More Than Just a Weed: An Exploration of the Antimicrobial Activity of Rumex crispus using a Multivariate Data Analysis Approach

High-Throughput Screening of Plant Extracts for Targeted Control of Burkholderia glumae, Causing Rice Sheath and Panicle Blight

Rice (Oryza sativa), a staple crop worldwide, is severely threatened by bacterial panicle blight caused by Burkholderia glumae, leading to substantial yield losses. The lack of effective chemical treatments and resistant rice cultivars highlights the urgent need for alternative solutions. In this study, 1,134 plant extracts were screened for antibacterial activity against B. glumae using agar disc diffusion and liquid broth assays. Thirty-three extracts exhibited significant growth inhibition on agar plates. These 33 extracts were further tested in Luria- Bertani broth, where five showed notable activity, and two extracts-Trapa japonica (FBCC-EP312) and Rumex crispus (FBCC-EP487)-were selected for detailed analysis. Both extracts significantly reduced bacterial motility and disease severity in rice, while having no effect on non-target bacteria such as Escherichia coli. These findings highlight the potential of these plant-derived compounds as effective biocontrol agents, offering an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides and promising applications in sustainable agriculture.

Non-targeted metabolomics-based molecular networking enables the chemical characterization of Rumex sanguineus, a wild edible plant

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Rumex sanguineus, a traditional medicinal plant of the Polygonaceae family, is gaining popularity as an edible resource. However, despite its historical and nutritional significance, its chemical composition remains poorly understood. To deepen the understanding of the of Rumex sanguineus composition, an in-depth analysis using non-targeted, mass spectrometry-based metabolomics was performed.  METHODS: Rumex roots, stems and leaves samples were analyzed by UHPLC-HRMS and subsequently subjected to feature-based molecular networking.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Overall, 347 primary and specialized metabolites grouped into 8 biochemical classes were annotated. Most of these metabolites (60%) belong to the polyphenols and anthraquinones classes. To investigate potential' toxicity due to the presence of anthraquinones, the amount of emodin was quantified with analytical standard, revealing higher accumulation in leaves compared to stems and roots. This highlights the need for thorough metabolomic studies to understand both beneficial and harmful compounds, especially in plants with historical medicinal use transitioning to modern culinary use.

Metabolite Profiling and Bioactivities of Leaves, Stems, and Flowers of Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer, a Traditional African Medicinal Plant

The comprehensive identification of secondary metabolites represents a fundamental step for the assessment of bioactivities and pharmacological properties of traditional herbal drugs. Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer has been described as a multipurpose remedy in different African traditional pharmacopoeias, but its phytochemical profile has not been properly investigated. Herein we report a high throughput metabolomic screening, based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-travelling wave ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight (UHPLC-TWINS-QTOF), which was performed for the first time on different R. usambarensis plant parts. By applying high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometric analysis, a complete discrimination of different aerial parts was obtained, with the annotation of 153 significant metabolites in leaves, stems, and flowers, suggesting an easy authentication and discrimination route. Phytochemical data were correlated to antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Flavonoids, benzopyranes, chromones, and xanthones derivatives, along with a richer phytocomplex, might be responsible for the stronger bioactivities obtained from flowers.

Phytochemistry in the Ethnopharmacology of North and Central America

Traditionally the role of phytochemistry in the ethnopharmacology of North and Central America has been to characterize plant materials so that they can be produced reproducibly for commercial use or to identify active principles in unstudied traditional medicines for drug discovery. With new decolonial objectives coming from Indigenous communities, emphasis has shifted to evaluating the safety and efficacy of traditional medicines and preparations for community use. With new techniques and technologies available, scientific focus has shifted from individual bioactives to more rapid and comprehensive chemical characterizations and polypharmacy of traditional medicines. Untargeted metabolomics and associated statistical treatments have greatly expanded identification of components, improved species and cultivar identification and provided means for identifying multiple activity biomarkers, via chemometric and biochemometric analysis. New integrated techniques are available for identifying multiple active principles and synergists. The recent explosion of information is not without problems that need to be addressed including many unconfirmed tentative identifications of phytochemicals, lack of quantitative testing, superficial chemical activity testing and continuing need for dereplication.