BACKGROUND: In this research paper efforts have been made to document the ethno-botanical knowledge of important plant species found in Northern Pakistan. It includes Thandiani, Galiat, Kaghan, Swat, Buner, Dir, Chitral and Northern Areas of Pakistan. The area has many climatic and vegetation zones or biomes. Locals residing in mountainous areas belonging to various ethnic groups are traditionally utilizing plants over many generations; these ethnic groups have their distinct life style, belief, traditions and cultural heritage. METHODS: Plant collection and data regarding traditional uses in various areas of Northern Pakistan has been done periodically in different flowering /fruiting seasons. Locals of old age belonging to various ethnic groups were personally interviewed for establishing uses of plants. Photography is done for easy identification and habitat recognition. Collected plant specimens and seeds were preserved. Plant species were dried, mounted, identified and authenticated. RESULT: 135 genera belonging from 66 families of angiosperms and gymnosperms were studied and described.76 species were known to have traditional and ethno botanical uses. Plants have been utilized for many generations. Ethnic groups have distinct life style and have different economic uses for these plants. Due to unsustainable exploitation of natural habitats scarcity of drug plants has occurred. As consequence some species are depleting and may become extinct in near future, e.g. Morchella esculenta, Colchicum lueteum and Viola serpens are just a few of these. CONCLUSION: Although some sporadic information is available about the flora of this region but very little documented record of the ethno-botanically important plants has been established. It is expected that this research paper will be beneficial for students, researchers, farmers, foresters and general public. On the basis of data obtained it is concluded that ethno-botanical Flora of Northern Pakistan is quite rich and is diverse, due to the difference in altitude, climate and other topographic conditions.
Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are common and severe after cardiothoracic surgery, leading to prolonged hospital stays, increased medical burden, and elevated mortality. Driven by patient-related, surgery-related, and perioperative factors, PPCs are characterized by a pathophysiology involving inflammation, oxidative stress, alveolar injury, and airway obstruction. This review aims to systematically summarize PPCs' risk factors, pathogenesis, and the role of botanical drugs, providing a scientific basis for clinical decision-making. Relevant literature published from 2010 to 2025 were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library using keywords such as "Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs)", "Botanical drugs", "Pathogenesis", "Risk factors", and "Cardiothoracic surgery". Eligible English studies [randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, systematic reviews, etc.] were included, with low-quality studies and those unrelated to cardiothoracic surgery excluded. Quality assessment was performed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and Risk of Bias Tool 2.0 (RoB 2), and 55 studies were finally included for data extraction and synthesis. Key PPCs risk factors include patient-related [age ≥65 years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking history], surgery-related [extensive resection, prolonged one-lung ventilation (OLV)], and perioperative factors (inadequate analgesia, prolonged bed rest). Core pathophysiological mechanisms involve Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway-mediated inflammation, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress, alveolar type II cell dysfunction, and airway obstruction. Botanical drugs (e.g., Huanglian Jiedu Decoction, andrographolide, and Salvia miltiorrhiza extract) exert protective effects against PPCs by modulating inflammatory pathways, scavenging free radicals, and preserving the pulmonary barrier; however, relevant studies are limited by small sample sizes and single-center study designs. PPCs' pathogenesis is complex, and clarifying their risk factors and mechanisms provides clinical intervention targets. Botanical drugs, with multi-target effects, serve as valuable supplements to modern medicine for PPCs management. Future research should focus on large-sample, multicenter RCTs to validate botanical drugs' efficacy and safety, and explore integrated Chinese-Western medicine strategies to optimize postoperative recovery.
Botanical insecticides have re-emerged as promising tools within Integrated Pest Management (IPM) due to their biodegradability, chemical diversity, and potential compatibility with resistance management strategies. Although frequently considered safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides, growing evidence indicates that these compounds may also affect non-target organisms, particularly bees. This review discusses the selectivity of botanical insecticides toward pollinators by integrating historical perspectives, mechanisms of action, ecotoxicological effects, and current limitations in risk assessment approaches. Botanical insecticides may induce both lethal and sublethal effects, including alterations in behavior, locomotion, feeding, development, reproduction, and physiology across different bee groups. We also demonstrate that most available studies remain concentrated on Apis mellifera, adult workers, and acute laboratory assays, while important pollinator groups and chronic exposure scenarios remain poorly explored. Furthermore, current regulatory protocols are still largely based on models developed for synthetic pesticides. Expanding ecotoxicological approaches is therefore essential to improve pollinator safety assessments and support more sustainable pest management strategies.
The global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among priority bacterial pathogens represents a critical threat to public health, necessitating the development of alternative therapeutic strategies. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Terminalia chebula), a traditionally used medicinal plant rich in hydrolysable tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenolic metabolites, has emerged as a promising candidate due to its broad-spectrum antimicrobial and pharmacological properties. This systematic review critically evaluates the in-vitro antimicrobial activity and resistance-modifying potential of T. chebula fruit extracts against ESKAPE pathogens, including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species and Escherichia coli as a representative of the Enterobacteriaceae (now Enterobacterales) family. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251024476). Based on predefined criteria, 24 studies were included for qualitative analysis. The findings demonstrate that T. chebula extracts exhibit in vitro antimicrobial activity, with ethanolic and methanolic extracts showing enhanced higher efficacy, particularly against multidrug-resistant strains of S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. Notably, few studies reported synergistic interactions between phytochemicals and conventional antibiotics, suggesting antibiotic resistance-modifying roles. Mechanistic insights suggest that metabolites such as chebulagic acid, chebulinic acid, and gallic acid contribute to antimicrobial activity by disrupting the bacterial cell membranes, inhibiting biofilm formation, and interfering with resistance pathways. However, substantial variations in extraction methods and experimental designs limit cross-study comparability, highlighting the need for standardized protocols. Overall, the evidence supports the potential of T. chebula act as a resistance-modifying and an antibiotic adjuvant. Future studies should prioritize bioassay-guided isolation, mechanistic validation, and preclinical evaluation to facilitate translational application in combating AMR.
Coptis teeta, Andrographis paniculata, and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis are widely used in herbal remedies for the treatment of various diseases in Southeast Asia. In Arunachal Pradesh, India, these plants are combined by traditional healers to treat malaria. The study aimed to evaluate the antimalarial potential of the traditionally used polyherbal combination through in vitro screening against chloroquine-sensitive (Pf3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (PfRKL9) strains of Plasmodium falciparum, and in vivo antimalarial activity against the P. berghei ANKA strain. The study also aimed to study the molecular interactions of putatively detected phytocompounds against P. falciparum dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (PfDHFR-TS) using molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Taxonomic identification was carried out at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Shillong. The cold maceration technique was used to prepare different combinations in different ratios for in-vitro antimalarial screening. Using two concentrations, a preliminary in vitro antimalarial screening was conducted to identify the most potent polyherbal combination. Following this, the most potent combination was subjected to in vitro antimalarial studies, cytotoxicity studies, a blood hemolysis assay, and in vivo studies in P. berghei-infected mice. Liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was performed on the individual extracts to detect putative phytocompounds. In silico studies were done to study the molecular interactions of the putatively identified phytocompounds with PfDHFR-TS. A combination of powdered rhizomes of C. teeta, leaves of N. arbor-tristis, and aerial parts (leaves and young shoots) of A. paniculata in the ratio 5:2:3 was identified as the most potent polyherbal combination against P. falciparum. The cytotoxicity and blood hemolysis assays confirmed that the combination has negligible toxicity and has no hemolytic effect. Acute toxicity studies showed that the LD50 of the polyherbal combination was greater than 2000 mg/kg body weight. The in-vivo antimalarial study revealed that the polyherbal combination exhibits greater parasite-suppressive activity than the individual extracts but could not outperform the standard drugs. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that the LC-HRMS-detected compounds (specifically, PubChem CIDs 23786445, 23874507, 38360299, 332427, and 38361380) exhibited stable interactions with PfDHFR-TS and may be one of the contributing factors to the observed antimalarial activity. This study reveals that the traditional practice of using polyherbal combinations rather than individual plants yields greater antimalarial activity. The findings of the study encourage the development of an antimalarial polyherbal formulation after performing pharmacokinetic profiling of these specific computational candidates and extended toxicity studies of the combined polyherbal extract.
The richness of flora and traditional medical knowledge in the West African country Benin translate into the integral role of medicinal plants in local healthcare. This study explored the current status of traditional medicine research in Benin by evaluating data from ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical surveys carried out between 2014 and 2023 and identifying knowledge gaps within the sustainable use of plant-based remedies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used to guide the execution of the review. A total of 129 studies identified in scientific databases were analysed. The top 20 cited plant species were subjected to a comprehensive literature review to evaluate the experimental evidence to support the reported traditional uses. A total of 765 plant species belonging to 141 botanical families were cited in the included studies to treat various animal and human diseases, including infectious diseases, digestive disorders and metabolic diseases. Severe gaps in the documentation of plant collection practices, preparation stability, and preservation techniques were observed. Khaya senegalensis A.Juss. (41 citing studies), Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) R.Br. ex G. Don (37 citing studies) and Ocimum gratissimum L. (33 citing studies) were the most frequently cited plants. Comparison of the scientific literature on the 20 most cited plant species revealed a lack of experimental evidence, even for the most frequent traditional uses. This study illustrated the wide spectrum of plant species applied in Beninese traditional medicine and the critical lack of experimental evidence for their traditional applications and the conservation of medicinal preparations. These findings underscore the need for sustainable harvesting practices, community-based conservation measures, and evidence-based use of plant resources to preserve biodiversity and support long-term availability. This calls for a national database, quality standards, and better integration of traditional medicine into modern healthcare.
Development of resistance and the accumulation of pesticide residues in food and the environment are the main obstacles to the overuse of synthetic insecticides. In this context, the insecticidal activity of environmentally sustainable and nontoxic essential oils (EO), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) evaluated against second and fourth instars of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and third instar of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry used to determine the chemical composition of the EO. After 24 h of exposure, the most larvicidal potency and developmental inhibition were achieved by clove, wherein the LC50s were 3.62% and 3.82% against second and fourth instars of S. littoralis, respectively, and 2.33% against S. frugiperda. Then followed by lemongrass with LC50 of 6.38 and 12.03% against the second and fourth instars of S. littoralis, respectively, while citronella showed LC50 of 4.76% against S. frugiperda. Biochemical assays indicated that AChE activity differed according to oil type and tested instar. GST and alpha-esterase activities were slightly inhibited in all treatments. The oils significantly inhibited amylase activity. Eucalyptus and lemongrass stimulated lipase activity, while clove and citronella oils demonstrated the lowest activity. Molecular docking studies illustrated the mode of action of the tested oils against S. littoralis and S. frugiperda. The EOs had significant insecticidal and biochemical effects against the examined lepidopterans; therefore, they may be used as a botanical alternative for controlling these pests.
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Background Chronic pain, including low back pain (LBP), represents a major global public health issue and significantly affects quality of life. Low back pain is a highly prevalent condition worldwide and remains a growing public health concern.​​​​​​ Current conventional management includes pharmacological approaches such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and muscle relaxants, as well as non-pharmacological interventions including physical therapy and physiotherapy. Nutraceuticals are increasingly used as an adjunctive strategy, particularly in patients intolerant to conventional pharmacological treatments or requiring long-term management. Although some evidence supports their potential benefit, the overall quality of clinical data remains heterogeneous, and further well-designed studies are needed to establish efficacy and optimal use. Among these, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and botanical extracts such as Acmella oleracea have been individually investigated; however, evidence regarding their combined use remains limited and insufficiently explored.  Methods This pilot, open-label clinical trial evaluated the effects of a novel nutraceutical combination containing PEA and Acmella oleracea extract in subjects with low back pain with sciatica over a 4-week period. Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), while pain characteristics were evaluated using the validated Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire. The impact on daily living activities, as well as safety and tolerability, was also investigated. Results Sixty participants were recruited. Baseline NRS score was 5.12±0.79 and showed a significant reduction as early as 3 days after supplementation, with continued improvement throughout the study period, reaching 1.65 ± 0.66 at the end of the study (p<0.001). DN4 scores also decreased significantly over time, with reductions observed across most neuropathic pain descriptors. Improvements in daily functioning were similarly significant. The nutraceutical combination was well tolerated, with no relevant adverse events reported. Conclusions Although preliminary, these findings suggest that the investigated nutraceutical combination may represent a safe and potentially effective approach with a relatively rapid onset of action for the management of chronic low back pain with neuropathic features, including sciatica. Further randomized, controlled studies are warranted to confirm these results and to better define the clinical role of this approach.
Interest in phytotherapy and phytogenic additives in veterinary medicine and animal production has increased considerably, driven by the search for functional alternatives to extensive antimicrobial use and the growing emphasis on food safety. In this context, Curcuma longa L. and its main bioactive compound, curcumin, have attracted attention because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties. This review synthesizes recent evidence on the use of C. longa and curcumin in veterinary medicine, with emphasis on the botanical and phytochemical basis of the plant, the main biological mechanisms involved, and reported applications in poultry, swine, ruminants, aquaculture, and companion animals. It further highlights that the interpretation of findings is strongly influenced by botanical identity, phytochemical variability, product type, standardization, dose and route of administration. Available evidence indicates promising effects on antioxidant status, intestinal health, productive performance and hepatic protection in selected experimental models. However, translation into practice remains constrained by the low oral bioavailability of curcumin, formulation heterogeneity and inconsistent reporting. Overall, C. longa represents a promising phytogenic resource, but robust veterinary recommendations require studies in target species, better characterized products and standardized experimental protocols for application.
Pueraria candollei var. mirifica (Airy Shaw and Suvat.) Niyomdham (Pueraria mirifica), locally known as "White Kwao Krua" or "white kudzu", is a renowned medicinal botanical drug indigenous to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Myanmar. It has long been utilized in ethnomedicine for estrogen-related conditions and age-associated functional decline. This review critically evaluates the nexus between its botanical characteristics, traditional ethnopharmacological uses, and contemporary evidence regarding its therapeutic potential. A structured literature search was conducted across multiple international and Chinese databases up to 2025, with screening based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria focusing on botanical identity, chemical composition, pharmacological activity, toxicological evidence, and clinical findings. Taxonomic validity and geographic distribution were verified using Plants of the World Online (POWO) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The names and chemical formulas of secondary metabolites were verified using the PubChem database, and the structures were drawn using ChemDraw 22.2. Phytochemical studies on the rhizomes of P. mirifica showed that it contains 106 kinds of secondary metabolites, including benzopyrans, isoflavones and their glycosides, coumarins, steroids, fatty acids and their derivatives, and other metabolites. Pharmacological evidence demonstrates that P. mirifica exhibits potent estrogenic, anti-osteoporotic, and antioxidant activities, alongside neuroprotective and immunomodulatory effects. Clinical data suggest that its high concentration of potent phytoestrogens effectively mitigates vasomotor symptoms and urogenital syndromes in menopausal women, while positively influencing lipid metabolism and bone mineral density. P. mirifica represents a high-potency phytoestrogenic candidate for menopause management. Nevertheless, the translation from traditional use to clinical standardization is hindered by a lack of rigorous pharmacokinetic data and inconsistent quality control of metabolites. Future research should move beyond descriptive summaries toward mechanistic studies that define long-term safety margins and standardized dose-response relationships in order to ensure therapeutic reliability.
Kurarinone (KRN) is a major prenylated flavanone isolated from Sophora flavescens, widely recognized for its diverse pharmacological activities and growing therapeutic relevance. This review provides a comprehensive and updated overview of KRN, encompassing its botanical occurrence, phytochemical characteristics, structural elucidation, and biotransformation pathways, alongside in-depth analyses of its pharmacological activities, molecular mechanisms, and pharmacokinetic behavior across experimental models. A structured literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the keywords "Kurarinone," "Sophora flavescens flavonoids," "prenylated flavanones," and related terms. Studies reporting natural occurrence, chemical isolation, biotransformation, physicochemical properties, pharmacological mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity were included. In vitro and in vivo experimental studies and clinical disease models were prioritized, while non-primary sources and incomplete reports were excluded. KRN exhibited a broad pharmacological profile, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and organ-protective effects, driven by its capacity to orchestrate multiple signaling networks. Mechanistically, KRN regulated pivotal molecular pathways, such as NF-κB, MAPK, JAK2/STAT3, PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, and caspase-dependent apoptosis, thereby modulating inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis. Biotransformation studies reveal rapid conversion into glucuronide and hydroxyl conjugates. pharmacokinetic evidence indicated poor oral bioavailability (less than 50%), extensive Phase II metabolism, and tissue-specific accumulation, particularly in hepatic compartments. While these characteristics may contribute to therapeutic action, dose-dependent hepatotoxicity has been reported, highlighting critical translational challenges and the need for formulation advances and safety optimization. Future research should emphasize pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling, nano-delivery systems, toxicity profiling, and well-designed clinical studies to support its translational development.
Kratom ( Mitragyna speciosa ) is a psychoactive botanical with a long history of use in Southeast Asia and growing uptake in the United States for its analgesic, stimulant, and mood-altering properties. The evidence base remains limited, and retail products vary widely in composition and potency. This narrative review highlights what is known about kratom's pharmacology and suggests a practical research and regulatory path toward evaluating its potential therapeutic applications within current regulatory frameworks, based on lessons from cannabis. A central distinction is between whole leaf products and those that are enriched in active constituents or that include semisynthetic derivatives. Because these categories differ in chemistry, pharmacology, and expected risk, they require different evidence standards. Priorities include development of chemically defined botanical preparations, validated analytical methods, and human studies that link exposure to effect through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling, abuse liability assessment, and cognitive and behavioral testing. The regulatory framework for kratom should consider a dual track. This includes enhanced standards for product quality, including composition, purity, labeling, and safety surveillance for botanical products, and conventional drug development pathways for enriched or semisynthetic constituents that include toxicology and human abuse potential studies. Coordinated federal support is urgently needed to align product standardization, early phase trials, and comparative evaluations across product classes. With this structure, kratom's possible therapeutic applications can be examined while safeguarding public health.
Africa possesses exceptional botanical diversity and longstanding ethnomedical traditions, yet contributes minimally to global natural products research and development. This narrative review synthesises published literature, policy sources, and case studies on African-led bioprospecting, with attention to key institutions, regional initiatives, and projects. Persistent challenges include inadequate research infrastructure, limited investment in pharmacognosy and drug development, weak regulatory implementation, and fragmented traditional knowledge systems. Case studies from Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, and West Africa illustrate both the promise and the constraints of translating indigenous knowledge into validated therapeutic agents. The review also examines enabling opportunities, including regional regulatory coordination, open science platforms, digital compound libraries, and fair benefit-sharing models. For Africa to move from a source of raw materials to an innovator in drug discovery, coordinated investment in institutional capacity, ethical frameworks, and research infrastructure is required. A sustainable bioprospecting framework that balances validation, equitable access, and conservation priorities is essential.
Chronic noninfectious diarrhea remains a clinically important but often underrecognized complication in patients receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART). Although modern human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) treatment has transformed survival, gastrointestinal adverse effects can impair adherence, quality of life, nutrition, social functioning, and treatment satisfaction. Crofelemer is an oral, plant-derived botanical drug developed as a non-systemic antisecretory therapy for noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS receiving ART. This review evaluates crofelemer as a plant-derived pharmacotherapy for chronic noninfectious diarrhea. It discusses the clinical need, limitations of current antidiarrheal approaches, botanical origin, chloride-channel mechanism, pharmacology, clinical efficacy evidence, safety and tolerability, practical prescribing considerations, real-world positioning, and investigational expansion into cancer therapy-related diarrhea and rare intestinal-failure disorders. Crofelemer offers a mechanistically distinct option for selected patients with chronic watery, noninfectious diarrhea whose symptoms remain burdensome despite appropriate clinical evaluation and supportive care. However, its use should be guided by realistic expectations, careful patient selection, and recognition that response is not universal. Future clinical value will depend on phenotype-based prescribing, real-world effectiveness data, comparative studies, affordability, and patient-reported outcomes.
Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a chronic immune-mediated thyroid disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration, follicular epithelial injury, autoantibody production, and variable progression to thyroid dysfunction. Because current management is largely supportive or replacement based, there is growing interest in interventions that might modify inflammatory and immune processes before irreversible tissue damage develops. This narrative review critically evaluates the potential, but not yet established, role of Artemisia-derived and artemisinin-related compounds in AIT. The analysis focuses on chemokine-receptor networks, spatial organization of thyroid inflammation, and molecular mechanisms linking endoperoxide/redox chemistry, innate immune signaling, and immune-cell trafficking. Evidence was identified through targeted, non-systematic searches of PubMed and Google Scholar, supported by backward and forward citation tracking. Thyroid-specific evidence remains limited and predominantly preclinical. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) has been reported to attenuate experimental autoimmune thyroiditis by reducing inflammatory infiltration, thyroid autoantibodies, Th1/Th17-associated responses, CXCL10/CXCR3-linked signaling, and oxidative stress. Evidence from non-thyroid autoimmune and inflammatory models suggests additional effects on NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, JAK/STAT, TLR/MyD88, NRF2/GPX4-related redox responses, inflammasome activity, regulatory T-cell balance, and possible epigenetic remodeling; however, these findings should be treated as mechanistic context rather than direct evidence for human AIT. Most available studies involve purified or semi-synthetic compounds rather than standardized botanical preparations, and robust clinical validation is absent. Artemisinin-related compounds are therefore framed as hypothesis-driven immunomodulatory candidates that require thyroid-specific replication, target validation, comparative pharmacology, safety assessment, formulation standardization, and carefully designed translational studies before clinical application can be considered.
Background: The rapid expansion of functional ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages-formulated with prebiotic fibers, botanical extracts, and reduced sugar-has outpaced systematic characterization of their small-molecule composition. Methods: We applied dual-mode untargeted high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), integrating hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) and reversed-phase C18 separations, to profile five commercial RTD beverages spanning distinct formulation categories: Coca-Cola®, Poppi® Orange, OLIPOP® Cream Soda, Pure Leaf® Unsweetened Black Tea, and BeePop™ Peach + Orange Blossom Honey. Results: Across all products, 478 compounds were structurally annotated at Metabolomics Standards Initiative (MSI) Levels 1 and 2, of which 42 matched compounds with reported bioactivity in a curated literature-based reference database. Seventeen compounds-including the NAD+ precursor trigonelline and multiple B vitamins-were detected across all five products. The number and diversity of compounds with reported bioactivity varied substantially by product and correlated with botanical ingredient complexity. Conclusions: This work presents a qualitative molecular survey of the RTD beverage category using standardized, dual-mode untargeted metabolomics, providing a reference dataset for future targeted quantitation studies.
Despite being strongly recovered as monophyletic by molecular studies, Commelinales completely lacks any morphological support or circumscription. It is also the Monocot order that suffered the most striking changes across different classification systems, with its type family, Commelinaceae, being the only consistent member since its proposition. The order currently consists of Commelinaceae, Haemodoraceae, Hanguanaceae, Philydraceae and Pontederiaceae, presenting a Pantropical distribution and great ecological and morphological diversity. Based on extensive field, cultivation, ecological, herbarium, botanical illustration and literature research, I present the first morphological phylogeny for Commelinales, based on an extensive 600-character matrix, sampling almost a third of the species in the order. All five families are recovered as monophyletic, with 49 of the 59 currently recognised genera also recovered as monophyletic. The M P and BA topologies are greatly congruent with the available molecular hypotheses for Commelinales, highlighting the importance of morphology in understanding the systematics of plant groups. Almost all genera are morphologically supported by at least one exclusive synapomorphy. Thus, based on a combination of morphological and molecular data, Aneilema, Callisia, Coleotrype, Elasis, Thyrsanthemum, Tricarpelema and Tripogandra (Commelinaceae) are recircumscribed to represent monophyletic genera. Five new genera of Commelinaceae are described, in addition to the reestablishment of Aploleia, Cuthbertia, Gibasoides and Hadrodemas (Commelinaceae), and Orthotylax (Philydraceae). The circumscription of Anigozanthos (Haemodoraceae) is broadened to include Macropidia, Conostylis (Haemodoraceae) is broadened to include Blancoa, and Wachendorfia (Haemodoraceae) is broadened to include Barberetta. Finally, I propose an updated classification for Commelinales, recognising two suborders, one superfamily, five families, four subfamilies, 10 tribes, 13 subtribes (four of them newly described here), and 64 genera (five of them newly described here).
The study of natural spontaneous fertile hybrids, whose parent species is Ae. trivialis Migusch. et Chak (2n = 42), is of great importance for expanding the genetic pool of the genus Triticum L., which is a crucial part of current and future breeding efforts. The number of wild relatives-potential sources of valuable disease resistance genes-is quite large for common wheat: these include species of the genera Tritium, Aegilops, Agropiron, Secale, Haynaldia, Villosa, and others. In addition to disease and pest resistance, wild species offer frost resistance, drought tolerance, salt tolerance, and increased protein quantity and quality. The primary objective of this study was to identify new, genetically diverse source material for common wheat breeding based on botanical and morphological studies, as well as to register new spontaneous Aegilops-wheat hybrids using electrophoretic analysis of storage proteins. To achieve the research objective, the following tasks were set and solved: Aegilops-wheat hybrids were studied and recorded using protein formulas; spontaneous fertile Aegilops-wheat hybrids were analyzed using laser microscopy and tandem mass spectrometry. In this study, we demonstrated differences between the studied spontaneous hybrids using metabolomic analysis and laser microscopy, as well as identified differences in the protein spectra of the spontaneous hybrids and their maternal form, K-1386. These spontaneous Aegilops-wheat hybrids will be used in further work to identify their paternal form. It should be noted that it is advisable to use the studied spontaneous Aegilops-wheat hybrids in future breeding to expand the gene pool of the genus Triticum L. and to obtain new heterogeneous forms.
Forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is crucial for maintaining global carbon balance, with its accumulation closely associated with biodiversity. However, the mechanisms by which these diversity effects take place, and which dimension of biodiversity that has the most prominent impact on AGB productivity remain insufficiently elucidated. We measured AGB, functional traits and evolutionary relatedness of the overstory and understory tree layers in a subtropical forest in Yunnan Province, China. We assessed predictive importance of functional and phylogenetic diversity indices on AGB across tree layers by using partial least squares (PLS) regression. Overstory exhibited greater AGB with tree species showing higher community-weighted means of resource-acquisitive traits (e.g., specific leaf area), as well as higher phylogenetic diversity. The understory AGB was mainly enhanced by conservative strategies (e.g., lower specific leaf area) as well as mean nearest taxon distance; and it was also increased by higher phylogenetic species richness and functional richness. Our results highlight the role of functional identity in regulating AGB. Notably, contrary to the results in previous Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function (BEF) studies where the influence of functional diversity was greater than phylogenetic diversity, we found that phylogenetic diversity is more capable of explaining the accumulation of AGB than functional diversity across tree strata. Our study thus underscores the significance of incorporating phylogenetic diversity into biodiversity and ecosystem function studies.