Management of Strawberry Grey Mold Disease Using Biocontrol Agents and Plant Extracts

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a significant global soft fruit crop, prized for its nutrient content and pleasant flavor. However, diseases, particularly grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr. poses major constraints to strawberry production and productivity. Grey mold severely impacts fruit quality and quantity, diminishing market value. This study evaluated five B. cinerea isolates from various locations in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. All isolates were pathogenic, with isolate SGM 2 identified as highly virulent. Host range studies showed the pathogen-producing symptoms in the fava bean pods, marigold, gerbera, and chrysanthemum flowers and in the fava bean, gerbera, and lettuce leaves. In vitro tests revealed that neem extract (15% w/v) achieved the highest mycelial growth inhibition at 76.66%, while black turmeric extract (5% w/v) had the lowest inhibition at 9.62%. Dual culture methods with bio-control agents indicated that Bacillus subtilis recorded the highest mean inhibition at 77.03%, while Pseudomonas fluorescens had the lowest at 20.36% against the two virulent isolates. Pot evaluations demonstrated that B. subtilis resulted in the lowest percent disease index at 20.59%, followed by neem extract at 23.31%, with the highest disease index in the control group at 42.51%. Additionally, B. subtilis significantly improved plant growth, yielding an average of 0.32 kg compared to 0.14 kg in the control. The promising results of B. subtilis and neem leaf extract from this study suggest their potential for eco-friendly managing grey mold in strawberries under field conditions.

Effects of Plant Extracts Replacing Anticoccidial Drugs on Broiler Performance and Fecal Coccidia Count

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the impact of plant extracts replacing anticoccidial drugs on growth performance and fecal coccidia count in broilers.[Method]A total of 234 one-day-old healthy yellow-feathered broilers were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups,with 6 replicates in each group and 13 broilers in each replicate.The test lasted for a total of 55 d,The control group was fed the basic diet,the anticoccidial group was fed the basic diet+500 g/t dinitolmide,and the plant extract group was fed the basic diet+500 g/t plant extract.[Result]The daily gain of the plant extract group from 1 to 21 days of age was significantly higher than that of the anticoccidial drug group(P<0.05),and the feed/gain ratio was significantly lower than that of the anticoccidial drug group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in daily gain and feed intake between the plant extract group and the anticoccidial drug group from 1 to 55 days of age(P>0.05),and the feed/gain ratio was reduced by 6.30%and the mortality and culling rate was reduced by 10.26%.The number of fecal coccidia at 33 days of age in the plant extract group was found to be significantly lower than that observed in the anticoccidial group and the control group(P<0.05).In conclusion,the administration of plant extracts resulted in a notable enhancement in the growth performance of chicks aged 1-21 days,when compared with the use of anticoccidial drugs.No significant difference was observed in growth performance between the plant extract and the anticoccidial drugs from 1 to 55 days of age.The administration of plant extracts resulted in a notable reduction in the fecal coccidia count.[Conclusion]Plant extracts may serve as viable alternatives to anticoccidial drugs and show promise for application in animal husbandry.

Study on The Whitening Effect of a Composite Plant Extract

By compounding the cranberry extract,lavender flower extract,Kakadu plum extract,edelweiss flower/leaf extract and aloe vera extract into a composite plant extract(BIRC-Rosée WT100),the whitening effects of this composite plant extract in antioxidation,anti-inflammation,skin barrier maintenance,and inhibition of melanin production and transport were evaluated.By comparing the inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity between the composite plant extract andα-arbutin,and then analyzing the decline of apparent chromaticity,apparent brightness and melanin content through 3D melanin skin model platform,the comprehensive whitening effect was evaluated and compared with that of kojic acid.The results showed that,the composite plant extract(BIRC-Rosée WT100)had a tyrosinase inhibition rate of 98.99%at the original concentration,which was much higher than that ofα-arbutin.In 3D melanin skin model,the apparent chromaticity and brightness could be effectively improved,and moreover,the total amount of melanin in the skin could be reduced,showing remarkable whitening effect.

Inhibitory Effects of Some Plant Extracts on 5 Bacterial Strains

[Objective] This study was conducted to develop potential natural plant products for controlling walnut blight pathogen and other bacteria. [Method] Inhibitory effects of extracts obtained from 15 plants with 3 solvents on bacteria were investi- gated by disk diffusion method. [Results] Except the extracts from Magnolia grandi- flora and Typha orientalis, extracts of 13 plant leaves presented inhibitory effects on 5 bacteria strains to certain degrees. Among them, the effect of water extract of Aesculu schinensis on Bacillus sp. XHE8 was the strongest, with inhibition zone di- ameter reaching （31.3＋3.9） mm and the ratio to control above 5.0. Four of the 5 tested strains were sensitive to the extracts of Sambucus chinensis, and 3 of them were inhibited by Ophiopegon japonicas extracts and Reineckia camea extracts, with ratios of treatment to control large than 1.5 in all. Leaf extract of A. chinensis had significant anti-bacteria ability, and could be used as a potential plant source for bactericide. [Conclusion] The results laid a foundation for exploring active com- pounds and elucidating the mechanism in it.

Sperm immobilization activity of Allium sativum L. and other plant extracts

<abstract>Aim: To identify possible spermicidal agents through screening a number of edible medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity. Methods: Initial screening was made on the basis of ram cauda epididymal sperm immobilization immediately after addition of extracts. The most potent extract was selected and was evaluated on both ram and human spermatozoa. To unravel its mode of action several sperm functional tests were carried out, namely viability of cells, hypo-osmotic swelling test for membrane integrity and assays of membrane-bound enzyme 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal marker enzyme acrosin. Results: The crude aqueous extract of the bulb of Allium sativum L. showed the most promising results by instant immobilization of the ram epididymal sperm at 0.25 g/mL and human ejaculated sperm at 0.5 g/mL. Sperm immobilizing effects were irreversible and the factor of the extract responsible for immobilization was thermostable up to 90 癈. On boiling at 100 癈 for 10 minutes, this activity was markedly reduced. Moreover, this extract was able to cause aggregation of ram sperms into small clusters after 30 minutes of incubation at 37 癈. However this property was not found in human spermatozoa. More than 50 % reduction in sperm viability and hypo-osmotic swelling occurred in treated sperm as compared with the controls, indicating the possibility of plasma membrane disintegration which was further supported by the significant reduction in the activity of membrane bound 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal acrosin. Conclusion: The crude aqueous extract of A. sativum bulb possesses spermicidal activity in vitro.

Anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm formation activities of plant extracts from South Korea

Objective: To investigate anti-quorum sensing(anti-QS) and anti-biofilm formation(antiBF) activities of the ethanol extracts of 388 plants. Methods: The anti-QS activity of the plant extracts was evaluated by disc-diffusion assays using the bio-reporter strain, Chromobacterium violaceum CV017. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 9610, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, which possess QS systems, were used to evaluate the antiBF activity of the plant extracts. Results: Among 388 plant extracts, the Cornus controversa(C. controversa) and Cynanchum wilfordii extracts exhibited the strongest anti-QS activity. The C. controversa extract exhibited anti-BF activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yersinia enterocolitica and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, whereas the Cynanchum wilfordii extract exhibited no anti-BF activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, the C. controversa extract suppressed soft rot of cabbage. Conclusions: The C. controversa extract inhibits bacterial QS and BF, and is capable of controlling soft rot. Therefore, this extract has potential for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections and for the development of alternatives to antibiotics.

Dietary plant extracts modulate gene expression profiles in alveolar macrophages of pigs experimentally infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Background: Our previous study showed that 3 plant extracts enhanced the immune responses and growth efficiency of weaned pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus(PRRSV), which is one of the most economically important disease in swine industry. However, each plant extract differently effected on growth efficiency and immune responses. Therefore, the objective of this study was conducted to characterize the effects and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms of 3 plant extracts on gene expression of alveolar macrophages in weaned pigs experimentally infected with PRRSV.Results: PRRSV infection altered(P < 0.05) the expression of 1,352 genes in pigs fed the control(CON;755 up, 597 down). Compared with the infected CON, feeding capsicum(CAP), garlic botanical(GAR), or turmeric oleoresin(TUR) altered the expression of 46 genes(24 up, 22 down), 134 genes(59 up, 75 down), or 98 genes(55 up, 43 down) in alveolar macrophages of PRRSV-infected pigs, respectively. PRRSV infection up-regulated(P < 0.05) the expression of genes related to cell apoptosis, immune system process, and response to stimulus, but downregulated(P < 0.05) the expression of genes involved in signaling transduction and innate immune response.Compared with the infected CON, feeding TUR or GAR reduced(P < 0.05) the expression of genes associated with antigen processing and presentation, feeding CAP up-regulated(P < 0.05) the expression of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation. Supplementation of CAP, GAR, or TUR also enhanced(P < 0.05) the expression of several genes related to amino acid metabolism, steroid hormone synthesis, or RNA degradation, respectively.Conclusions: The results suggest that 3 plant extracts differently regulated the expression of genes in alveolar macrophages of PRRSV-infected pigs, especially altering genes involved in immunity.

Background correction in near-infrared spectra of plant extracts by orthogonal signal correction

In near-infrared (NIR) analysis of plant extracts, excessive background often exists in near-infrared spectra. The detection of active constituents is difficult because of excessive background, and correction of this problem remains difficult. In this work, the orthogonal signal correction (OSC) method was used to correct excessive background. The method was also compared with several classical background correction methods, such as offset correction, multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), standard normal variate (SNV) transformation, de-trending (DT), first derivative, second derivative and wavelet methods. A simulated dataset and a real NIR spectral dataset were used to test the efficiency of different background correction methods. The results showed that OSC is the only effective method for correcting excessive background.

Bioactivity of Four Plant Extracts on Coleopterous Pests of Stored Cereals and Grain Legumes in Nigeria

The efficacy of ethanol extracts from four plants, Dennettia tripetala Baker, Eugenia aromatica Baillon, Piper guineense Thonn et Schum and Anchomanes difformis P. Beauv. as bioinsecticides for control of adult Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, Tribolium castaneum Herbst, Callosobruchus maculatus Fabricius, Oryzaephilus mercator Fauvel and Lasioderma serricorne Fabricius were determined at two concentrations (0.5% and 2.0%) in the laboratory. All extracts were toxic to beetles with E. aromatica being the most potent of four plant materials tested and had the least LT 50 value. This was followed by A. difformis extract. At 2.0% v/w extract concentration, percentage grain damage by insects in treated grains stored for 90 days was nil. Grains protected with A. difformis had the least percentage seedgerminationof62.50%whilethoseprotectedwithP.guineensehadthehighestpercentagegermination(74.58%)at2.0% extract concentration. The mean percentage germination in the control was 72.72%. Treatment of grains with plant extracts had no significant (P>0.05) effect on its water absorption capacity.

Morphological Assessment of the Small Intestine of Broilers Fed Dietary Natural Zeolite Including Plant Extract

Many kinds of feed additives （e.g., probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, etc.） can be used in chicken diets to stimulate intestinal morphological maturation and, consequently, intestinal function. The aim of this trial was to investigate the possibility that natural zeolite including plant extract （ZEM） could encourage the hypertrophy of intestinal villi and the absorptive function of epithelial cells in broiler chickens. At 7 days old, 64 male Marshall Chunky broilers were divided into four groups, each with four replicates of four chickens. The birds were fed a basal mash diet supplemented with ZEM at 0% （control）, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% for 42 days. At 49 days old, four chickens from each treatment were killed to obtain intestinal samples. Morphological intestinal assessment was conducted using both a light and a scanning electron microscope. A tendency to increased villus height and cell area could be observed throughout the intestinal segments of the broilers fed ZEM. Particularly, the villus height in the duodenum was significantly increased （P 〈 0.05） in the 0.05% ZEM group when compared with the control group. The area of the villus cells tended to be higher in the ZEM groups in all intestinal regions and showed a significant increase （P 〈 0.05） in the ileal part of the 0.2% ZEM group. Also, the assessment of cells mitosis in the intestinal crypts showed significantly higher numbers （P 〈 0.05） in all levels of ZEM groups in the duodenum and a tendency to increase in value in the jejunum and ileum, as compared with the control group. More protuberated cells and multi-cell clusters were found in the ZEM groups than in the control group, resulting in a rough cellular surface. In conclusion, the present study might suggest that the intestinal villi and epithelial cells on the villus apical surface are hypertrophied in the ZEM groups, and that intestinal villi adapt to enhance their absorption capacity by increasing the absorptive surface area. These results are indicated that ZEM can provide effective nutritive value when used as a feed additive.

Larvicidal efficacy of plant extracts and isolated compounds from Annonaceae and Piperaceae against Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus

The Aedes(Ae.)aegypti and Ae.albopictus mosquitoes are vectors of epidemiologically relevant arboviruses in the public health context,such as the dengue,Zika and chikungunya viruses.Among the alternatives to synthetic insecticides for the control of these vectors,the use of natural plant products deserves attention.This review summarizes findings on the larvicidal potential of plant extracts on Ae.aegypti and Ae.albopictus,as well as the potential of isolated compounds from plants of the Annonaceae and Piperaceae families against these vectors.Descriptors related to larvicidal activity of plant extracts and isolated compounds in Aedes spp.in the Web of Science database were used,for plant extracts considering publications between 2000 and 2019.A total of 859 articles were analyzed for plant extracts and estimates of lethal concentration values(LC50 and LC90).In the end,95 articles that presented the larvicidal potential of 150 plant species from 52 families were analyzed.The two families most studied for this activity were Fabaceae and Asterace Aedes.The plant families with the best LC50 values against mosquitoes were Piperaceae and Annonaceae.Larvicidal activity of 50 acetogenins has already been identified on Ae.aegypti,and 29 of them presented LC50 below 10μg/mL,as well as the larvicidal activity of 8 compounds isolated from Piperaceae.Therefore,plants of these two families are promising for the development of commercial botanical larvicides in the form of extracts and isolated substances,as well as the production via organic synthesis of the most active compounds.

Contact Activities of 20 Plant Extracts against Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach

[Objective] The aim was to screen out plants which had strong contact activity against Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach. [Method] Twenty plant species which were collected from Gupo Mountain in Hezhou of China were extracted with methanol by cold soaking method. Contact activities of 20 methanol plant extracts against L. erysimi were determined by capillary micro spot method. [Result] The methanol extracts from Mussaenda esquirolli Levi. and Folium trematis Orientalis had the highest contact activities against L. erysimi at the dose of 10 p^g/head, and their 24 h corrected mortality rates were 92.22% and 92.15%, respectively; followed by Folium trematis and Viola hossei, with 24 h corrected mortality rate of 87.59% and 82.95%, respectively. The methanol extract of Hedyotis lancea had medium activity, with 24 h corrected mortality rate of 65.52%. Methanol extracts of the other plants had low contact activities against L. erysimi, with the corrected mortality rate lower than 50%. The methanol extracts of M. esquiroUi, F. variolosa and F. trematis had high contact toxicity, with LDS0 of 0. 768 6, 0.784 1 and 1. 504 4 μg/head, respectively. [ Conclusion] M. esquirolli, F. variolosa and F. trematis show exploitation potential, and they are worth further studying.

Plant Extracts and Essential Oils at Concentrations Acceptable to a Sensory Panel Inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in Ground Pork

A potential method to inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth in meat is through the introduction of plant-derived antimicrobials. Because these antimicrobials may also adversely affect the sensory characteristics of the meat, the objectives of this study were 1) to define the appropriate concentrations of olive extract, apple extract, oregano oil, and cinnamon oil added to ground pork that are acceptable to a sensory panel, and 2) to determine their antimicrobial activities against Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 in inoculated ground pork. Plant extracts were evaluated against two initial inoculum levels (6 and 4 log CFU/g of pork) of Salmonella. Sensory tests showed that acceptable concentrations of oregano and cinnamon oils were 0.5% and of olive and apple extracts were 3%, respectively. Ground pork samples were inoculated with Salmonella, treated with antimicrobials at various concentrations (0.1% - 0.5% cinnamon and oregano essential oils and 3% - 5% olive and apple extracts), and stored at 4°C for 7 days. Survivors were enumerated at days 0, 3, 5, and 7. Cinnamon oil at 0.5% and olive extract at 3% induced a 1.0 and a 0.9 log CFU/g (from 6-log CFU/g initial inoculum) reduction, respectively, at day 7. At 3%, olive extract showed a 1.06 log CFU/g maximum reduction of Salmonella from a 4-log CFU/g initial inoculum. Pork samples containing oregano oil and apple extract did not show a significant reduction compared to the control without the antimicrobials. The results indicate that cinnamon oil and olive extract can potentially be applied at consumer-acceptable concentrations against low levels of S. Typhimurium DT104 in ground pork.

Anti-Fertility Effects and Mechanism of the Plant Extract Shikonin on Mice

Controlling fertility of rodent pests has become an effective means of controlling the population of grassland rodents in China. Recently, research has focused on how to select environmentally-friendly sterilants without pollution effects, and to realize sustainable control of pest rodent populations. Sterilants from plant extracts have been mainly selected. In this study, mice were used as the experimental subjects for research on the anti-fertility effects of plant extracts of shikonin and the anti-fertility mechanism of shikonin extract was determined. The mice were divided into four groups, including one control group and three experimental groups. There were three applications of shikonin extract in different concentrations (5 mg·kg-1, 20 mg·kg-1 and 50 mg·kg-1). The mice gavage experiments indicated that a shikonin concentration of 50 mg·kg-1 had the expected anti-fertility effects. Mice copulation experiments showed that the 50 mg·kg-1 shikonin treatment had significant anti-fertility effects on both female-treatment and female-male-treatment groups. The results of the PCR analysis on the AgRP and ghrelin mRNA from female ovaries and male testicles indicated that shikonin could control mice reproduction by regulating the pituitary gonadal axis. Shikonin, as plant source sterile agent, would have more ideal effects for functioned both sexes sterility.

Preliminary Study on Antifungal Activities of 30 Kinds of Plant Extracts

[Objective]The paper was to screen the plant extracts with strong antifungal activity. [Method] With R. solani as the test object, the antifungal activities of 30 kinds of plant extracts were carried out primary screening by mycelial growth rate method. [Result] Twelve kinds of plant extracts including Pinus yunnanensis （leaf）, Phryma leptostachya （stem and leaf）, Pueraria peduncularis （root, stem and leaf）, Pinus armandiifruit （fruit）, Aconitum brachypodum （stem and leaf）, Phellodendron amurense （stem and leaf）, Rhaponticum uniflorum （root）, Alnus cremastogyne （leaf）, Rehmannia glutinosa （root）, Cryptomeria fortunei （stem and leaf） and Berberis pruinosa （stem and leaf） had strong activities against R. solani with growth inhibition rates over 80% as the concentration was 10 mg/ml,among which the extracts of P. yunnanensis （leaf）, P. leptostachya （stem and leaf）, P. peduncularis （root, stem and leaf） and P. armandiifruit （fruit） showed the inhibition rate above 95%, significantly higher than other plant extracts. The secondary screening results of antifungal activities of the above 12 plant extracts were consistent with the primary screening. [Conclusion] The study laid foundation for further development of high efficient, safe and environmental-friendly new fungicides.

Effects of Spraying Plant Extract Mixture on Growth and Development and Diseases of Flue-cured Tobacco

[Objective]The paper was to study the effects of plant extract mixture on growth and development,photosynthetic indexes and disease control of flue-cured tobacco.[Method]Using field test method,a total of five treatments were designed in the test,including T1(control,conven-tional pesticide control),T2(conventional pesticide control+spraying plant extract mixture at 15 and 30 d post transplanting),T3(conventional pesticide control+spraying plant extract mixture at 15,30 and 45 d post transplanting),T4(conventional pesticide control+spraying plant extract mixture at 15,30,45 and 60 d post transplanting),and T5(conventional pesticide control+spraying plant extract mixture at 15,30,45,60 and 75 d post transplanting).In addition,flue-cured tobacco in treatments T2-T5 were sprayed with antiviral agent once at 30 d post transplanting,and sprayed with quality promoting agent at 30 and 75 d post transplanting,respectively.[Result]The agronomic traits and photosynthetic indexes of all treatments were improved by spraying plant extract mixture,and those in T5 treatment were the best.Spraying plant extract mixture had significant control effect on brown spot;the disease index in T5 treatment was the lowest,and the control effect was the best.The results showed that spraying plant extract mixture promoted the growth and development of flue-cured tobacco,reduced the disease index of brown spot,and improved the quality of tobacco leaves.[Conclusion]Spraying plant extract mixture has positive effect on growth and development and disease control of flue-cured tobacco.

Effects of Plant Extracts with Antioxidant Activities on Male Mule Ducks＇ Performance

Plant extracts with antioxidant activities have effect on male mule ducks performance, and livestock animals have a strong metabolism activity, due to their high production requirements. It can lead to oxidative stress disorders; deteriorate growth performance and even their health. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a mixture of active ingredients of plant extracts, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, on performances of mule ducks, in rearing and force-feeding period. Then 3,200 day-old mule ducks （MMGxPKL） were separated in 2 groups （negative control and treatment = EL） ×4 replicates per group for the rearing period. Each group received the same feeding program. EL group was supplemented, until the force-feeding period, with a mixture of actives from plants incorporated at 0.5% in the complete feed. At 84 days, the live weight and the feed consumption were measured for each treatment. Blood samples were also taken to measure the activity of two antioxidant enzymes： SOD （superoxide dismutase） and GPx （glutathione peroxidase）. For force-feeding, the ducks were separated among 3 farmers during 12 days. At slaughter, individual measures of breast and liver were conducted. At 84 days, mean live weight for EL group was improved by 3.7% （p 〈 0.001）. Feed conversion ratio was also improved （4.50 versus 4.62）. At slaughter, breast weight was higher for EL group （p 〈 0.01）. A high variability in the results of the activities of antioxidant enzymes was obtained. A decrease in SOD activity in erythrocytes was observed for the EL group （p 〈 0.05）. The results showed that the actives assessed in this study, distributed to ducks during the rearing period, had a beneficial effect on growth performance over that period. The mechanisms of endogenous antioxidant system and inflammatory responses remain to be elucidated.

Treatment Effect of Various Concentration of Plant Extracts on Murine Norovirus

Noroviruses are positive-sense, single-stranded, non-enveloped RNA virus that measures approximately 27 - 35 nm in diameter. It affects humans of all ages and races causing most cases of viral gastroenteritis worldwide. Infection results from ingestion of contaminated food or water as well as causing diarrhea and vomiting in humans. Extracts from plants are known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and adhesive properties which are associated with barrier functions. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether plaque reduction was due to an effect of methanolic plant extract directly on the virus, whether the extract affects viral replication, and lastly, whether the extract disrupts the cell surface binding with the virus. The plant extracts of interest were the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) and the seeds of Zanthoxylum armatum (ZA). Antiviral activities of these extracts were determined against murine norovirus. The logarithmic viral reduction per plaque-forming unit was (22 log10) PFU/ml (control), (15 log10) PFU/ml (treated HS), and (12 log10) PFU/ml (treated ZA) with a significant reduction (68% and 55% respectively) when compared with the control for the direct effect on the virus. The role of extracts on virus replication showed (25 log10) PFU/ml (control) as against the HS treated-virus-infected cells (9 log10) PFU/ml and ZA treated-virus-infected cells (5 log10) PFU/ml (36% and 20% respectively). Finally, effect of the extract on the viral attachment showed (31 log10) PFU/ml (control), (12 log10) (HS-treated) and (9 log10) PFU/ml (ZA-treated), (39% and 29% respectively. Extract treatment with HS and ZA has shown evidence of a reduced number of plaques formation with the latter having fewer plaques. Both extracts have proven potential to reduce the viral multiplication process by interfering with the replication process. This study shows that Hibiscus sabdariffa (calyces) and Zanthoxylum armatum (seed) extracts disrupt murine norovirus from consistent viral replication.

A review: effect and mechanism of plant extracts rich in polyphenols on reducing uric acid activity

Hyperuricemia is a metabolic condition caused by the increase of uric acid level in the body,which can lead to gout,kidney disease,cardiovascular disease,hypertension and diabetes.In recent years,the incidence rate of hyperuricemia has been increasing and gradually becoming younger.Allopurinol and febuxostat are commonly used drugs to reduce the level of uric acid in the body.Although these drugs have good curative effect,they can produce adverse reactions.Therefore,it has been the focus of attention to find appropriate treatment and new drugs to reduce serum uric acid level.Natural plants have become the source of new drugs for their multiple biological activities,strong efficacy and minimal side effects.More and more studies have shown that natural plant extracts rich in phenols,flavonoids and other active components can significantly reduce the level of uric acid,and improve the complications caused by high uric acid.In this paper,hyperuricemia related diseases,functional plants rich in polyphenols with the effect of reducing uric acid and the mechanism of their active components were reviewed.

Teucrium polium plant extract provokes significant cell death in human lung cancer cells

Lung cancer is the first common malignancy worldwide;in view of the limited success of available treatment modalities for this cancer, alternative and complementary strategies need to be developed. On the other hand, Teucrium polium (TP) is a medicinal plant that has been used for more than two thousand years for treating many diseases such as abdominal pain, indigestion and diabetes in the Middle East. However, the effect of TP plant extract on hu-man non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been investigated yet. In this study, we exam-ined the effects of TP extract on cell prolifera-tion, cell cycle progression and cell death in H322 and A549 lung cell lines. Our results show that TP plant extract inhibits cell proliferation and deregulates cell cycle progression. More importantly, TP plant extract causes a dramatic cell death in both cell lines in comparison with untreated cells. Our data suggest that this plant extract could have an important therapeutic role in the treatment of human NSCLC.