Project description:New island records are reported for five species of Asteia endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Asteiahawaiiensis, Asteiamauiensis, Asteiamolokaiensis, Asteiapalikuensis, Asteiasabroskyi). These new records expand our understanding of distributions in Asteia, change the percentage of single island endemics from 78% to 33%, and have significance in how we view the process of diversification acting in this lineage. We also present a list of the known rearing records for two species in this group. Asteiamontgomeryi has been recorded from Erythrina and Asteiasabroskyi has been reared from Pisonia, Urera, Charpentiera and Hibiscadelphus.
Project description:Here we summarize the known distributional data for the Hawaiian Scatella (Ephydridae). We report on four new island records; Scatellaamnica and Scatellastagnalis from Kauai, Scatellaoahuense from Lanai, and Scatellaterryi from Maui. A list of material present, comprising over 3100 individual specimen records in the collections of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Essig Musuem of Entomology at UC Berkeley is included, along with details distributional maps for the Hawaiian endemic species.
Project description:Due to their robust antioxidant capabilities, potential health benefits, wide variety of biological activities, and strong antioxidant qualities, phenolic compounds are substances that have drawn considerable attention in recent years. The main goal of the review is to draw attention to saharian Algerian medicinal plants and the determination of their bioactivity (antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory importance), and to present their chemical composition as well as in vivo and in vitro studies, clinical studies, and other studies confirming their real impact on human health. Research results have revealed a rich variety of medicinal plants used to treat various disease states in this region. Based on in vivo and in vitro studies, biological activity, and clinical studies, a list of 34 species of desert plants, belonging to 20 botanical families, useful both in preventive actions and in the treatment of neoplastic diseases has been established, and polyphenolic compounds have been identified as key to the health potential of endemic diseases and desert plants. It has been shown that people who follow a diet rich in polyphenols are less prone to the risk of many cancers and chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. In view of the increasing antioxidant potential of these plant species, as well as the increasing trade in herbal products from the Sahara region, phytosanitary and pharmaceutical regulations must change in this respect and should be in line with Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and the sustainable use and development of plant products must be addressed at the same time.
Project description:Aromatic plants have played key roles in the lives of tribal peoples living in the Himalaya by providing products for both food and medicine. This review presents a summary of aromatic medicinal plants from the Indian Himalaya, Nepal, and Bhutan, focusing on plant species for which volatile compositions have been described. The review summarizes 116 aromatic plant species distributed over 26 families.
Project description:In this work, the chemical composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils (EOs) of six species-Laurus nobilis, Chamaemelum nobile, Citrus aurantium, Pistacia lentiscus, Cedrus atlantica, and Rosa damascena-have been studied. Phytochemical screening of these plants revealed the presence of primary metabolites, namely, lipids, proteins, reducing sugars, and polysaccharides, and also secondary metabolites such as tannins, flavonoids, and mucilages. The essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The yields are between 0.06 and 4.78% (mL/100 g). The analysis of the chemical composition carried out by GC-MS showed the presence of 30 to 35 compounds and represent between 99.97% and 100% of the total composition of EOs, with a variation in the chemical composition detected at the level of the majority compounds between these species. Indeed, in the EO of Laurus nobilis, 1,8-cineole (36.58%) is the major component. In Chamaemelum nobile EO, the most abundant compound is angelylangelate (41.79%). The EO of Citrus aurantium is rich in linalool (29.01%). The EO of Pistacia lentiscus is dominated by 3-methylpentylangelate (27.83%). The main compound of Cedrus atlantica is β-himachalene (40.19%), while the EO of Rosa damascenaa flowers is rich in n-nonadecane (44.89%). The analysis of the similarity between the EOs of the plants studied by ACH and ACP showed that the chemical composition of the EOs makes it possible to separate these plants into three groups: the first represented by Chamaemelum nobile, because it is rich in oxygenated monoterpenes, the second defined Cedrus atlantica and Rosa damascena, which are rich in sesquiterpenes, and the third gathers Pistacia lentiscus, Laurus nobilis and Citrus aurantium, which are composed of oxygenated sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes (these three species are very close). The study of the antioxidant activity showed that all the EOs tested have a high capacity for scavenging free radicals from DPPH. The EOs of Laurus nobilis and Pistacia lentiscus showed the highest activity, 76.84% and 71.53%, respectively, followed by Cedrus atlantica EO (62.38%) and Chamaemelum nobile (47.98%) then Citrus aurantium EO (14.70%). Antimicrobial activity EO was tested against eight bacterial strains and eight fungal strains; the results showed that EOs exhibit significant bactericidal and fungicidal activities against all the microorganisms tested, of which the MICs of the bacterial strains start with 5 mg/mL, while the MICs of the fungal strains are between 0.60 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL. Thus, these EOs rich in antimicrobial and antioxidant components can serve as a natural alternative; this confirms their use as additives in cosmetics.
Project description:Plants of the genus Elsholtzia (Lamiaceae) have a long history of medicinal use in folk. The phytochemical investigations revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, and other compounds. Abundant volatile components are also identified. Pure compounds, volatile constituents and crude extracts from the genus exhibited a wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities. The aims of this review hopefully provide comprehensive information on the distribution, phytochemistry, volatile components, and pharmacological research of Elsholtzia for exploring the potential and advance researches.
Project description:Plants belonging to the subfamily Bombacoideae (family Malvaceae) consist of about 304 species, many of them having high economical and medicinal properties. In the past, this plant group was put under Bombacaceae; however, modern molecular and phytochemical findings supported the group as a subfamily of Malvaceae. A detailed search on the number of publications related to the Bombacoideae subfamily was carried out in databases like PubMed and Science Direct using various keywords. Most of the plants in the group are perennial tall trees usually with swollen tree trunks, brightly colored flowers, and large branches. Various plant parts ranging from leaves to seeds to stems of several species are also used as food and fibers in many countries. Members of Bombacoides are used as ornamentals and economic utilities, various plants are used in traditional medication systems for their anti-inflammatory, astringent, stimulant, antipyretic, microbial, analgesic, and diuretic effects. Several phytochemicals, both polar and non-polar compounds, have been detected in this plant group supporting evidence of their medicinal and nutritional uses. The present review provides comprehensive taxonomic, ethno-pharmacological, economic, food and phytochemical properties of the subfamily Bombacoideae.
Project description:The distributions of Hawaiian Canacidae, comprising nearly 800 individual collection events, are reviewed and a total of four new island records are reported. These include Canaceoides angulatus from Kahoolawae and Procanace bifurcata from Molokai and Maui, and Procanace constricta from Oahu. A new species from Kauai, Procanace hardyi O'Grady and Pak, is described. This species is closely related to P. constricta from Oahu, Maui, Molokai and Hawaii and shares a similar constriction of the abdomen between tergites four and five but differs in the configuration of the seventh abdominal tergite. Detailed distribution maps for all species are included.
Project description:The Stevia genus (Asteraceae) comprises around 230 species, distributed from the southern United States to the South American Andean region. Stevia rebaudiana, a Paraguayan herb that produces an intensely sweet diterpene glycoside called stevioside, is the most relevant member of this genus. Apart from S. rebaudiana, many other species belonging to the Stevia genus are considered medicinal and have been popularly used to treat different ailments. The members from this genus produce sesquiterpene lactones, diterpenes, longipinanes, and flavonoids as the main types of phytochemicals. Many pharmacological activities have been described for Stevia extracts and isolated compounds, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative activities being the most frequently mentioned. This review aims to present an update of the Stevia genus covering ethnobotanical aspects and traditional uses, phytochemistry, and biological activities of the extracts and isolated compounds.