Boric acid as a potential substitute for conventional ethylene antagonists in mitigating postharvest flower senescence of Digitalis purpurea

In the floriculture industry, postharvest senescence is one of the glaring challenges restricting the marketability of cut flowers. Hence, maintaining good quality of cut flowers and extending flower longevity are considered to be the most crucial factors in the cut flower trade. Therefore, to gain better understanding of the specific physiological and biochemical aspects of petal senescence we conducted an experiment to evaluate the efficacy of Boric acid (BA) on flower longevity in excised flowers of Digitalis purpurea L. Isolated buds were harvested at stage IV i.e, 1 day before anthesis and divided into 5 sets, with one set of buds held in distilled water (DW) designated as control. The other 4 sets were supplemented with 24h pulse treatment of different concentrations of BA viz., 50, 100, 150 and 200 µM. The application of BA at 150 µM concentration was found to be most effective in increasing flower longevity by about 4 days as compared to control. The enhanced longevity coincided with higher values of floral diameter, fresh mass, dry mass and solution uptake. Flowers with delayed senescence also retained higher soluble proteins, sugars and phenols in addition to lower bacterial density compared to control. Moreover, this ameliorated flower longevity has also been shown to be positively associated with increased activities of various antioxidant enzymes viz., superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and reduced activity of lipoxygenase (LOX).

A Review on: Digitalis Purpurea

Digitalis contain cardiac glycosides and used in the treatment of congestive heart failure. Digitalis drug obtain from Digitalis Purpurea L. belongs to family scrophulariaceae. 200 years ago William Withering discover the use of digitalis in CHF treatment in 1785.In 18th century a controversy has existed about the benefits and risks of digitalis in patients with heart problems. Active component of digitalis classified as cardiac glycosides and cardiotonic steroids. The term "digitalis" or "cardiac glycosides" are used to refer to any of steroids or steroid glycosides compound which exert characteristic positively inotropic and electrophysiological effect on heart. In 20th century digitalis and its derivatives specially, digoxin is used in treatment of CHF. Cardiac glycosides are used in therapy of CHF since William Withering identify their uses. Digitalis purpurea is not only use in treatment of CHF also has wound healing, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. In 1990 most prescribed drug is digoxin. It shows intermediate duration of action. Digoxin is use for its rate control in atrial fibrillation in the presence of marginal blood pressure. The introduction of diuretic provide an alternative more effective and safer for treatment of CHF. Keywords: CHF., Digitalis Purpurea L

Changes in the content of carotenoids and flavonoids in medicinal raw material of Digitalis purpurea, Polemonium caeruleum, and Aerva lanata, cultivated in vitro under the chronic action of ionizing radiation

Chronic low-dose γ-irradiation of Digitalis purpurea and Aerva lanata plants in vitro have led to an increase in the content of carotenoids and flavonoids in the leaves at the beginning of the post-radiation period. In the following, the content of pigments and flavonoids decreased in comparison to the control samples. For Polemonium caeruleum such changes had been not observed. The qualitative composition of the secondary metabolites has not been changed, but the ratio of the individual components of the extract varied within a small range. Ri-transformants of Digitalis purpurea have been shown smaller changes in response to irradiation. We assume that the observed effects are the manifestation of the adaptive response of plants to oxidative stress caused by chronic low-dose irradiation.