The Active Components of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Calathide and the Effects on Urate Nephropathy Based on COX-2/PGE2 Signaling Pathway and the Urate Transporter URAT1, ABCG2, and GLUT9

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) calathide is gradually used as an alternative treatment for hyperuricemia; nevertheless, evidence regarding its main components and therapeutic capacity for urate nephropathy is lacking. Identification of sunflower calathide aqueous extract (SCE) was rapidly done by UPLC-ESI-Q-Orbitrap, and 32 water-soluble compounds with a comprehensive score >80 were discovered. Besides, yeast extract was administrated to induce high UA levels and hyperuricemic renal injury. We found that SCE treatment not only decreased UA levels to a comparable degree as allopurinol and benzbromarone, but also reduced the BUN levels and participated in kidney injury repair induced by uric acid. Moreover, it regulated the expression of URAT1 and ABCG2, especially inhibiting the GLUT9 in the normal kidney. Results were multifacetedly evaluated with a view to suggesting a possible mechanism of action as compared with those of allopurinol and benzbromarone by western blotting, H&E staining, and immunohistochemistry. However, the H&E staining showed histological changes in model, benzbromarone, and allopurinol groups rather than SCE treatments, and at the same time, the uric acid was identified as a cause of renal damage. The antiinflammatory effects and the regulations of COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway were revealed on the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, indicating that the SCE not only increased cellular proliferation but also downregulated the COX-2, PGE2, NO, and IFN-γ cytokines in the RAW264.7 cells. To conclude, the SCE acts on urate transporters and contributes to prevent urate nephropathy via alleviating inflammatory process involving COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway. It is available to develop SCE as food supplemental applications for hyperuricemia and nephritic inflammation.

Aplicación de la fitorremediación en suelos contaminados por metales pesados utilizando Helianthus annuss L. en la Estación Experimental El Mantaro

El presente trabajo de investigación titulado “APLICACION DE LA FITORREMEDIACION EN SUELOS CONTAMINADOS POR METALES PESADOS UTILIZANDO Helianthus annuss L. en la Estación Experimental agropecuario El Mantaro, consta de haber utilizado Helianthus annuss L, la cual ha sido instalado en 03 lotes (A, B, y C) de la estación experimental EL MANTARO”, de la UNCP, para descontaminar los suelos contaminados por metales pesados (cobre, cadmio, cromo, hierro, manganeso, plomo , y metaloides antimonio y arsénico para ello se tomaron muestras de suelos en tres etapas diferentes, antes del cultivo, en el cultivo y después de la cosecha; para el análisis de suelos se utilizó el método analítico instrumental de ICP-Masas, analizados en el Laboratorio Certificado por la Indecopi J. Ramon: Los resultados de la concentración de metales pesados en el lote A son: Sb(7,00 ppm), As(48,3ppm), Cd(4,28ppm), Cu (60,0ppm), Cr (10,00 ppm), Fe (13 865.00 ppm), Mn (1 082 ppm), Pb ( 111,5 ppm), y Zn (777,9 ppm). Los resultados de la concentración de metales pesados en el lote B son: Sb (11,0 0ppm), As (32,50), Cd (3,99 ppm), Cu (38,5- 24,7 ppm), Cr (10,4 ppm), Fe (17 002.00 ppm), Mn (969,2 ppm), Pb (54,5 ppm), y Zn(554,7 ppm). Los resultados de la concentración de metales pesados en el lote C son: Sb (6,00 ppm), As (26,0 ppm), Cd(3,03 ppm), Cu(33,2 ppm), Cr(10,3 ppm), Fe(18 285,00 ppm), Mn( 739,9 ppm), Pb (44,2 ppm), y Zn (426,1) y después de la cosecha de la planta los resultados fueron los siguientes: Lote A Sb(5,00 ppm), As (25,Cd (2,19 ppm),Cu (29,6ppm), Cr (5,1ppm), Fe (6 114,00 ppm), Mn (722,1 ppm),Pb (60,07 ppm), y Zn(314,8ppm) para el lote B: Sb (7,00ppm), As (14,8 ppm), Cd (2,59 ), Cu (24,7 ppm), Cr (6,00 ppm), Fe (9780,00 ppm), Mn (699,5 ppm), Pb (39,1ppm), y Zn (352,4 ppm). Y lote C son: Sb (5,00 ppm), As (18,6 ppm), Cd (3,11 ppm), Cu (29,6 ppm), Cr (5,8 ppm), Fe (11 126 ppm), Mn (671,4 ppm), Pb (43,6 ppm), y Zn (405,7). Los resultados de la caracterización fisicoquímica del suelo contaminado, fue analizado en la Universidad Agraria La Molina nos reportó: pH 6,93, Conductividad eléctrica 0,58, Porcentaje de carbonato 6,0, Porcentaje de Materia Orgánica 3,31, Capacidad de intercambio catiónico 15,78 y la Textura. Suelo Franco. La concentración de metales pesados fitoextraída por el Helianthus annuus L. fue analizado en Certificaciones del Perú, Laboratorio, el método utilizado fue el ICP-Masas y son: Raíz: Sb (2.00 ppm), As (10.27), Cd (2.61 ppm ), Cu (18,97 ppm), Cr (2,735 ppm), Fe (3 519,0 ppm), Mn (204,88 ppm), Pb (17,45 ppm), y Zn (298,3) Hoja: Cd (1,72 ppm), Cu (29,22 ppm), Fe (256,85 ppm), Mn (129,435 ppm), Pb (0,899 ppm), y Zn ( 94,93).Tallo: Cu (5,582 ppm), Fe (276,05 ppm), Mn (32,135 ppm), Pb (0,3685 ppm), y Zn (100,135 ppm) Flor: Cu (43,90 ppm), Cr (10,23 ppm), Fe (9006,67 ppm), Mn (705,53 ppm), Pb (47,87 ppm), y Zn. Semilla: no se reporta concentración de metales pesados con excepción del Cd (0,228 ppm).

New Methods for Testing/Determining the Environmental Exposure to Glyphosate in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Plants

Glyphosate is still the subject of much debate, as several studies report its effects on the environment. Sunflower (GK Milia CL) was set up as an experimental plant and treated with glyphosate concentrations of 500 ppm and 1000 ppm in two treatments. Glyphosate was found to be absorbed from the soil into the plant organism through the roots, which was also detectable in the leaf and root. Glyphosate was also significantly detected in the plant 5 weeks after treatment and in plants that did not receive glyphosate treatment directly, so it could be taken up through the soil. Based on the morphological results, treatment with higher concentrations (1000 ppm) of glyphosate increased the dried mass and resulted in shorter, thicker roots. Histological results also showed that basal and transporter tissue distortions were observed in the glyphosate-treated plants compared to the control group. Cells were distorted with increasing concentration, vacuoles formed, and the cell wall was weakened in both the leaf-treated and inter-row-treated groups. In the future, it will be worth exploring alternative agricultural technologies that can reduce the risk of glyphosate while increasing economic outcomes. This may make the use of glyphosate more environmentally conscious.

Extraction of Dyes from Sunflower Petal and Their Fourier Transform Infrared Characterization

Three solvents of different polarities (water, methanol and 1% NaOHsolution) were used to extract dyes that produced different shades fromdried sunflower (Helianthus annuus) petal. The extraction proceduresusing different solvent types were carried out separately. The dye extractswere thereafter subjected to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry(FT-IR) analysis for characterization in terms of functional groups. Theintensities of the extracted dyes on the shade of colours obtained on piecesof cotton material varied from yellow in methanolic extract to light yellowin aqueous and black in 1% NaOH solution extracts. The results obtainedfrom the FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of several useful functionalgroups such as N-H, C=H, O-H and C=O in the extracts.