Thin-layer chromatographic bioassay of iridoid and secoiridoid glucosides with a fungitoxic aglucone moiety using beta-glucosidase and the fungus Penicillium expansum as a test organism

Simultaneous Quantitative Analysis of the Major Bioactive Compounds in Gentianae Radix and its Beverages by UHPSFC-DAD

This study presents the first ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography-diode array detector (UHPSFC-DAD) assay for simultaneous quantitation of secoiridoids, iridoids, xanthones, and xanthone glycosides in Gentiana lutea L. Separation was reached within 12 min on an Acquity UPC2 BEH 2-EP column using CO2 and methanol with 5.5% water as mobile phases. Method validation for nine selected marker compounds (gentisin, isogentisin, swertiamarin, sweroside, gentiopicroside, loganic acid, amarogentin, gentioside, and its isomer) confirmed the assay's sensitivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy. The practical applicability was proven by the analysis of 13 root specimens and 10 commercial liquid preparations (seven liqueurs and three clear spirits). In all root batches, the secoiridoid gentiopicroside dominated (2.1-5.6%) clearly over all other metabolites. In the liqueurs, the metabolite content and distribution were extremely variable: while gentiopicroside was the main compound in four liqueurs, sweroside dominated in one preparation and loganic acid in two others. In contrast, measurable amounts of the metabolites were not detected in any of the examined clear spirits.

Free radical scavenging activities of yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea L.) measured by electron spin resonance

Yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea L.) is a herbal species with a long-term use in traditional medicine due to its digestive and stomachic properties. This paper presents an investigation of the free radical scavenging activity of methanolic extracts of yellow gentian leaves and roots in two different systems using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Assays were based on the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the superoxide radicals (O2+) generated by the xanthine/ xanthine oxidase (X/XO) system. The results of gentian methanolic extracts were compared with the antioxidant capacity of synthetic antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). This study proves that yellow gentian leaves and roots exhibit considerable antioxidant properties, expressed either by their capability to scavenge DPPH or superoxide radicals.

Monoterpenol Oxidative Metabolism: Role in Plant Adaptation and Potential Applications

Plants use monoterpenols as precursors for the production of functionally and structurally diverse molecules, which are key players in interactions with other organisms such as pollinators, flower visitors, herbivores, fungal, or microbial pathogens. For humans, many of these monoterpenol derivatives are economically important because of their pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, flavor, or fragrance applications. The biosynthesis of these derivatives is to a large extent catalyzed by enzymes from the cytochrome P450 superfamily. Here we review the knowledge on monoterpenol oxidative metabolism in plants with special focus on recent elucidations of oxidation steps leading to diverse linalool and geraniol derivatives. We evaluate the common features between oxidation pathways of these two monoterpenols, such as involvement of the CYP76 family, and highlight the differences. Finally, we discuss the missing steps and other open questions in the biosynthesis of oxygenated monoterpenol derivatives.

Phloem transport of antirrhinoside, an iridoid glycoside, inAsarina scandens (Scrophulariaceae)

Iridoid glycosides, terpene-derived compounds found in many plant families, protect the plant against generalist and nonadapted specialist insect herbivores, fungi, and bacteria. Antirrhinoside, a common iridoid glycoside in the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae), was rapidly labeled when mature leaves ofAsarina scandens were exposed to(14)CO2. Antirrhinoside was translocated in the phloem along with sucrose. Radiolabeled antirrhinoside appeared in the petiole of the labeled leaf within 20 min of the beginning of the labeling period. Antirrhinoside was also found in phloem sap obtained by the EDTA method.

Coping with toxic plant compounds--the insect's perspective on iridoid glycosides and cardenolides

Specializing on host plants with toxic secondary compounds enforces specific adaptation in insect herbivores. In this review, we focus on two compound classes, iridoid glycosides and cardenolides, which can be found in the food plants of a large number of insect species that display various degrees of adaptation to them. These secondary compounds have very different modes of action: Iridoid glycosides are usually activated in the gut of the herbivores by β-glucosidases that may either stem from the food plant or be present in the gut as standard digestive enzymes. Upon cleaving, the unstable aglycone is released that unspecifically acts by crosslinking proteins and inhibiting enzymes. Cardenolides, on the other hand, are highly specific inhibitors of an essential ion carrier, the sodium pump. In insects exposed to both kinds of toxins, carriers either enabling the safe storage of the compounds away from the activating enzymes or excluding the toxins from sensitive tissues, play an important role that deserves further analysis. To avoid toxicity of iridoid glycosides, repression of activating enzymes emerges as a possible alternative strategy. Cardenolides, on the other hand, may lose their toxicity if their target site is modified and this strategy has evolved multiple times independently in cardenolide-adapted insects.

Genetic transformation of Gentiana macrophylla with Agrobacterium rhizogenes: growth and production of secoiridoid glucoside gentiopicroside in transformed hairy root cultures

Hairy root cultures of Gentiana macrophylla were established by infecting the different explants four Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains namely A(4)GUS, R1000, LBA 9402 and ATCC11325, and hairy root lines were established with A. rhizogenes strain R1000 in 1/2 MS + B(5) medium. Initially, 42 independent hairy root clones were maintained and seven clones belongs to different category were evaluated for growth, morphology, integration and expression of Ri T-DNA genes, and alkaloid contents in dry root samples. On the basis of total root elongation, lateral root density and biomass accumulation on solid media, hairy root clones were separated into three categories. PCR and Southern hybridization analysis revealed both left and right T-DNA integration in the root clones and RT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of hairy root inducible gene. GUS assay was also performed to confirm the integration of left T-DNA. The accumulation of considerable amounts of the root-specific secoiridoid glucosides gentiopicroside was observed in GM1 (T +/L and T +/R) and the GM2 (T +/L and T -/R DNA) type clones in considerably higher amount whether as two T -/L but T +/R callus-type clones (GM3) accumulated much less or only very negligible amounts of gentiopicroside. Out of four media composition the 1/2 MS + B(5) vitamin media was found most suitable. We found that initial establishment of root cultures largely depends on root:media ratio. Maximum growth rate was recorded in 1:50 root:media ratio. The maximum biomass in terms of fresh weight (33-fold) was achieved in 1/2 MS + B(5) media composition after 35 days in comparison to sixfold increase in control. The biomass increase was most abundant maximum from 15 to 30 days. Influence of A. rhizogenes strains and Ri plasmid of hairy root induction, the possible role of the T(L)-DNA and T(R)-DNA genes on growth pattern of hairy root, initial root inoculum:media ratio and effect of media composition is discussed.

Systemic, genotype-specific induction of two herbivore-deterrent iridoid glycosides in Plantago lanceolata L. in response to fungal infection by Diaporthe adunca (Rob.) Niessel

Iridoid glycosides are a group of terpenoid secondary plant compounds known to deter generalist insect herbivores. In ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), the iridoid glycosides aucubin and catalpol can be induced following damage by insect herbivores. In this study, we investigated whether the same compounds can be induced following infection by the fungal pathogen Diaporthe adunca, the causal agent of a stalk disease in P. lanceolata. Significant induction of aucubin and catalpol was observed in two of the three plant genotypes used in this study following inoculation with the pathogen. In one of the genotypes, induction occurred within 6 hr after inoculation, and no decay was observed within 8 days. The highest level of induction was observed in reproductive tissues (spikes and stalks) where infection took place. In these tissues, iridoid glycoside levels in infected plants were, on average, 97% and 37% higher than the constitutive levels in the corresponding control plants, respectively. Significant induction was also observed in leaves (24%) and roots (17%). In addition to significant genotypic variation in the level of induction, we found genetic variation for the tissue-specific pattern of induction, further broadening the scope for evolutionary fine-tuning of induced responses. Recent studies have revealed a negative association between iridoid glycoside levels in P. lanceolata genotypes and the amount of growth and reproduction of D. adunca that these genotypes support. However, for the three genotypes used in the present study, differences in resistance were not related to their constitutive or induced levels of iridoid glycosides, suggesting that additional resistance mechanisms are important in this host-pathogen system. We conclude that iridoid glycosides in P. lanceolata can be induced both by arthropods and pathogenic micro-organisms. Pathogen infection could, therefore, potentially enhance resistance to generalist insect herbivores in this species.