Journal of Medicinal Plants Biotechnology

Abstract Fewer side effects of medicinal plants compared to chemical drugs have caused them to receive increasing attention. Fennel is one of the most important and valuable medicinal plants due to its numerous healing properties and the presence of several valuable medicinal active substances. Due to the medicinal importance of this plant and the possibility of producing its metabolites in vitro, it is necessary to study the factors affecting the production of these metabolites; In addition, an efficient protocol for indirect regeneration and gene transfer can be provided. For this purpose, a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications was conducted in 2018. Factors included genotype (French and Isfahan), MS medium enriched with 2,4-D (1, 2 and 5 mg.l^-1) and BAP (0, 0.1 and 0.5 mg.l^-1) plant growth regulators as well as tissue Explants (root, hypocotyl and cotyledon). According to the results, the hypocotyl explant of Isfahan genotype had the highest callus fresh weight in culture medium containing 1 mg.l^-1 2,4-D. The French genotype had a higher fresh weight in culture medium containing 0.5 mg.l^-1 BAP. The highest callus dry weight was obtained in hypocotyl explants of French genotype with rich culture medium with 1 mg.l^-1 2,4-D and 0.5 mg.l^-1 BAP. Regarding callus size characteristics, the cotyledon explant in culture medium enriched with 1 mg.l^-1 2,4-D had the best reaction. The cotyledon explant had the best callus induction in all treatment’s compounds

Abstract Bacterial resistance is one of the problems in the world of medicine today. Many efforts are underway to find alternative methods, one of which is to use the capacity of native plants of each region. The chamber was powdered as a homogeneous mixture and its essential oil was extracted by water distillation. Then, the components of the essential oil were identified and the amount of the components was identified using a gas chromatography device connected to a mass spectrometer. GC-Mass analysis showed that the most important effective compounds with antimicrobial activity of this plant were 2- boronanone (12.36%), camphor (6.87%), 3-carn (5.35%). The range of growth inhibition zone varied from 9 to 40 mm. Essential oil with growth inhibition zone of 40 mm had the greatest effect against Staphylococcus aureus even in comparison with clindamycin, although essential oils had no effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and could not inhibit its growth. In general, essential oils had a better effect on gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria.

Abstract In order to investigate the application of chemical and biological fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative traits of peppermint plant a split plots in time with two factors in experiment randomized complete blocks design with four replications conducted in research farm of the University Campus and Natural Resources Tehran (Karaj), was implemented in 2019. The first factor of chemical and biological fertilizer treatment at 13 levels (A1= nitroxin fertilizer (5kg/ha), A2= nitroxin fertilizer (10kg/ha), B1=supernitroplus fertilizer (5kg/ha), B2= supernitroplus fertilizer (10kg/ha) ), C1=biosulfur fertilizer (5kg/ha), C2=biosulfur fertilizer (10kg/ha), D1=superphosphate fertilizer (5kg/ha), D2= superphosphate fertilizer (10kg / ha), E1= urea fertilizer (75kg/ha) ), E2= urea fertilizer (100kg /ha), F1= iron fertilizer (1kg/ ha), F2 = iron fertilizer (1.5 kg/ha), S=control (without fertilizer), and the second factor was harvest time in two cutting times. The experimental results showed that application of biochemical fertilizers significantly increased all quantitative and qualitative traits (height, length and number of inflorescences, wet and dry yield, leaf area, percentage and yield) of essence plant significantly 1% probability level. Treatment of biochemical fertilizers improved the quantitative and qualitative traits of peppermint compared to the control treatment (without fertilizer). The tallest height, length and number of inflorescences, wet and dry yield, leaf area, percentage of essential oil in the first harvest obtained in nitroxin biofertilizer treatments at 10 kg/ha and urea chemical fertilizer at 100 kg / ha. Also, the highest amount of the above traits in the second harvest was related to nitroxin biofertilizer at the rate of 10 kg/ha. The lowest amount of all quantitative and qualitative traits of peppermint obtained in the first and second harvests in the control treatment (without fertilizer).

Abstract In recent years, the number of development-research studies that are related to the value chain approach or analyze value chains. So, this documentary study was conducted to investigate the value chain of Iranian mountain almond with emphasis on food, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic ingredients, and Industrial Products. Investigating on natural habitats of Iranian mountain almond showed that this crop is growing in different parts of the country, but disregarding to value chain formation and disinvestment in scientific processing, led to this valuable crop, is marketed in raw material form, and Numerous economic opportunities in the process of turning it into a variety of products will be lost. Iranian mountain almond’s Fruit, roots, gum and oil, have many properties of food, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic ingredients, and Industrial products, but these raw materials can be used to produce various products in the form of food, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic ingredients, and even Industrial products, only by formation of Iranian mountain almond value chain.

Abstract Since DNA methylation plays a causal role in pancreatic remodeling and development, thus modulation of this epigenetic mechanism is essential in treatment of diabetes. This provoked us to examine the effect of a known anti-diabetic agent, an isolated polysaccharide, on the methylation pattern of Ins-1 and Pax-4 in diabetic rats. Here, a polysaccharide fraction was isolated from Rosa canina and analyzed using NMR, FTIR and MS/MS techniques. Diabetes was established by using intraperitoneal injection of STZ in male Wistar rats. After treatment, pancreas was removed and DNA was extracted and bisulfite treated by a DNA methylation kit. PCR and real-time PCR were used to determine the levels of methylated and/or unmethylated Ins-1 and Pax-4 genes. The levels of blood glucose and weight body were normalized in diabetic rats exposed to isolated polysaccharide. The level of unmethylated Ins-1 was upregulated in diabetic rats which is downregulated in metformin and polysaccharide-treated ones. In diabetic rats, the content of methylated Pax-4 was increased while it was decreased in polysaccharide-treated group. Interestingly, the methylation pattern of Pax-4 in metformin group was the same as diabetic ones. Data clearly indicated that polysaccharide can reduce the level of blood glucose by modulating the methylation pattern of Pax-4 and Ins-1.  This study sheds light on the importance of DNA methylation modulation as a promising therapeutic strategy in diabetes. 

Abstract Chenopodium quinoa Willd. (a pseudocereal belongs to Amaranthaceae family) has attracted increasing attention worldwide over two last decades. It has been considered as a functional food. Besides, to be a complete nutrient, quinoa consumption could help to decrease the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, neurodegenerative disease, and cancers. Certain beneficial effects of quinoa extracts (seeds and leaves) are related to antioxidant activities which are raised from its phenolic compounds, vitamins, polysaccharides, and even minerals. Some studies indicated that the antioxidative power of quinoa extracts had synergistic effects with its anticancer properties. Several varieties of Chenopodium quinoa demonstrated different antioxidant activities which may result from distinct genotypes, environmental factors and also various antioxidant assays. In this review, we aim to focus on the antioxidant compounds of quinoa plant.