Rare fraction of spontaneous flora of the garden and park landscapes of the Middle Pobuzhzhia

On the territory of the garden and park landscapes of the Middle Pobuzhzhia 31 species of higher vascular plants that have national or regional protection status have been revealed or cited in literature. Of these, 9 species are listed in the current edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine, 10 species have regional protection status in Vinnytsia region and 20 species in Cherkasy region. National Dendrological Park «Sofiyivka» NAS of Ukraine has the largest number of species from the Red Data Book of Ukraine (8 species): Tulipa quercetorum, Euonymus nana, Scopolia carniolica, Allium ursinum, Pulsatilla pratensis, Pulsatilla patens, Trapa natans, Epipactis helleborine, Neottia nidus-avis. Only by one rare species were revealed in the Pechersky (Scopolia carniolica), Sokiletsky (Pulsatilla pratensis), Verkhivsky (Trapa natans) and Kryzhopilsky (Epipactis helleborine) parks. Phytoindication assessment of the identified localities showed that the most of them are on the border or even outside their ecological-coenotic amplitude by one or more factors, which indicates their vulnerability to external influences. Currently, the greatest threat to the existence of species at present is the recreational load, so according to the Law on the Red Data Book of Ukraine, they all need proper protection measures.

Neglected Potential of Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum L.)—Specialized Metabolites Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Wild Populations in Relation to Location and Plant Phenophase

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.) is one of the species widely distributed in Europe and Asia and is often nutritionally neglected, characterized by a high content of various phytochemicals with high therapeutic potential and a range of biological activities. The aim of this study was to determine the content of bioactive compounds in the leaves of wild garlic populations collected from different micro-locations, and to determine the differences in the content of phytochemicals in the vegetative and generative phases. A significant content of different specialized metabolites was detected in all analyzed leaves of wild garlic populations regardless of the different factors (location and phenophase): vitamin C content with the highest determined value of 63.31 mg/100 g fw; total phenolic content with the highest determined value of 186.18 mg GAE/100 g fw (according to gallic acid in fresh sample); and antioxidant capacity with the highest determined value of 2230.66 µmol TE/L (according to Trolox). Significant differences in all the phytochemicals analyzed were observed depending on both the location and phenophase of the plants, with the most pronounced differences depending on the phenophase. Thus, lower levels of polyphenolic compounds and vitamin C were generally observed before the flowering phase, while the trend toward higher levels of pigment compounds was observed during the flowering phase of the plants. The results suggest that the leaves of wild garlic can be considered a valuable source of a variety of specialized metabolites with high antioxidant capacity, and thus have high production potential for various functional products and food supplements of natural origin, which are important for the promotion of human health.

Список лікарських рослин ботанічного заказника «Воротнів»

Збільшення антропогенного навантаження на довкілля, нерегульовані збір і заготівля лікарської сировини призводять до зростання значення природно-заповідних територій, сприяючи збереженню флоро-фонду. На сучасному етапі спостерігають тенденцію до розширення переліку лікарських рослин та сировини як альтернативних засобів для лікування та профілактики багатьох захворювань за рахунок відкриття нових власти-востей, а отже, внесення до списку нових видів рослин. Тому виявлення місцезростань лікарських рослин під час проведення інвентаризації флори резерватів і зумовило актуальність теми дослідження. Збереженню флори сприяє створення природно-заповідних територій, однією з яких у межах Волинської області (Україна) є ботанічний заказник загальнодержавного значення «Воротнів». Метою роботи було вивчення судинних рослин із лікувальними властивостями природної флори резервату «Воротнів», сировина з яких вико-ристовується чи може бути використана в медицині, завдання – скласти список лікарських рослин природної флори урочища та виявити види, що підлягають охороні. Основний список складено за монографічним виданням В. М. Мінарченко. Флору урочища вивчали автори загальноприйнятими геоботанічними методами впродовж 20 років. На вказаній території виявлено та вперше представлено список із 281 виду судинних рослин з лікувальними властивостями (92,4 % від загальної кількості видів). З них система споживчої кооперації України проводить за-готівлю сировини 24 лікарських рослин (8,5 % від кількості видів у представленому списку), 60 видів рослин (21,4 %) є офіцинальними. Перебувають під загальнодержавною та місцевою охороною дев’ять видів рослин із лікувальними власти-востями (Allium ursinum L., Cypripedium calceolus L., Dactylorhiza majalis(Rchb.) P.F. Hunt & Summerh., Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz, Lilium martagon L., Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich., Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich.; Melittis sarmatica Klok., Hepatica nobilis Mill). Сучасний стан рідкісних видів рослин, сировина з яких використовується чи може бути використана в медицині, потребує подальшого постійного моніторингу, що є основою созологічного менеджме-нту.

New Insight Into the Cardioprotective Effects of Allium ursinum L. Extract Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

This study aimed to estimate the effects of increasing doses of Allium ursinum methanol extract on cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) with a special emphasis on the role of oxidative stress. Fifty rats were randomly divided into five groups (10 animals per group) depending on the applied treatment as follows: sham, rats who drank only tap water for 28 days and hearts were retrogradely perfused for 80 min without I/R injury, I/R, rats who drank only tap water for 28 days and hearts were exposed to ex vivo I/R injury and rats who consumed increasing doses of A. ursinum 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg for 28 days before I/R injury. Hearts from all rats were isolated and retrogradely perfused according to the Langendorff technique. Parameters of oxidative stress were spectrophotometrically measured in blood, coronary venous effluent, and heart tissue samples. Intake of wild garlic extract for 28 days significantly contributed to the recovery of cardiac function, which was reflected through preserved cardiac contractility, systolic function, and coronary vasodilatory response after ischemia. Also, wild garlic extract showed the potential to modulate the systemic redox balance and stood out as a powerful antioxidant. The highest dose led to the most efficient decrease in cardiac oxidative stress and improve recovery of myocardial function after I/R injury. We might conclude that wild garlic possesses a significant role in cardioprotection and strong antioxidant activity, which implicates the possibility of its use alone in the prevention or as adjuvant antioxidant therapy in cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Soil Humus, Iron, Sulphate and Magnesium Content Affect Nectar Traits of Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum L.)

Recent studies revealed that from various ecological factors influencing nectar yield and quality of a plant, soil properties can be as important as microclimatic features. To date, few studies have investigated the relationship of soil characters to nectar traits of bee pollinated plants growing in natural associations. Our study intended to reveal which soil properties had the most powerful impact on nectar variables of wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.). Specimens were collected from fourteen habitats in two different years, and were potted in their original soil under the same climatic conditions. Nectar volumes and sugar concentrations were measured and soil samples were analysed for fourteen parameters. Statistical analyses revealed that the number of nectar producing Allium flowers, as well as the nectar volume and sugar content of nectar in individual flowers were influenced by both year and habitat. The humus, iron and sulphate content of soil showed negative correlation with the number of flowers producing nectar; total nectar volumes were negatively correlated with humus and iron content, but positively affected by magnesium content of the soil. Our results suggest that in addition to the effect of microclimatic factors, certain soil properties can have significant impact on nectar traits.

Spring flora of Lutsk and Partisan forestry of Kivertsiv National Natural Park "Tsumanska Puscha"

In the frame of identification of the Ukrainian Polissya rare vegetation the most attention is paid to the boreal species and groups. Deciduous forests with sinuses of spring ephemeroids remain unstudied in Polissya that's why the urgency of their research in the forests of Volyn Polissya is important, especially in the Kivertsy National Nature Park "Tsumanska Pushcha". The research of the spring ephemeroids composition and rare plant species identification on the territory of the plots of "Volyn Military Forestry" and "Tsumanske Forestry" within the Kivertsy National Nature Park "Tsumanska Pushcha" were aim of the study. At the beginning of the 2021 vegetation period 16 spring ephemeroids were found in 38 parcel of Lutsk forestry and 41 parcel of the Partisan Forestry (both belong to the Kivertsy NPP "Tsumanska Pushcha") by the employees of the NPP together with the scientists of Volyn National University named after Lesya Ukrainka. There were identified Adoxa moschatellina L., Allium ursinum L., Anemone nemorosa L., A. ranunculoides L., Corydalis cava Schweigg. et. Korte., C. solida (L.) Clairv., Dentaria glandulosa Waldst. & Kit., Ficaria verna Huds., Hepatica nobilis Mill., Isopyrum thalictroides L., Lathraea squamaria L., Lathyrus vernus (L.) Bernh., Mercurialis perennis L., Primula veris L., Pulmonaria obscura Dumort., Ranunculus cassubicus L. The monitoring research was set for populations of Allium ursinum (Ukrainian Red Data Book) and regional rare species in Volyn Region: Corydalis cava, Dentaria glandulosa, Hepatica nobilis, Isopyrum thalictroides, Hepatica nobilis (spring ephemeroids), Vinca minor (spring-flowering species) and Hedera helix (wintergreen species). The studied ephemeroid plants amount 2.52 % of the total number of vascular plants of Tsumanska Pushcha and 1.14 % of the flora of Volyn Polissya. According to the results of monitoring studies for Allium ursinum, the coenopopulation of the species generally has a left-handed spectrum, remains homeostatic, and the number of individuals is maintained by seed and vegetative propagation. Creation of the ecological trail "Spring-flowering plants of Kivertsy NPP "Tsumanska Pushcha" is proposed.

Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activity of Allium ursinum and Their Associated Microbiota During Simulated in vitro Digestion in the Presence of Food Matrix

In this study, for the first time, the comprehensive analysis of antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of ramson, followed by the analysis of its associated microbiota and health-promoting effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), was performed. Ramson (Allium ursinum) is recognized as a medicinal plant with a long history of use in traditional medicine due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. In this study the influence of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the cytotoxic activity of A. ursinum extracts against human malignant cell lines was demonstrated. Seven sulfur compounds, the degradation products of thiosulfinates, including diallyl disulfide were shown to inhibit proliferation of malignant cells by inducing accumulation within G2/M phase as well as to induce apoptosis through activation of caspase-3 and mitochondrial signaling pathway. Further, the A. ursinum microbiota, particularly LAB with potential probiotic effects, was analyzed by culture-dependent method and culture-independent method [denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)]. The obtained results revealed that the most abundant genera were Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Bacillus. The Lactobacillus genus was mainly represented by L. fermentum. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis revealed the presence of two PFGE pulsotypes. The probiotic potential of the strain L. fermentum BGSR163 belonging to PFGE pulsotype 1 and the strain L. fermentum BGSR227 belonging to the PFGE pulsotype 2 was characterized. The results revealed that both strains are safe for human use, successfully survive the simulated gastrointestinal conditions, have potential to transiently colonize the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and have a protective immunomodulatory effect, inducing the production of proinflammatory cytokine IL17 and regulatory cytokine IL10, while decreasing the production of proinflammatory cytokine IFN-γ. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that consumption of A. ursinum might have health-promoting properties, including anticancer effects, while L. fermentum strains isolated from A. ursinum leaves could be used as probiotics for human consumption.