Julia Cano-Sosa

Krugiodendron ferreum (Vahl) Urb. (KF), commonly known as Ch’iin took’, is a species native to the Yucatan Mexico, whose phytochemical composition remains poorly characterized. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolomic profile, antioxidant capacity, and preliminary cellular activity of KF. An aqueous extract was obtained from KF bark (20 mg/mL). Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using ORAC and DPPH assays. Total phenolic content was evaluated by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The phenolic profile was determined by UPLC-PDA-MS, and preliminary cellular activity was evaluated by estimating cell number based on the quantification of DAPI-stained nuclei after 72 h of treatment with extract concentrations ranging from 3 to 3000 μg/mL. The extract showed an antioxidant capacity of 1765 ± 59.1 Trolox equivalents/mL and 85.9 ± 0.34% of DPPH radical scavenging activity. The total polyphenol content was 1163 ± 61.5 mg GAE/L, and its phenolic profile was mainly characterized by catechin 3-O-rhamnoside, taxifolin 3-O-rhamnoside, and myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside. Cell activity analysis revealed that both the 3 and 300 μg/mL concentrations increased the number of cells and the area covered by them compared with the control group at 48 and 72 h. The 3000 μg/mL concentration showed no difference compared with the water control. Our results suggest that KF contains polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant properties without affecting cellular response.

Urolithiasis (UL) is the presence of stones in the kidneys or urinary tract; its prevalence has increased worldwide. Thus, strategies have been sought to reduce it and one of them is the use of medicinal plants due to their accessibility, low cost, and cultural traditions. Studies on traditional medicinal plants in UL mainly documented results of litholytic and urinary parameters. Although, stone formation is related to oxidative stress and inflammation, and only a few studies are focused on these types of biomarkers. Thus, the aim of the present review was to summarize studies showing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of traditional medicinal plants used in UL management. We performed a scoping review; the database sources used were MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar, SpringerLink, Scielo and Redalyc. From a total of 184 studies screened, six were included from China (2), India (3), and Corea (1). These studies have shown the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of traditional medicinal plants, including Glechoma longituba (G. longituba), Bergenia ligulate (B. ligulate), Lygodium japonicum (L. japonicum), Citrus limon (C. limon), Xanthium strumarium (X. strumarium) and Tribulus terrestris (T. terrestris). They have also described their molecular mechanism of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects through the activation of antioxidant genes induced by Nrf2 or by suppressing the inflammatory gene expression by the inhibition of NFκ-B. These effects could be modulated by their bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenes, present in these plants. This review summarizes the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of traditional medicinal plants and highlights their molecular mechanisms of action and main bioactive compounds. This evidence may be used in biotechnology and synthetic biology areas for the development of new products from plant-derived compounds to reduce the high recurrence rates of UL.

(1) Background: Plastic contamination is on the rise, despite ongoing research focused on alternatives such as bioplastics. However, most bioplastics require specific conditions to biodegrade. A promising alternative involves using microorganisms isolated from landfill soils that have demonstrated the ability to degrade plastic materials. (2) Methods: Soil samples were collected, and bacteria were isolated, characterized, and molecularly identified. Their degradative capacity was evaluated using the zone of clearing method, while their qualitative and structural degradative activity was assessed in a liquid medium on poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) films prepared by the cast method. (3) Results: Three strains—Bacillus cereus CHU4R, Acinetobacter baumannii YUCAN, and Pseudomonas otitidis YUC44—were selected. These strains exhibited the ability to cause severe damage to the microscopic surface of the films, attack the ester bonds within the PBS structure, and degrade lower-weight PBS molecules during the process. (4) Conclusions: this study represents the first report of strains isolated in Yucatán with plastic degradation activity. The microorganisms demonstrated the capacity to degrade PBS films by causing surface and structural damage at the molecular level. These findings suggest that the strains could be applied as an alternative in plastic biodegradation.

Los pesticidas sintéticos utilizados para combatir las garrapatas pierden su eficacia contra determinadas especies y pueden afectar la salud humana. En el presente estudio se evaluó in vitro e in vivo el efecto del extracto acuoso de semillas de Pimpinella anisum (P. anisum) contra Rhipicephalus sanguineus e Ixodes affinis, garrapatas del perro doméstico. En las evaluaciones in vitro se aplicaron directamente a las garrapatas concentraciones de 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75 y 100 % del extracto acuoso de P. anisum. Las concentraciones que provocaron mayor efectividad en la inmovilización fueron 50%, 75% y 100%, pero esta última provocó una inmovilización por mayor tiempo (55.89 ± 0.16 min). En la evaluación in vivo, el extracto acuoso concentrado se aplicó sobre garrapatas adheridas a la piel de perros domésticos. Se utilizó Amitraz, un garrapaticida comercial, como testigo positivo. Tanto el extracto acuoso concentrado como el Amitraz provocaron el 100 % del desprendimiento de garrapatas. Sin embargo, el extracto acuoso concentrado de semillas de P. anisum fue más efectivo para reducir el tiempo promedio de desprendimiento de las garrapatas (60.81 ± 3.17 min) en comparación con el garrapaticida comercial Amitraz (145.12 ± 15.97 min). Esta investigación sugiere que el p-anisaldehído identificado en el extracto acuoso podría estar relacionado con la inmovilización y desprendimiento de R. sanguineus e I. affinis de los perros domésticos, lo que sugiere que este extracto podría usarse como biopesticida para controlar las garrapatas en perros domésticos.

Background: Chrysanthemum is one of the most popular landscape plants worldwide. Introducing desirable traits into this plant by conventional breeding has limitations due to cross-incompatibility. An approach to this problem is the introduction of resistance or tolerance traits via plant genetic transformation. In vitro regeneration of plants is necessary for implementing genetic transformation systems; therefore, regeneration via morphogenesis is required before any genetic transformation attempt. Objective: To induce morphogenesis from the leaf explant of Dendranthema grandiflora var Micromargara. Methodology: Micropropagation from node cuttings was induced from node cuttings of 3 cm in length from 6 months-old plants that were used as explants to produce seedlings as source explants. Morphogenesis experiments were done using leaf segments of 1 cm2 from 8-weeks-old in vitro seedlings. The explants were transferred to basal medium Murashige and Skoog at 4.4 gL-1 supplemented with different plant growth regulators. During the morphogenic process, leaves samples were collected to detect which morphogenic process was induced. Results: Node cuttings culture on Murashige and Skoog medium at 3.3 gL-1 supplemented with benzylaminopurine at 2.2 µM yielded a vegetative growth increase from 1 to 7 shoots, 2 to 12 leaves per node cutting, and the stem length of 3 to 9.5 cm. The leaf explant induced three ways of in vitro morphogenesis: direct and indirect roots organogenesis (rhizogenesis) and, shoot organogenesis. Direct rhizogenesis was induced in plant growth regulator-free Murashige and Skoog medium (18 roots/explant). Indirect rhizogenesis from leaf explant was less efficient than direct rhizogenesis, get obtaining six roots per leaf explant cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium at 4.4 g L-1 supplemented with 0.4 µM thidiazuron and 4.5 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and three roots per leaf explant cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0.4 µM thidiazuron and 9.05 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Indirect shoot organogenesis was induced from leaf explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog at 4.4 g L-1 supplemented with 13.32 µM benzylaminopurine and 4.83 µM naphthalene acetic acid; 50% of explants with callus formed shoots (2 shoots/leaf explant). Through histological analysis it was possible to verify that the morphogenic response obtained was organogenesis. Implications: Regeneration of Dendranthema grandiflora var. Micromargara established herein will allow improvement of the variety through techniques of genetic transformation mediated by Agrobacterium and any other strategy to incorporate or silence genes of interest in the plant. Conclusion: The high capacity to induce roots of Dendranthema grandiflora var Micromargara, may provide an efficient model for further investigating the mechanism of rhizogenesis from leaf explants cultured without plant growth regulators.

In order to standardize the quality of agricultural products, it is necessary to control the factors affecting plant development, such as plant nutrition. The best results in terms of homogeneity of the quality of vegetable crops were achieved using inert substrates and application of nutrients; however, production costs are high due to the cost of irrigation systems and substrate management and importation. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the local substrate mix and the amount of organic fertilizer on different quality parameters of coriander. To evaluate the quality of coriander, we considered different parameters such as size, biomass, antioxidant capacity and aroma (evaluated by volatile compounds detection with gas chromatography). The results show that the culture system differentially affects each parameter, and the compounds associated with the aroma of coriander and the diameter of plants are sensitive to the culture system, while the length of plants, number of leaves and antioxidant activity are not affected by the concentration of fertilizer. Moreover, organic farming conditions do not reduce quality parameters of the crops when using adequate fertilization. Additionally, local substrates would be practical substitutes for expensive importations.