–5 could not inhibit the secretion of NO but significant increase the secretion of NO. The result reminded us that 1–10 may become potential novel immune potentiators. [Display omitted] • Five new guanidine alkaloids were isolated and structurally elucidated. • Their absolute conformations were determined by CD and chemical methods. • All compounds showed no anti-inflammatory activities, but displayed immunostimulatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Acantholimon bracteatum (Girard) Boiss (Plumbaginaceae) is used in variety of diseases including hepatic ailments in the west regions of Iran. In the present study, the hepatoprotective effect of the methanol extract (ME) of A. bracteatum on formaldehyde (FA) induced liver injury has been investigated in adult male mice. Methods: Fifty six adult male mice were divided into 8 groups. The control group received normal saline. Group II (E2) was treated with formaldehyde 10 mg/kg. Group III to VIII (E3-E8) were treated with both FA (10 mg/kg) and the metanol extract at doses of 5, 10, 15, 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. All animals were treated for 2 weeks (once every other day). At the end of the morphology, histopathology of liver and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated. Results: Formaldehyde induced liver damage both in histology and function. The levels of ALT, AST and ALP enzymes had significantly increased in FA treated group. Administration of ME in all experimental groups significantly reduced serum levels of ALP (p= 0.02); however, AST was reduced significantly just in groups III (E3) and IV(E5) (p