Showing papers on "Gentiana published in 2018"

Rapid Characterization and Identification of Chemical Constituents in Gentiana radix before and after Wine-Processed by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MSn

Abstract: Gentiana radix is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has functions of clearing heat and drying dampness, as well as purging liver and gallbladder fire. A highly sensitive and effective strategy for rapid screening and identification of target constituents has been developed by using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix. Based on the accurate mass measurement (<5 ppm), retention times, and MS fragmentation ions, 52 constituents were unambiguously or tentatively characterized from Gentiana radix, including 21 iridoids, 11 flavonoids, 19 xanthones, and a triterpenoid. This study demonstrated that the established method could be a rapid, effective analytical tool for screening and characterization of compounds in the complex systems of Gentiana radix. By comparing the structure and peak areas of chemical constituents in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix, we found that some compounds in crude and wine-processed Gentiana radix were significantly different.

Plant–insect interactions: gentians, seed predators and parasitoid wasps

Abstract: While studying breeding systems and pollination ecology of nine Gentiana species (G. lutea, G. punctata, G. asclepiadea, G. pneumonanthe, G. cruciata, G. pyrenaica, G. verna, G. utriculosa, and G. nivalis) in the Bulgarian mountains, we recorded number of insects that feed on their maturing seeds. In addition, parasitoid wasps in connection to these seed predators were detected. Insects are identified and the impact on the seed set of afore mentioned Gentiana species is estimated. Fruit capsules of Gentiana spp. from different populations in the mountains in Bulgaria were investigated for the presence or absence of damage by larvae during the period of 16 years. The seed destruction varies among the nine investigated Gentiana species. The insects whose larvae damaged the seed/fruit set belonged mainly to Coleoptera and Diptera. The larvae of lycaenid butterflies, Maculinea spp. (Lepidoptera), were recorded only in seeds of G. asclepiadea, G. pneumonanthe and G. cruciata. Parasitoid wasps from the families Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, and Pteromalidae were identified, some of them new for the fauna of Bulgaria.

Gtgen3A, a novel plant GH3 β-glucosidase, modulates gentio-oligosaccharide metabolism in Gentiana .

Abstract: Gentiobiose, a β-1,6-linked glycosyl-disaccharide, accumulates abundantly in Gentianaceae and is involved in aspects of plant development, such as fruits ripening and release of bud dormancy. However, the mechanisms regulating the amount of gentio-oligosaccharide accumulation in plants remain obscure. The present study aimed to identify an enzyme that modulates gentio-oligosaccharide amount in gentian (Gentiana triflora). A protein responsible for gentiobiose hydrolysis, GtGen3A, was identified by partial purification and its peptide sequence analysis. The enzyme had a molecular mass of ∼67 kDa without a secretory signal peptide sequence. Sequence analysis revealed that GtGen3A could be a β-glucosidase member belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 3 (GH3). GtGen3A showed a homology to GH3 β-glucan exohydrolases, ExoI of Hordeum vulgare, and ExgI from Zea mays, which preferentially hydrolyzed β-1,3- and β-1,4-linked oligosaccharides. The purified recombinant GtGen3A (rGtGen3A) produced in Escherichia coli showed optimal reaction at pH 6.5 and 20°C. The rGtGen3A liberated glucose from β-1,2-, β-1,3-, β-1,4-, and β-1,6-linked oligosaccharides, and showed the highest activity toward gentiotriose among the substrates tested. Kinetic analysis also revealed that rGtGen3A preferentially hydrolyzed gentiotriose. Virus-induced gene silencing of Gtgen3A in gentian plantlets resulted in predominant accumulation of gentiotriose rather than gentiobiose. Furthermore, the expression level of Gtgen3A was almost similar to the amount of gentiobiose in field-grown gentians. These findings suggest that the main function of GtGen3A is the hydrolysis of gentiotriose to gentiobiose, and that GtGen3A plays a role in modulating gentiobiose amounts in gentian.

Hepatoprotective properties of Gentiana SPP: Against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disease characterised by the accumulation of fat in the liver. It is estimated that 33 % of the UK population have NAFLD with 2-5 % progressing to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Due to a lack of an outright therapy for NAFLD, treatment has been mainly focussed on managing the conditions associated with the disease such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia. This study aimed to investigate the means by which hepatocyte protection is conferred by Gentiana plants (Gentiana lutea, Gentiana macrophylla, Gentiana scabra and Gentiana rigescens) used in herbal medicine for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD). The role played by some of the inherent Gentiana phytochemicals including: gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarin in promoting hepatocyte protection against the cytotoxic effects of fatty acids were also investigated. Gentiana species: lutea, macrophylla, rigescens, and scabra are known to protect and enhance hepatocyte viability via their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and bitter components including: amarogentin gentianine, iso-orientin, swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, and sweroside. This study was necessitated due to a lack of adequate research on the hepatoprotective effects of the above-named Gentiana species and phytochemicals with special emphasis on their effect on mitochondrial respiration in the presence of fatty acids. At the time of submission, this was the first study to utilise the seahorse mitochondria stress assay to investigate the Gentiana species as well as phytochemicals: gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarin. It was also found that the most abundant phytochemical in all four Gentiana species was gentiopicroside (up to 4.6% g/g), followed by swertiamarin (0.21–0.45% g/g), and sweroside (0.03- 0.4 % g/g). Furthermore, it was also observed that the methanolic extracts of all four Gentiana protected HepG2 and THLE-2 cells by inhibiting arachidonic acid from diminishing cell replication but showed a mitogenic effect mostly observed in gentiopicroside, Gentiana lutea and Gentiana macrophylla. It was concluded that phytochemicals: gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarin play key roles in the hepatocyte protection exerted by methanolic extracts of Gentiana lutea, Gentiana macrophylla, Gentiana scabra and Gentiana rigescens against the cytotoxic effects of fatty acids. This protection is conferred by enhancing mitochondrial function in terms of increasing maximal respiratory capacity in response to high influx of fatty acids, promoting ATP production as well as scavenging ROS produced as a result of high fatty acid influx and increased mitochondrial respiration. However, the mitogenic effect observed in gentiopicroside and Gentiana macrophylla requires further studies using unmodified primary hepatocytes to gain better understanding.

Gentiana laotica, a new species of Gentianaceae from Laos

Abstract: A new species of Gentiana (Gentianaceae), G. laotica Soulad., Tagane & Yahara, from Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, Vientiane Province, central Laos, is described. Photographs, vernacular name, DNA barcodes of rbcL, matK and ITS, and preliminary conservation status are provided for the new species.

Novel gentiana capsule optimized medicinal composition as well as application thereof in analgesia, anti-inflammatory and cholagogic aspects

Abstract: The invention belongs to and relates to a novel gentiana capsule optimized medicinal composition as well as application thereof in analgesia, anti-inflammatory and cholagogic aspects. The invention provides a gentiana capsule optimized medicinal composition; the gentiana capsule optimized medicinal composition is prepared from the following effective components: 120 to 150 parts of loganic acid, 5to 10 parts of shanzhiside methyl ester, 40 to 45 parts of 6'-O-beta-D-glucosyl gentiopicrin, 10 to 15 parts of swertiamarine, 500 to 520 parts of gentiopicrin, 8 to 10 parts of sweroside, 1 to 2 parts of isoorientin and 1 to 2 parts of isovitexin. The medicinal composition has the advantages that the activity of the medicinal composition in the analgesia, anti-inflammatory and cholagogic aspectsis obviously superior to that of the gentiopicrin, the gentiana capsule and gentian total glycoside extract at the aboveground part of the gentian.

Establishment and analysis of tissue and fast-growing normal root cultures of four Gentiana L. species, rare highland medicinal plants

Abstract: N. M. Drobyk, V. M. Mel’nyk, L. R. Hrytsak © 2018 N. M. Drobyk et al.; Published by the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine on behalf of Biopolymers and Cell. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited UDC 577.127: 582.923.1 + 58.085

A morphometric comparison of three closely related species of Gentiana (Gentianaceae), endemic to the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract: Gentiana section Cruciata (Gentianaceae) is mainly found on alpine mountains across Eurasia, with the greatest species diversity occurring on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie...

Gentiana aperta (Gentianaceae) - a new record to India from Ladakh Himalaya

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