Abeer Ayed Alshammari

Plants are a rich source of active metabolites that have been used to treat inflammation troubles. The current study aimed to identify the analgesic and anti-inflammatory compounds in Farsetia aegyptia and Zilla spinosa extracts. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using the xylene-induced ear edema model in mice and the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in Wistar rats. Additionally, both central and peripheral analgesic effects were assessed in mice. The anti-lipoxygenase activity was examined through an in vitro enzyme inhibition assay. The phytochemical composition of the bioactive extracts was characterized using High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (HR-LCMS). The aqueous extracts of both species exhibited the strongest anti-inflammatory activity. The F. aegyptia extract showed inhibition percentages of 51.82% at 6.25 mg/kg and 51.14% at 0.78 mg/kg, while the Z. spinosa extract yielded 65.05% inhibition at 12.5 mg/kg and 56.14% at 1.56 mg/kg in the paw and ear edema models, respectively. These extracts also demonstrated significant analgesic activity and inhibited lipoxygenase, with IC₅₀ values of 0.063 mg/mL for F. aegyptia and 0.072 mg/mL for Z. spinosa. HR-LCMS analysis revealed that the main constituent in Fa was malic acid (18.83%), while retronecine (19.03%) was the primary compound in Z. spinosa. Quercetin 3-[rhamnosyl-(1->2)-rhamnosyl-(1->6)-glucoside] was detected in both extracts with important proportions 7.87% in F. aegyptia and 8.29% in Z. spinosa and displayed the best docking score of −9.2 kcal/mol against the 5-lipoxygenase receptor (PDB: 3V99) in molecular docking studies. Overall, these findings indicate that F. aegyptia and Z. spinosa have significant potential as sources of novel anti-inflammatory agents.

As global temperatures continue to rise, heat stress poses a serious threat to crop productivity and food security. Developing effective strategies to enhance thermotolerance is therefore critical. This study investigates the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying the protective role of Myoinositol (MyIs) in enhancing heat tolerance in Chenopodium quinoa exposed to varying thermal stress conditions (30 °C, 35 °C, and 40 °C), with or without MyIs application. Heat stress markedly reduced biomass accumulation, relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic efficiency, and membrane stability, while increasing oxidative damage, as evidenced by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), superoxide radicals (O₂•⁻), and electrolyte leakage (EL). MyIs significantly mitigated these adverse effects by enhancing shoot and root growth, maintaining higher RWC and photosynthetic performance, and reducing oxidative stress markers. Biochemical profiling revealed restoration of total soluble sugars, protein, and free amino acids, alongside elevated glycine betaine (GB) and abscisic acid (ABA), contributing to improved osmotic adjustment and stress signaling. Gene expression analysis showed upregulation of key heat-responsive genes (sHSP18.1, HSP20, HSP70, HSP83, and NSY), indicating a transcriptional basis for MyIs-induced heat tolerance. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that MyIs functions as a potent bio-regulator, conferring thermoprotection through integrated physiological and molecular responses, and offers promising potential for improving heat resilience in crops.

The genus Anisosciadium, belonging to the Apiaceae family, has been traditionally recognized for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. However, scientific research on this genus is still limited, highlighting the need for a comprehensive review of its chemical composition and pharmacological characteristics. A comprehensive compilation of data was conducted using major databases such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. In this review, we collected and organized the available information of identified compounds from different species of the genus Anisosciadium, covering the literature from 2003 to 2024. In total, 64 phytoconstituents were detected. The findings suggest that the traditional therapeutic properties of Anisosciadium are well supported by the reported pharmacological activities from previous studies. Notably, these studies highlight its antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic effects, emphasizing the potential of this genus in the development of new therapeutic agents. Nonetheless, the lack of comparative studies among Anisosciadium species and the scarcity of in vivo studies and clinical trials limit the full realization of its therapeutic potential. Specifically, comparative studies could be crucial in identifying species with unique chemical profiles and understanding how variations in secondary metabolite compositions may influence their pharmacological activities.