Biological applications and secondary metabolites of Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch.

Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. (Compositae), popularly known as Kuth in Ayurveda, is useful for gastrointestinal disorders in the form of a digestive agent, anti-gastric agent or an appetizer. Its roots have been used in respiratory problems like cough and asthma. The plant is also used in various other traditional medicinal systems including Unani. A number of scientific reports have proved its therapeutic importance as anti-gastric, anti-asthmatic, antispasmodic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent. A variety of secondary metabolites including sesquiterpenoid lactones, lignins, and phytosterols have been identified as bioactive principles from the roots of this plant. Today, many healthcare products are available in the market those contain S. costus roots as single or in the form of a polyherbal formulation. According to the IUCN Red List, S. lappa is under the threatened category and due to its high demand in the market, it is becoming extinct very fast from its natural habitat. Hence, there is an urgent need to protect the plant by promoting its cultivation on a large scale.

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Environmental Engineering Techniques to Restore Degraded Posidonia oceanica Meadows

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050661 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 661

Author(s):

Luigi Piazzi ◽

Stefano Acunto ◽

Francesca Frau ◽

Fabrizio Atzori ◽

Maria Francesca Cinti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Posidonia Oceanica ◽

Environmental Engineering ◽

Bottom Surface ◽

Sessile Invertebrates ◽

Set Up ◽

Short Time

Seagrass planting techniques have shown to be an effective tool for restoring degraded meadows and ecosystem function. In the Mediterranean Sea, most restoration efforts have been addressed to the endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica, but cost-benefit analyses have shown unpromising results. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of environmental engineering techniques generally employed in terrestrial systems to restore the P. oceanica meadows: two different restoration efforts were considered, either exploring non-degradable mats or, for the first time, degradable mats. Both of them provided encouraging results, as the loss of transplanting plots was null or very low and the survival of cuttings stabilized to about 50%. Data collected are to be considered positive as the survived cuttings are enough to allow the future spread of the patches. The utilized techniques provided a cost-effective restoration tool likely affordable for large-scale projects, as the methods allowed to set up a wide bottom surface to restore in a relatively short time without any particular expensive device. Moreover, the mats, comparing with other anchoring methods, enhanced the colonization of other organisms such as macroalgae and sessile invertebrates, contributing to generate a natural habitat.

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Assessment of the rarity and conservation status of the Colombian endemic brown hairy dwarf porcupine Coendou vestitus

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605319001029 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

María M. Torres-Martínez ◽

Héctor E. Ramírez-Chaves ◽

Elkin A. Noguera-Urbano ◽

Fernando C. Passos

Keyword(s):

Small Body ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Red List ◽

Small Range ◽

Minimum Convex Polygon ◽

Area Of Occupancy ◽

Species Rarity

Abstract The brown hairy dwarf porcupine Coendou vestitus is a poorly studied Andean species endemic to Colombia. Its current Red List category is contradictory: globally it is categorized as Data Deficient but in Colombia it is categorized as Vulnerable. This contradiction has limited the implementation of conservation programmes. We evaluate the level of rarity of the species and provide consolidated information for a new assessment of its Red List status. We reviewed literature, photographs, and voucher specimens in natural history collections. Using the confirmed records, we estimated the extent of occurrence (EOO) based on the minimum convex polygon and the area of occupancy (AOO) summing the area of grid squares occupied by the species. We found that C. vestitus is very rare, with a small range, low estimated population density, occurrence in only one habitat type and small body size. The species has an EOO of 3,323 km2 and an AOO of 24 km2, based on six confirmed localities, all on the western slopes of the Eastern Cordillera, in the central Andean region of Colombia. Based on the species' rarity, restricted distribution, and threats to its natural habitat, we recommend its categorization as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. This will help delineate research and conservation efforts for this porcupine, which has a highly restricted range and inhabits the threatened Andean forest.

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Reintroduction of illegally extracted Melocactus violaceus (Cactaceae) in Brazil

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605320000344 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Haissa de Abreu Caitano ◽

Valquíria Ferreira Dutra ◽

Rodrigo Theófilo Valadares ◽

Luana Silva Braucks Calazans

Keyword(s):

Environmental Monitoring ◽

Threatened Species ◽

Natural Habitat ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Red List ◽

Natural Area ◽

Conservation Units ◽

Threatened Plant ◽

Plant Families ◽

Espirito Santo

Abstract Cactaceae is one of the most threatened plant families, in part as a result of the illegal extraction of plants for ornamental use. However, reports of the seizure and reintroduction of cacti are scarce and do not include species of Melocactus, the genus of Cactaceae in Brazil that has the highest number of threatened species. The coroa-de-frade Melocactus violaceus is endemic to Brazil and categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. We report the seizure of 37 individuals of coroa-de-frade extracted illegally from their natural habitat, the results of their reintroduction to Paulo César Vinha State Park, in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, and provide information for environmental monitoring agencies regarding how to proceed in seizure cases, with the goal of minimizing the impacts of this illegal practice on the species. After seizure, 25 individuals were cultivated in a greenhouse and 12 were reintroduced in restinga, the natural area of occurrence of the species. After 6 months, survival was 76% for those individuals cultivated in the greenhouse and 84% for those planted in restinga, showing that rapid reintroduction of species with ornamental appeal, preferentially in their natural habitat, can reduce the impacts of illegal extraction. This reintroduction protocol can be used by managers of conservation units, contributing to the maintenance of threatened cactus species in their natural habitat.

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Modulation of Long Non-Coding RNAs by Different Classes of Secondary Metabolites from Plants: A Mini-Review on Antitumor Effects

Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1389557521666211101161548 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

Author(s):

Tamires Cunha Almeida ◽

Janaína Brandão Seibert ◽

Tatiane Roquete Amparo ◽

Gustavo Henrique Bianco de Souza ◽

Glenda Nicioli da Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Large Scale ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Antitumor Action ◽

Pharmacokinetic Parameters ◽

Antitumor Effects ◽

Antitumor Potential ◽

Inhibition Of Tumor Growth ◽

Non Coding Rnas

: The broad pharmacological spectrum of plants is related to their secondary metabolism, which is responsible for the synthesis of different compounds that have multiple effects on cellular physiology. Among the biological effects presented by phytochemicals, their use for the prevention and treatment of cancer can be highlighted. This occurs due to several mechanisms of antitumor action demonstrated by these compounds, including regulation of the cell signaling pathways and inhibition of tumor growth. In this way, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear to be promising targets for the treatment of cancer. Their deregulation has already been related to a variety of clinical-pathological parameters. However, the effects of secondary metabolites on lncRNAs are still restricted. For this reason, the present review aimed to gather data on phytochemicals with action on lncRNAs in order to confirm their possible antitumor potential. According to the literature, terpenoid and flavonoid are the main examples of secondary metabolites involved with lncRNAs activity. In addition, the lncRNAs H19, CASC2, HOTAIR, NKILA, CCAT1, MALAT1, AFAP1-AS1, MEG3, and CDKN2B-AS1 can be highlighted as important targets in the search for new anti-tumor agents since they act as modulating pathways related to cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, cell migration and invasion. Finally, challenges for the use of natural products as a commercial drug were also discussed. The low yield, selectivity index and undesirable pharmacokinetic parameters were emphasized as a difficulty for obtaining these compounds on a large scale and for improving the potency of its biological effect. However, the synthesis and/or development of formulations were suggested as a possible approach to solve these problems. All of these data together confirm the potential of secondary metabolites as a source of new anti-tumor agents acting on lncRNAs.

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Methyl Jasmonate Induced Oxidative Stress and Accumulation of Secondary Metabolites in Plant Cell and Organ Cultures

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21030716 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 716 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Thanh-Tam Ho ◽

Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy ◽

So-Young Park

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Methyl Jasmonate ◽

Plant Cell ◽

Large Scale ◽

Cultured Cells ◽

Food Additives ◽

Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽

Signal Molecules ◽

Scale Production ◽

Organ Cultures

Recently, plant secondary metabolites are considered as important sources of pharmaceuticals, food additives, flavours, cosmetics, and other industrial products. The accumulation of secondary metabolites in plant cell and organ cultures often occurs when cultures are subjected to varied kinds of stresses including elicitors or signal molecules. Application of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) is responsible for the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent defence mechanisms in cultured cells and organs. It is also responsible for the induction of signal transduction, the expression of many defence genes followed by the accumulation of secondary metabolites. In this review, the application of exogenous MJ elicitation strategies on the induction of defence mechanism and secondary metabolite accumulation in cell and organ cultures is introduced and discussed. The information presented here is useful for efficient large-scale production of plant secondary metabolites by the plant cell and organ cultures.

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Opportunistic or Non-Random Wildlife Crime? Attractiveness Rather Than Abundance in the Wild Leads to Selective Parrot Poaching

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d12080314 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 314 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Pedro Romero-Vidal ◽

Fernando Hiraldo ◽

Federica Rosseto ◽

Guillermo Blanco ◽

Martina Carrete ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

High Demand ◽

Wildlife Crime ◽

Conservation Implications ◽

Species Abundances ◽

In The Wild ◽

Large Scale Survey ◽

First Time

Illegal wildlife trade, which mostly focuses on high-demand species, constitutes a major threat to biodiversity. However, whether poaching is an opportunistic crime within high-demand taxa such as parrots (i.e., harvesting proportional to species availability in the wild), or is selectively focused on particular, more desirable species, is still under debate. Answering this question has important conservation implications because selective poaching can lead to the extinction of some species through overharvesting. However, the challenges of estimating species abundances in the wild have hampered studies on this subject. We conducted a large-scale survey in Colombia to simultaneously estimate the relative abundance of wild parrots through roadside surveys (recording 10,811 individuals from 25 species across 2221 km surveyed) and as household, illegally trapped pets in 282 sampled villages (1179 individuals from 21 species). We used for the first time a selectivity index to test selection on poaching. Results demonstrated that poaching is not opportunistic, but positively selects species based on their attractiveness, defined as a function of species size, coloration, and ability to talk, which is also reflected in their local prices. Our methodological approach, which shows how selection increases the conservation impacts of poaching for parrots, can be applied to other taxa also impacted by harvesting for trade or other purposes.

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The decline and conservation management of the threatened endemic palms of the Mascarene Islands

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605302000091 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 56-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mike Maunder ◽

Wayne Page ◽

John Mauremootoo ◽

Richard Payendee ◽

Yousoof Mungroo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Conservation Management ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Population Fragmentation ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Mascarene Islands

Abstract The conservation status of the five genera and 11 species of palm endemic to the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, La Réunion and Rodriques) are reviewed. All species are threatened with extinction; nine taxa are classified as Critically Endangered and four as Endangered on the 2000 IUCN Red List. Two taxa survive as single wild specimens (Hyophorbe amaricaulis and Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum); an additional seven taxa have wild populations of 100 or fewer. Although the historical phase of large-scale forest clearance has passed, the remaining palm populations in the Mascarenes are under threat from the effects of population fragmentation, invasive plants and animals, and high levels of seed predation that prevent natural regeneration. The advantages of in situ management for the recovery of these palm populations are discussed. Without a long-term conservation programme, utilising both in situ and ex situ management, extinction of wild populations will occur.

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Estimating the global conservation status of more than 15,000 Amazonian tree species

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.1500936 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (10) ◽

pp. e1500936 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Hans ter Steege ◽

Nigel C. A. Pitman ◽

Timothy J. Killeen ◽

William F. Laurance ◽

Carlos A. Peres ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Tree Species ◽

Large Scale ◽

Gap Analysis ◽

Extinction Risk ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Threatened Plant Species ◽

The Tropics

Estimates of extinction risk for Amazonian plant and animal species are rare and not often incorporated into land-use policy and conservation planning. We overlay spatial distribution models with historical and projected deforestation to show that at least 36% and up to 57% of all Amazonian tree species are likely to qualify as globally threatened under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. If confirmed, these results would increase the number of threatened plant species on Earth by 22%. We show that the trends observed in Amazonia apply to trees throughout the tropics, and we predict that most of the world’s >40,000 tropical tree species now qualify as globally threatened. A gap analysis suggests that existing Amazonian protected areas and indigenous territories will protect viable populations of most threatened species if these areas suffer no further degradation, highlighting the key roles that protected areas, indigenous peoples, and improved governance can play in preventing large-scale extinctions in the tropics in this century.

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A large‐scale study to describe the prevalence, characteristics and management of functional gastrointestinal disorders in African infants

Acta Paediatrica ◽

10.1111/apa.15248 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 109 (11) ◽

pp. 2366-2373

Author(s):

Marc Bellaiche ◽

Simon Ategbo ◽

Fanny Krumholz ◽

Thomas Ludwig ◽

Mohamad Miqdady ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Gastrointestinal Disorders ◽

Large Scale Study

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A Preliminary Study of the Microbial Resources and Their Biological Activities of the East China Sea

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2011/806485 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Xiaoling Lu ◽

Xiaoyu Liu ◽

Cong Long ◽

Guoxiang Wang ◽

Yun Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Activity ◽

Secondary Metabolites ◽

East China Sea ◽

Large Scale ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Structure Type ◽

East China ◽

Marine Microorganisms ◽

The East China Sea ◽

China Sea

East China Sea is one of the four sea areas in China, which possesses peculiar ecological environment and many kinds of living creatures, especially the microorganisms. We established the East China Sea microorganism library (during 2006–2010) for the first time, which stored about 30000 strains that covered most kinds of the species. In this paper, 395 pure strains of East China Sea microorganism library which belong to 33 different genera were mainly introduced.Sulfitobacter,Halomonas,Bacillus,Pseudoalteromonas, andIdiomarinawere the most dominant species. On the large-scale biological activity screening of the 395 strains, 100 strains possess different biological activities based on different screening models, of which 11.4% strains have antibacterial activities, 15.9% have cytotoxicity activities, and 6.1% have antioxidation activities. Besides, the secondary metabolites of 6 strains with strong biological activities were studied systematically; diketopiperazines and macrocyclic lactones are the active secondary metabolites. The species and the biological activity of microorganisms diversity, the abundant structure type of the secondary metabolites, and their bioactivities all indicate that East China Sea is a potent marine microorganisms-derived developing resource for drug discovery.

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