Article
Agronomy
Xiaoqin Tan, Jiacheng Huang, Lijin Lin, Qian Tang
Summary: This study explored the feasibility of using melatonin to alleviate Cd toxicity and reduce Cd accumulation in tea seedlings. The results showed that melatonin promoted tea seedling growth, increased photosynthetic pigment and soluble protein content. Moreover, melatonin enhanced the antioxidant capacity of plants, reduced oxidative damage, and improved soil enzyme activities.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinhe Wang, Wenzhen Chen, Hanyue Wang, Yuanda Li, Biao Wang, Lixia Zhang, Xiaochun Wan, Min Li
Summary: The study characterized a zinc finger protein CsDOF and a glutamine synthetase-encoding gene CsGS2 in tea plants, showing their crucial roles in glutamine biosynthesis and their regulation by shade. Suppressing CsDOF or CsGS2 expression led to decreased glutamine content in tea leaves. Overexpression of CsDOF or CsGS2 in Arabidopsis thaliana increased glutamine levels, with CsDOF directly binding to the promoter of CsGS2 to promote its activity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tingting Chen, Jingzhen Ma, Huiping Li, Shijia Lin, Chunxia Dong, Yunxia Xie, Xiaomei Yan, Shupei Zhang, Tianyuan Yang, Xiaochun Wan, Zhaoliang Zhang
Summary: Theanine, a non-proteinogenic amino acid abundant in tea plants, gives tea infusion its unique taste and anti-stress effects. The content of theanine in tea is closely correlated with its quality. However, the regulation of theanine decrease in late spring is still unknown. Through genetic screening, a yeast mutant, gdh2, was found to be hypersensitive to theanine and accumulated more of it, indicating a potential role of CsGDH2.1 in theanine accumulation in tea plants. CsGDH2.1 was found to be expressed in the mitochondria and highly expressed in young tissues of tea plants. CsGDH2.1 was also observed to regulate theanine accumulation in new shoots in late spring through glutamate catabolism.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ronimara A. Santos, Emmanuele D. S. Andrade, Mariana Monteiro, Eliane Fialho, Jerson L. Silva, Julio B. Daleprane, Danielly C. Ferraz da Costa
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential efficacy of green tea extract in chemoprevention of breast cancer, showing selective effects on breast tumor cells without cytotoxicity on non-tumoral cells. The mechanism involves regulation of p53 and p21 gene expression to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell migration in breast tumor cells.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaozeng Mi, Yi Yue, Mengsha Tang, Yanlin An, Hui Xie, Dahe Qiao, Zhiyu Ma, Shengrui Liu, Chaoling Wei
Summary: Alternative splicing (AS) increases transcript and protein diversity in plants and plays a key role in growth, development, and stress tolerance. The TeaAS database provides comprehensive information on AS in tea plants by integrating data from 66 RNA-seq datasets, allowing users to easily identify AS events and transcript expression levels. It also offers tools for sequence alignment and visualization of gene structure, making it a valuable resource for researchers studying AS in woody crops and gene regulation in tea plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaobo Xia, Xiaozeng Mi, Ling Jin, Rui Guo, Junyan Zhu, Hui Xie, Lu Liu, Yanlin An, Cao Zhang, Chaoling Wei, Shengrui Liu
Summary: The study identified three CsLAZY genes in the tea plant genome data and confirmed the important role of CsLAZY1 in regulating shoot gravitropism and influencing stem branch angle in tea plants. The results suggest that CsLAZY1 could be a promising gene resource for improving tea plant architecture.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
D. L. Meneses, Y. Ruiz, E. Hernandez, F. L. Moreno
Summary: The study demonstrated that block freeze-concentration is an effective technique for increasing catechin and polyphenol content in green tea, while preserving antioxidant activity and maintaining physicochemical parameters and sensory attributes.
JOURNAL OF FOOD ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Junchi Wei, Yun Yang, Ye Peng, Shaoying Wang, Jing Zhang, Xiaobo Liu, Jianjun Liu, Beibei Wen, Meifeng Li
Summary: Terpenes, including volatile terpenes, are vital for tea aroma and have wide applications in cosmetics and medicine. Terpene emission can be triggered by various stress factors, leading to plant defense responses and interactions. Transcription factors (MYB, MYC, NAC, ERF, WRKY, and bHLH) regulate key genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis. Recent studies have identified essential terpene synthesis genes and transcription factors in tea plants, and this review focuses on their transcriptional regulation and importance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Kuberan Thangaraj, Shenrui Liu, Jianjie Li, Zhen Zhao, Rui Han, Huiling Mei, Anburaj Jeyaraj, Xuan Chen, Xinghui Li
Summary: This study investigates the impact of sooty mould on tea plants and the recovery of plants by exogenous melatonin. The results show that sooty mould reduces photosynthetic pigments and gas exchange parameters in tea plants. On the other hand, exogenous melatonin inhibits mycelial growth of sooty mould and improves the growth and defense mechanisms of tea plants.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Nana Liu, Yueyue Wang, Kaiyuan Li, Caiyun Li, Bin Liu, Lei Zhao, Xinfu Zhang, Fengfeng Qu, Liping Gao, Tao Xia, Peiqiang Wang
Summary: The abundant polyphenols in tea plants provide defense against biotic and abiotic stresses, while salicylic acid (SA) is an important plant hormone for resistance. This study investigated the effects of SA on tea seedlings and found that SA treatment inhibited certain metabolic pathways while promoting lignin production. Increased lignin accumulation in tea leaves after SA treatment indicated a potential role in enhancing plant defense and disease resistance. Additionally, a flavonoid glucosyltransferase involved in SA-induced glycosylation was identified. These findings contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying SA-mediated immune responses in tea plants.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Guangbiao She, Shuwei Yu, Zhenguo Li, Anqi Peng, Penghui Li, Yingying Li, Manman Chang, Linlin Liu, Qi Chen, Chengying Shi, Jun Sun, Jian Zhao, Xiaochun Wan
Summary: Theanine is a key amino acid in tea plants, responsible for the umami taste and mental health benefits of tea. This study reveals that the synthesis of theanine is mediated by a glutamine synthetase gene CsTSI. The expression of CsTSI is closely correlated with the levels of theanine and glutamine in various tissues. These findings provide new insights into the biosynthesis of theanine and may facilitate the development of high-theanine tea plants to improve the nutritional benefits of tea.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kun Ye, Weijian Shen, Yichen Zhao
Summary: Brassinolide enhances the cold resistance of tea plants by increasing protective enzyme activity and activating key genes in the calcium signal transduction pathway.
Article
Plant Sciences
Pengjie Wang, Mengya Gu, Xikai Yu, Shuxian Shao, Jiayin Du, Yibin Wang, Feiquan Wang, Shuai Chen, Zhenyang Liao, Naixing Ye, Xingtan Zhang
Summary: The research analyzed the allele-specific expression and chromatin accessibility of oolong tea hybrids in China and found that hybrids have more accessible chromatin regions, which play an important role in regulating ASE genes and affecting the formation of heterotic metabolites.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jieren Liao, Qiang Shen, Ruiyang Li, Yu Cao, Yue Li, Zhongwei Zou, Taiyu Ren, Fang Li, Wanping Fang, Xujun Zhu
Summary: The study found that tea leaves have the highest metabolite concentrations in spring, with a positive correlation between GABA and anthocyanin concentrations, and CsF3H and CsCHS play important roles in GABA and anthocyanin biosynthesis.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Taiyu Ren, Pengcheng Zheng, Kexin Zhang, Jieren Liao, Fei Xiong, Qiang Shen, Yuanchun Ma, Wanping Fang, Xujun Zhu
Summary: Polyphenols in tea plants play a key role in biological and antioxidant activities. Exogenous GABA was found to increase polyphenol content and enhance antioxidant activity in tea plants under heat-stress conditions. The study also revealed that GABA is crucial for the accumulation of polyphenols and upregulation of the antioxidant system.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor Lopez, Guillermo Casedas, Kelly Petersen-Ross, Yigael Powrie, Carine Smith
Summary: Green rooibos extract demonstrates significant cytoprotective and antioxidant properties in neuronal cells, with inhibitory effects on key enzymes of the CNS. It also exhibits anxiolytic potential in zebrafish larvae, suggesting its potential as a functional brain food and starting ingredient for new nutraceuticals.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ahmed M. Mustafa, Eugenia Mazzara, Doaa Abouelenein, Simone Angeloni, Sonia Nunez, Gianni Sagratini, Victor Lopez, Marco Cespi, Sauro Vittori, Giovanni Caprioli, Filippo Maggi
Summary: This study optimized a new method for extracting polyphenols and sugars from black mulberry and compared it with traditional extraction methods. The results showed that the optimized method performed better in terms of polyphenol content and lipase inhibition, while the traditional method showed better antioxidant and blood glucose regulation activities.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Eugenia Mazzara, Riccardo Carletti, Riccardo Petrelli, Ahmed M. Mustafa, Giovanni Caprioli, Dennis Fiorini, Serena Scortichini, Stefano Dall'Acqua, Stefania Sut, Sonia Nunez, Victor Lopez, Valtcho D. Zheljazkov, Giulia Bonacucina, Filippo Maggi, Marco Cespi
Summary: This study evaluated and optimized the variables affecting the efficiency of solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for hemp essential oil. The optimized conditions were used to recover essential oil, polyphenols, and phytocannabinoids. The products obtained were characterized in terms of yield, chemical profile, and antioxidant potential. The by-products were also analyzed for their biological activity. The aqueous residue showed strong alpha-glucosidase inhibition and superoxide radical scavenging activity, while the residual deterpenated biomass did not possess significant biological activity.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Vittoria Borgonetti, Victor Lopez, Nicoletta Galeotti
Summary: Ylang-ylang essential oil shows promising analgesic properties in reducing neuropathic pain and alleviating pain-related anxiety symptoms, making it a potential candidate for managing neuropathic pain conditions and their comorbidities.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marta Sofia Valero, Sonia Nunez, Francisco Les, Marta Castro, Carlota Gomez-Rincon, Maria Pilar Arruebo, Miguel Angel Plaza, Ralf Kohler, Victor Lopez
Summary: The methanolic extract of H. stoechas has a vasorelaxant effect, partially mediated by endothelium through the activation of the NO/PKG/cGMP pathway and the opening of Ca2+-activated K+ channels. In addition, the inhibition of Ca2+ influx through L-type Ca2+ channels and the reduction of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum via the IP3 pathway are also involved.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Monica. Butnariu, Deborah. Fratantonio, Jesus. Herrera-Bravo, Sonal. Sukreet, Miquel. Martorell, Garsiya Ekaterina. Robertovna, Francisco. Les, Victor. Lopez, Manoj. Kumar, Marius. Pentea, Ioan. Sarac, Alexandra. Becherescu, Natalia. Cruz-Martins, William N. Setzer, Marcello Iriti, Hafiz Ansar Rasul Suleria, Javad Sharifi-Rad
Summary: A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, with hypertension as a common factor. The demand for plant-based medications has risen due to the side effects of traditional pharmacological therapies. Plant-derived bioactives such as polyphenols, organosulfur compounds, fatty acids, alkaloids, and terpenes have shown effectiveness in controlling high blood pressure through various mechanisms, including reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, regulating platelet aggregation, and promoting vasorelaxation.
CURRENT TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rajeev K. Singla, Ronita De, Thomas Efferth, Bruno Mezzetti, Md Sahab Uddin, Sanusi, Fidele Ntie-Kang, Dongdong Wang, Fabien Schultz, Kiran R. Kharat, Hari Prasad Devkota, Maurizio Battino, Daniel Sur, Ronan Lordan, Sourav S. Patnaik, Christos Tsagkaris, Chandragiri Siva Sai, Surya Kant Tripathi, Mihnea-Alexandru Gaman, Mosa E. O. Ahmed, Elena Gonzalez-Burgos, Smith B. Babiaka, Shravan Kumar Paswan, Joy Ifunanya Odimegwu, Faizan Akram, Jesus Simal-Gandara, Magali S. Urquiza, Aleksei Tikhonov, Himel Mondal, Shailja Singla, Sara Di Lonardo, Eoghan J. Mulholland, Merisa Cenanovic, Abdulkadir Yusif Maigoro, Francesca Giampieri, Soojin Lee, Nikolay T. Tzvetkov, Anna Maria Louka, Pritt Verma, Hitesh Chopra, Scarlett Perez Olea, Johra Khan, Jose M. Alvarez Suarez, Xiaonan Zheng, Michal Tomczyk, Manoj Kumar Sabnani, Christhian Delfino Villanueva Medina, Garba M. Khalid, Hemanth Kumar Boyina, Milen Georgiev, Claudiu T. Supuran, Eduardo Sobarzo-Sanchez, Tai-Ping Fan, Valeria Pittala, Antoni Sureda, Nady Braidy, Gian Luigi Russo, Rosa Anna Vacca, Maciej Banach, Gerard Lizard, Amira Zarrouk, Sonia Hammami, Ilkay Erdogan Orhan, Bharat B. Aggarwal, George Perry, Mark J. S. Miller, Michael Heinrich, Anupam Bishayee, Anake Kijjoa, Nicolas Arkells, David Bredt, Michael Wink, Bernd L. Fiebich, Gangarapu Kiran, Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Girish Kumar Gupta, Antonello Santini, Massimo Lucarini, Alessandra Durazzo, Amr El-Demerdash, Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova, Alejandro Cifuentes, Eliana B. Souto, Muhammad Asim Masoom Zubair, Pravin Badhe, Javier Echeverria, Jaroslaw Olav Horbanczuk, Olaf K. Horbanczuk, Helen Sheridan, Sadeeq Muhammad Sheshe, Anna Maria Witkowska, Ibrahim M. Abu-Reidah, Muhammad Riaz, Hammad Ullah, Akolade R. Oladipupo, Victor Lopez, Neeraj Kumar Sethiya, Bhupal Govinda Shrestha, Palaniyandi Ravanan, Subash Chandra Gupta, Qushmua E. Alzahrani, Preethidan Dama Sreedhar, Jianbo Xiao, Mohammad Amin Moosavi, Parasuraman Aiya Subramani, Amit Kumar Singh, Ananda Kumar Chettupalli, Jayanta Kumar Patra, Gopal Singh, Tomasz M. Karpinski, Fuad Al-Rimawi, Rambod Abiri, Atallah F. Ahmed, Davide Barreca, Sharad Vats, Said Amrani, Carmela Fimognari, Andrei Mocan, Lucian Hritcu, Prabhakar Semwal, Md Shiblur Rahaman, Mila Emerald, Akinleye Stephen Akinrinde, Abhilasha Singh, Ashima Joshi, Tanuj Joshi, Shafaat Yar Khan, Gareeballah Osman Adam Balla, Aiping Lu, Sandeep Ramchandra Pai, Imen Ghzaiel, Niyazi Acar, Nour Eddine Es-Safi, Gokhan Zengin, Azazahemad A. Kureshi, Arvind Kumar Sharma, Bikash Baral, Neeraj Rani, Philippe Jeandet, Monica Gulati, Bhupinder Kapoor, Yugal Kishore Mohanta, Zahra Emam-Djomeh, Raphael Onuku, Jennifer R. Depew, Omar M. Atrooz, Bey Hing Goh, Jose Carlos Andrade, Bikramjit Konwar, V. J. Shine, Joao Miguel Lousa Dias Ferreira, Jamil Ahmad, Vivek K. Chaturvedi, Krystyna Skalicka-Wozniak, Rohit Sharma, Rupesh K. Gautam, Sebastian Granica, Salvatore Parisi, Rishabh Kumar, Atanas G. Atanasov, Bairong Shen
Summary: The development of digital technologies and open innovation approaches has enabled the creation of virtual organizations and enterprises. The International Natural Product Sciences Taskforce (INPST) is an open innovation platform that brings together individuals and organizations interested in natural product scientific research. This study presents an overview of INPST activities and showcases the use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool, demonstrated through the 2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mihai Babota, Oleg Frumuzachi, Alexandru Nicolescu, Maria Ines Dias, Jose Pinela, Lillian Barros, Mikel Anibarro-Ortega, Dejan Stojkovic, Tamara Carevic, Andrei Mocan, Victor Lopez, Gianina Crisan
Summary: This study analyzed the phenolic composition, antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and antimicrobial activity of hydroethanolic extracts from five Romanian wild thyme species. High rosmarinic acid contents were quantified in all species, and all species showed strong antioxidant potential and moderate anti-enzymatic effects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sonia Nunez, Cristina Moliner, Marta Sofia Valero, Ahmed M. Mustafa, Filippo Maggi, Carlota Gomez-Rincon, Victor Lopez
Summary: Polyphenol-rich extract from T. erecta has shown potential antidiabetic and anti-obesity properties by inhibiting fat accumulation and high blood sugar, making it a candidate bioactive compound for prevention and improvement of metabolic chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cristina Moliner, Sonia Nunez, Guillermo Casedas, Marta Sofia Valero, Maria Ines Dias, Lillian Barros, Victor Lopez, Carlota Gomez-Rincon
Summary: This study aimed to determine the polyphenolic profile of onion flowers and evaluate their antioxidant and anti-obesity capacity. The phenolic compounds kaempferol and isorhamnetin glucosides were identified, and the flower extract exhibited the ability to reduce fat accumulation, inhibit digestive enzyme activity, and enhance antioxidant activity. This suggests that onion flowers have potential as functional foods and nutraceuticals.
Article
Biology
Adrian Millan-Laleona, Francisco Javier Bielsa, Eduardo Aranda-Canada, Carlota Gomez-Rincon, Pilar Errea, Victor Lopez
Summary: Apples are important fruits with interesting nutritional value and health-promoting bioactive compounds. The study found that Spanish local varieties showed better behavior in terms of phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and bioactivity, acting as functional foods with potential anti-radical, antidiabetic, and anti-obesity effects.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Cadmiel Moldovan, Oleg Frumuzachi, Mihai Babota, Jose Pinela, Lillian Barros, Gabriele Rocchetti, Victor Lopez, Luigi Lucini, Gianina Crisan, Andrei Mocan
Summary: This study analyzed the phytochemical profiles and biological effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Allium flavum. The results revealed clear differences between extracts from different regions of Romania. The AF flowers collected from Faget showed the highest content of polyphenols and exhibited the strongest antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. The study suggested that A. flavum has potential as a health-promoting edible flower.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Vittoria Borgonetti, Clarissa Caroli, Paolo Governa, Brighenti Virginia, Federica Pollastro, Silvia Franchini, Fabrizio Manetti, Francisco Les, Victor Lopez, Federica Pellati, Nicoletta Galeotti
Summary: The prevalence of obesity is increasing, and there is an urgent need for safe and efficient anti-obesity treatments. This study investigated the efficacy of a methanolic extract from Helichrysum stoechas, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, and its main constituent arzanol. The extract limited weight gain and comorbidities and showed potential as a therapeutic option for obesity and mood disorders.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sonia Nunez, Victor Lopez, Cristina Moliner, Marta Sofia Valero, Carlota Gomez-Rincon
Summary: This study investigated the anti-ageing and anti-obesity properties of Viola x wittrockiana flowers through in vitro and in vivo experiments. The results showed that Viola flowers exhibited inhibitory effects on enzymes related to ageing and fat storage, indicating their potential use as functional foods and nutraceuticals.
Article
Horticulture
Adria Farras, Victor Lopez, Filippo Maggi, Giovanni Caprioli, Maria Pilar Vinardell, Montserrat Mitjans
Summary: This study screened polyphenolic compounds from Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L. fronds and evaluated their in vitro activities. The results showed that the extract had strong antioxidant and cytoprotective effects without cytotoxicity, and it did not cause phototoxicity under specific conditions.
