HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTION OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Artemisia pallens lEAVES IN CLOFIBRATE AND PHENOL TREATED FRESHWATER FISH Pangasius Sp.

Aim: The key motive was to investigate the toxicological upshot of clofibrate and phenol prescribed under human medicine, having potential in water and sediments contamination via input from sewage treatment plants as active pharmaceutical ingredients’ discharge into the environment had kindled present catastrophic effects upon the aquatic ecosystem. Methods: The present study involved, exposing the fish model, Pangasius sp. after acclimatizing them at a suitable LC50 concentration of selective drugs. Their toxic effects were studied in terms of oxidative stress markers, antioxidant status, and protein damage levels in the occupancies under the bioremediation source, Artemisia pallens and further supported by histopathological and cortisol level studies. Results: The results’ comparison between fish maintained under the bioremediation source, when exposed to clofibrate and phenol resulted in severe oxidative stress (significant *P<0.001, #P<0.001) with significant alterations in antioxidant enzyme activities (significant *P<0.001, #P<0.001), histopathological changes and cortisol levels. In the fish exposed to clofibrate and phenol, the significant increase in cortisol level (significant *P<0.05, #P<0.05) may confer distinctive effects on the cell survival by protecting against oxidative stress-induced changes. Conclusion: Since these results varied with the dwelling of the bioremediation source, determination of oxidative stress biomarkers in Pangasius along with Artemisia pallens may serve as a convenient approach for pollution biomonitoring.

Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation and Cloning of Reference Genes in Suspension Cells of Artemisia Pallens

A reliable and stable Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system has been developed using cell suspension cultures derived from Artemisia pallens cotyledon explants. Cotyledon, attached cotyledon, and compound leaf were found to be suitable for the induction of callus among five different types of explants tested. Yellow friable callus derived from attached cotyledon was used to initiate suspension cultures in Suspension Culture Medium (SCM) which was supplemented with 2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and in combination with different concentrations of Zeatin (ZEA). Among the two different shock treatments, cold shock (at 4 oC) for 20 minutes and heat shock (at 45oC) treatment for 5 minutes, heat shock treatment increased the transformation efficiency. Supplementation of chemical additives such as Silwet L-77 (0.05%) and Pluronic F-68 (0.05%) significantly enhanced suspension cultures' transformation efficiency. The maximum GUS intensity was recorded with an optimal intensity of blue spots in the transformed cells. The highest GUS fluorometric activity was measured as 879.4±113.7 nmol 4MU/mg/min in transformed cell suspension cultures. The hygromycin-resistant callus derived from micro-calli showed intense blue colour in GUS histochemical assay. The transgene integration into the plant genome was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using uidA specific primers in six hygromycin-resistant cell lines. The cloned and mRNA expression levels of three candidate reference genes ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf), β-actin (Act), and ubiquitin (Ubi), and carotenoid biosynthesis pathway gene, i.e., Phytoene desaturase (Pds) along with transgene (uidA) were evaluated in transgenic callus lines. The present Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation protocol could help in better understand the metabolic pathways of this medicinally important plant and its genetic improvement.

Thermo-Oxidative Decomposition of Lovage (Levisticum officinale) and Davana (Artemisia pallens) Essential Oils under Simulated Tobacco Heating Product Conditions

SummaryThe thermo-oxidative decomposition of lovage (Levisticum officinale) and davana (Artemisia pallens) essential oils has been studied by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in 9% oxygen and 91% nitrogen atmosphere at 300 °C to simulate low-temperature tobacco heating conditions. Both lovage and davana oils contain numerous chemical substances; the main components of both oils are various oxygen-containing compounds. Isobenzofuranones are the most important constituents of lovage oil, and their relative intensity changed significantly during oxidative pyrolysis. (Z)-ligustilide underwent two kinds of decomposition reactions: an aromatization reaction resulting in the formation of butylidenephthalide and the scission of the lactone ring with the elimination of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. Davanone is the main component of davana oil, which did not decompose considerably during low-temperature oxidative pyrolysis. However, the relative yield of the second most intensive component, bicyclogermacrene, reduced markedly due to bond rearrangement reactions. Davana ether underwent oxidation reactions leading to the formation of various furanic compounds. The changes in the composition of both essential oils could be interpreted in terms of bond splitting, intramolecular rearrangement mechanisms and oxidation reactions of several constituents during low-temperature oxidative pyrolysis. The applied thermo-oxidative method was found to be suitable to study the stability of the essential oils and monitor the decomposition products under simulated tobacco heating conditions. In spite of the complicated composition of the essential oils, no evidence for interaction between the oil components was found. [Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 29 (2020) 27–43]