Antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory properties of a novel flavonoid from Pistacia chinensis Bunge and its molecular docking analysis

Background:Pistacia chinensis Bunge has been traditionally used to manage various conditions,including asthma,pain,inflammation,hepatoprotection,and diabetes.The study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant and anti-lipoxygenase(LOX)properties of the isolated compound 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one from Pistacia chinensis.Methods:LOX assay and antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)assay were performed.Molecular docking studies were conducted using a molecular operating environment.Results:The LOX assay revealed significant inhibitory effects at 0.2µM concentration,with an IC50 value of 37.80µM.The antioxidant effect demonstrated dose-dependency across 5 to 100µg/mL concentrations,reaching 93.09%at 100µg/mL,comparable to ascorbic acid’s 95.43%effect.Molecular docking studies highlighted strong interactions with the lipoxygenase enzyme,presenting an excellent docking score of-10.98 kcal/mol.Conclusion:These findings provide valuable insights into Pistacia chinensis’chemical components and biological effects,reinforcing its traditional medicinal applications.

Micropropagation of Pistacia vera 'Kerman'

[Objective]The aim was to commercialize micropropagation of pistachio and provide good foundations for varieties improvement. [Method]The seeds and stem-segments were used as explants in the tissue culture of Pistacia vera ＇Kerman＇,tissue culture condition and medium and transplant matrix were researched for micropropagation of pistachio,[Result]Mediums of 1/2DKW and 1/2DKW＋3.00 mg/L of 6-BA ＋0.05 mg/L of NAA were suitable medium for seed germination and axillary bud induction of pistachio; Proliferation coefficient was 3.6 on the medium of 1/2DKW ＋4.00 mg/L of 6-BA ＋ 0.05 mg/L of IBA; Rooting rate was up to 75% on the medium of 1/2DKW ＋ 5.00 mg/L of IBA ＋ 1.00 mg/L of NAA; The suitable transplantation matrix was 3/4 sand ＋ 1/4 vermiculite,and survival rate of plant with root was above 79%. [Conclusion]The pistachio （Kerman） tissue culture technology system was established.

A new pyrrolidone derivative from Pistacia chinensis

A new N-phenyl-pyrrolidone derivative had been isolated from Pistacia chinesis Bunge. Its structure was elucidated as 4-hydroxy-5-（2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl）-benzoic acid, named pistaciamide on the basis of the 1D-NMR, DEPT, HMQC and HMBC spectroscopic techniques. 2007 Xi Kui Liu. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Study on Biological Characteristics of the Pathogen of Pistacia vera Leaf Brown Spot

[Objective] The paper was to study the occurrence rule of Pistacia vera leaf brown spot and the biological characteristics of its pathogen.[Method] The occurrence rule of P.vera leaf brown spot was investigated in field.A fungus was isolated and purified from the diseased tissue of P.vera,its cultural trait and morphological characteristics were observed in indoor experiment,and the classification status was identified according to its morphology.The effects of different temperatures on mycelial growth of the pathogen,as well as the effects of different temperatures and humidity on spore germination of the pathogen were also studied.[Result] P.vera leaf brown spot was a fungal disease,which mainly infected the leaves and fruits of P.vera,causing leaf spot and blight.The disease had serious incidence in introduction place of P.vera in China.The fungal disease was identified to be Alternaria alternaria,the appropriate temperature for mycelial growth was 20-25 ℃,the appropriate temperature for spore germination was 25-30 ℃,and the appropriate relative humidity was over 95%.[Conclusion] Late spring and early summer,as well as late summer and early autumn are two peak periods for incidence of the disease,continuous rain in summer is the decisive condition for the infection and outbreak of P.vera leaf brown spot.

Foliar Applications with Plant-Derived Extracts Control Pistachio Psyllid, <i>Agonoscena pistaciae</i>

Citrus and palm trees’ extracts, commercially formulated as ProAlexin PNSTM and AgrisprayTM, were studied against the pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae, in field conditions. Generally, foliage spraying application against the pistachio psyllid may cause severe reduction on the honeybee forager population, which visits infested trees to collect honeydew. ProAlexinTM products have the same formulation with Provigoro 14 WA Bee Care?, a natural water acidifier, which not only has negative action on the honeybees, but also shows disinfectant action against Nosema spp. The scope of the present study was to determine any effect of ProAlexin products on the reduction of the population of the pistachio psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae. Experiments were performed at the orchard of the A.U.A., with two mixtures sprayed on psyllid infested pistachio trees, the first with ProAlexin PNSTM and AgrisprayTM and the second only with AgrisprayTM. They were both applied with the addition of APG25TM non-ionic surfactant. Results showed that mortality on the trees treated with ProAlexin PNSTM + AgrisprayTM mixture and AgrisprayTM was significantly higher compared with the control. This could be explained due to the phytoalexins that these products elicit, which are part of the plant mechanism against insect herbivores. These products are potentially promising methods to be used in sustainable agriculture approaches against the pistachio psyllid and they should be tested for their effects on the biological control agents of this pest. Beyond this, the results of this study encourage to test their effects on other pests of pistachio and other tree species.

Research advances in the study of Pistacia chinensis Bunge, a superior tree species for biomass energy

As a renewable energy, biomass energy has aroused wide attention and studies of this issue have become a hot topic throughout the world. Pistacia chinensis Bunge （Anacardiaceae） is a superior species for biomass energy with high oil content in seeds and wide geographic distribution. It is a dioeciously, deciduous arbor, flowering from March to April and bearing fruits from September to November. The classification, regional distribution and biological characteristics ofP chinensis are stated in this paper, then, research advances in the growth, breeding and physiology of this species are summarized. The problems in present studies are broached. Finally, a future direction for research is proposed.

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships between and within wild Pistacia species populations and implications for its conservation

Although cultivation and utilization of Pistacia are fully exploited, the evolutionary history of the Pistacia genus and the relationships among the species and accessions is still not well understood. The aim of this study was to analyze random amplified polymorphic DNA（RAPD） in a total of 50 accessions of wild pistachio species, which included five populations Pistacia vera, Pistacia khinjuk,Pistacia atlantica, Pistacia mutica, and Pistacia eurycarpa.High levels of genetic diversity were detected within wild pistachio accessions, as revealed by using the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averaging and supported via analysis of molecular variance. The objectives of this investigation were to estimate marker indices, polymorphic information contents（PICs）, and genetic similarities（GS）for RAPD markers; assess the genetic diversity of Pistacia species, using GS estimated from RAPD fingerprints and molecular characterization; and facilitate the use of markers in inter-specific introgression and cultivar improvement.Out of the 149 polymerase chain reaction fragments that were scored, 146（97.98 %） were polymorphic. Genetic similarities ranged from 0.3 to 0.86 %, marker indices ranged from 2.98 to 17.74 %, and PICs ranged from 0.80 to0.99 %. Our results provided great molecular identification of all assayed genotypes, which have shown that there is large quantity of genetic diversity among the pistachio accessions. This finding might render striking information in breeding management strategies for genetic conservation and cultivar development.

Clonal propagation of mastic tree(Pistacia lentiscus var.chia Duham.) in outdoor beds using different rootstock and grafting techniques

We assessed different rootstocks and grafting techniques to clonally propagate mastic tree （Pistacia lentiscus var. chia）. Mastic tree is a dioecious tree but the quantity and quality of the resin secreted by female trees are very low; therefore, male trees that are clonally propagated are used to establish commercial plantations for mastic production. Conventional long branch cuttings for clonal production requires too much materials and has a very low rooting rate. Rooting with tissue culture and green cuttings has also failed outdoors. Grafting of mastic on other Pistacia species has not been tried so far; therefore, this study was aimed at developing grafting methods for the clonal propagation of mastic. P. atlantica and P. lentiscus rootstocks were grafted from 15 February to 15 October every 15 days using three grafting methods and a two-factor randomized block trial design. Early spring （15 February-15 March） proved to be the best time for grafting using either of the rootstocks. The highest grafting success was attained using the scions grafted on P. atlantica from 15 February to 15 March. The best bud-burst percentage was obtained using P. atlantica and P. lentiscus rootstocks.

Wild pistachio tree (Pistacia mutica) in the Qalajeh forest region of western Iran

Wild pistachio tree （Pistacia mutica） is considered the most important species in the Zagros forests. It can adapt to unfavorable environmental conditions. To find the suitable ecological conditions for pistachio species, we investigated different environmental factors such as gradient, aspect and position of the slopes through the distribution area. Frequency of pistachio trees in the north and northwest of Qalajeh forests was 36.4% and 1%, respectively. Maximum （32%） and minimum （13%） number of wild pistachio trees were in 30%--60% and 〉120% slope classes, respectively. The most number and least number of pistachio trees were found at elevations of 1100-1200 m and 2200-2300 m, respectively. The percentage of pistachio canopy coverage was 10. The average percentage of herbaceous coverage was 6.5. Pistachio trees of diameter per hectare at breast height （DBH） 〉20 cm numbered 5 while average number of pistachio trees was 8 per hectare. Pistachio seedlings per hectare averaged 3.5. The number of other species per ha was 7 trees. The effect of aspect on other species was not significant （p=0.151）. Slope class and geographical aspect did not affect regeneration （p=0.275 and p=0.111, respectively）. Pistachio plays an important economic role in semi-arid areas, therefore it is essential to protect and restore Qalajeh forests through participation by government and local people.

Taxonomic Revision of the Genus <i>Pistacia</i>L. (Anacardiaceae)

Pistacia is an economically important genus because it contains the pistachio crop, P. vera, which has edible seeds of considerable commercial importance whose value has increased over the last two decades reaching an annual value of about $2 billion (harvested crop). The taxonomic relationships among its species are controversial and not well under- stood due to the fact that they have no genetic barriers. The taxonomy of this genus is revised in detail through our re- search. It includes the following taxa: Pistacia atlantica Desf., P. chinensis Bunge subsp. chinensis, P. chinensis subsp. falcata (Bess. ex Martinelli) Rech. f., P. chinensis subsp. integerrima (J.L. Stew. ex Brandis) Rech. f., P. eurycarpa Yalt., P. khinjuk Stocks, P. lentiscus L. subsp. lentiscus, P. lentiscus subsp. emarginata (Engl.) AL-Saghir, P. mexicana Humb., Bonpl., & Kunth, P. X saportae Burnat, P. terebinthus L., P. vera L., and P. weinmannifolia Poiss. ex Franch. The genus is divided into two sections: section Pistacia and section Lentiscella. A key to the 14 taxa that have been recognized by this study is included. The new combination P. lentiscus subsp. emarginata (Engl.) AL-Saghir is made, and the names P. chinensis subsp. integerrima (J. L. Stew. ex Brandis) Rech. F., P. terebinthus L., and P. vera L. are lectotypified.

Two New Gallotannins from Pistacia weinmannifolia

Two new gallotannins, pistafolins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the leaf extract of Pistacia weinmannifolia. Their structures were determined by spectral methods.

Anti-tumor effects and cellular mechanisms of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract against Ehrlich solid tumor in mice

Objective:To assess the anti-tumor effects of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract(PAME)compared with cyclophosphamide against Ehrlich solid tumors in mice.Methods:Swiss albino mice(n=40)were divided into five groups:normal control mice,mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with normal saline,mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally once a day for 14 d,or 50mg/kg or 100 mg/kg PAME orally once a day for 14 d.Tumor growth inhibition,body weight,tumor markers,liver and kidney enzymes,oxidative stress markers,antioxidant enzymes,tumor necrosis factor-alpha level(TNF-α),and apoptosis-regulatory gene expression were evaluated.Results:Treatment of mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumors with PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg orally significantly decreased tumor volume,body weight,tumor markers,liver and kidney enzymes,oxidative stress markers and TNF-αlevel in comparison with mice with Ehrlich solid tumors receiving normal saline.whereas PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day significantly elevated the level of antioxidant enzymes(P<0.05).Conclusions:Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract has potent antitumor activity in mice.Therefore,the extract might be considered as an alternative anticancer agent against tumors,however,additional studies especially in the clinical setting are required to confirm this finding.

Initial Stages in the Formation of Galls Induced by Geoica utricularia in Pistacia terebinthus Leaflets: Origin of the Two Vascular Bundles which Characterize the Wall of the Galls

Only a few species of aphids induce galls. Among these, Paracletus cimiciformis, Forda marginata, Forda formicaria, Geoica utricularia and Baizongia pistaciae induce galls on Pistacia terebinthus leaflets. Prior to present study the author examined microscopically P. terebinthus leaflets. He also studied the microscopic morphology of galls induced by the five species mentioned above. A clear microscopic difference between these galls is that in the wall of galls induced by the genera Paracletus and Forda a single vascular bundle is seen. The interpretation is that these galls are laminae of the modified leaflets. However, in the walls of the galls induced by the genera Geoica and Baizongia, two vascular bundles are observed. In the present paper a study of the early stages of development of galls produced by G. utricularia is described. The study was designed to explain the origin of the two vascular bundles present in the walls of these galls. The findings indicate that the aphid induces a massive development of the two vascular bundles present in the midvein of the leaflets of P. terebinthus: the main vascular bundle and the small supernumerary vascular bundle. Both these extremely developed vascular bundles occupy the walls of the galls induced by G. utricularia.

Effective Method to Resolve the Chromosome Numbers in Pistacia Species (Anacardiaceae)

The genus Pistacia L. belongs to the Anacardiaceae family and includes at least eleven species. Cytogenetic studies addressing the genus Pistacia are rather few. Chromosome numbers of the different Pistacia species, revealed by these studies, are questionable due to the fact that poor chromosome counting protocols were used, and these protocols are hampered by the extremely small-sized chromosomes of Pistacia species. The aim of this study was to develop a more effective method to resolve the chromosome numbers in Pistacia species using a fluorescent microscope. The method described here is modified from the Sigma Plant Protoplast Digest/Wash Solution protocol. The method used here is highly effective for karyotyping analysis and studying population genetics of Pistacia species. Moreover, it is easy and can be reproduced for other species that have smaller chromosomes. This method can be used for plant herbarium specimens or field plants. This study provides valuable chromosomal data for cytogeneticists and plant breeders who are working on this genus. It provides additional insight into understanding the taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among Pistacia species. The chromosomes described here are also suitable for gene and genome mapping.

Reversal of multidrug resistance and antitumor promoting activity of 3-oxo-6β-hydroxy-β-amyrin isolated from Pistacia integerrima

The bioactive triterpenoid 3-oxo-6-β-hydroxy-β-amyrin(1)has been isolated from multiple plant sources.In this study,chloroform fraction of Pistacia integerrima extract was processed for the isolation of the compound.The compound identity was confirmed by advanced spectroscopy technique.X-ray crystallography was applied for molecular structure confirmation.In addition,compound 1 was screen for its activity on reversal of MDR(multidrug resistance)mediated by P-gp(P-glycoprotein).This was accomplished by using rhodamine123 exclusion on multidrug-resistant human ABCB1 gene transfected mouse T-lymphoma cell line.Outcomes revealed that MDR reversing effect was comparable to verapamil as positive control in vitro.Treatment of TPA-induced tumor promotion with 3-oxo-6β-hydroxy-β-amyrin led to reduction in the applied anti-tumor promotion experiment.The chemo-preventive effect of 3-oxo-6β-hydroxy-β-amyrin was comparable to curcumin as positive control based on the reduction of immediate early tumor antigen expression.Molecular docking by applying Autodock Vina 1 and i-GEMDOCK v 2.1 tools indicated that compound 1 gives good docking results,as determined by their fitness score and specificity.Moreover,results showed that compound 1 isolated from Pistacia integerrima precisely attached to a region where co-crystallized ligand for receptor previously existed.Our findings may explain the use of Pistacia integerrima plant extracts as an anticancer agent in folk medicine.

Anatomical and Adaptation Features of <i>Pistacia atlantica</i>Desf. to Adverse Climate Conditions in Algeria

This work was conducted to assess the anatomical features of Pistacia atlantica Desf. under Mediterranean semi-arid climate conditions. In this study, phytoecological approach was used at different observation scales including the large ecological scale. 11 samples of P. atlantica species were randomly selected in order to study the anatomy of leaves and branches. The results show that leaves have palisade parenchyma occupying almost the entire mesophyll, measuring 100 to 170 μm. While in branches, the only pith occupies 38% followed by the xylem (24%), relative to the rest of the tissue (epidermis, periderm, collenchyma, pericyclic fiber, secretory duct and phloem). The current results suggest that P. atlantica species has xeromorphic anatomical characters, giving it great ecological plasticity in an arid environment. Moreover, this study shows that the human activities are causing local extinction of this rare species in Algeria.

Salt＇s Effect on Anatomy and Deformity of Pistacia vera Nut

This study attempts to examine the effects of salinity on leaf, stem, and nut of Pistacia vera （Ohady and Kaleh Ghochi cultivars） in order to characterize their anatomical structures with electron and light microscopy. A comparative study of the anatomy indicates a difference between the density of simple and glandular trichomes in leaf surface, deposit of wax, the thickness of leaf, the length of epidermal cells, palisade parenchyma cells, crystals in mesophyll, and the manner of compatibility to salinity. The results obtained in this research demonstrate that compatibility of Ohady cultivar is higher than Kaleh Ghochi and the degree of mechanical wounding depends on their development stages. In addition to results of previous studies which considered crop load as the main cause of fruit deformity. The present study indicates that, in spite of some reduction in total production of a tree, salinity decreases fruit deformity and to a high extent prevents the production of deformed fruit. Indeed, a remarkable reduction in production of deformed fruit will be yielded by selecting pistachio varieties which are resistant to salinity. Moreover, salinity increases the resistance of nuts to mechanical wounding. The results of this study suggest that in EC = 7.6, 12.6 deformity of nut is not related to crop load.

Assessments of Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties in the Methanolic and Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Pistacia lentiscus against Different Antibiotic Resistance Pathogenic Bacteria

The current study was carried out to determine the bioactivity of P. lentiscus leaf extracts as potential antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The plant extracts were examined for antibacterial activity against antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis using the agar well method (according to the guidelines of Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute). The antioxidant potential of 3 plant leaf extracts was determined by their ability to convert Fe3+ to Fe2+ and scavenge the DPPH free radical. At all concentrations studied, the methanolic leaf extract had higher total phenolic and flavonoid content, as well as stronger antioxidant and antibacterial inhibitory activity compared to aqueous extract. Our findings with P. aeruginosa were especially interesting, because this bacterium was inhibited by methanol extract than that of the reference antibiotics. The results also demonstrated a link between DPPH radical scavenging ability, reducing power, and total phenolic and flavonoid content of plant extracts (r > 0.97, R2 > 0.95, P = 0.01). As a result, the methanolic leaf extract of the chosen plant might be employed as an effective antioxidant and antibacterial agent for the treatment of a variety of morbidities.

Conservation of Leaves of a Medicinal Plant of Western Algeria （Pistacia atlantica）

In our context, and in the goal to valorize the Pistacia atlantica species Desfthat grows spontaneously in Algeria occidental except the coastline, and that is used by the nomadic populations in their daily consumptions, we are thinking about drying its leaves. Here, the biochemical analysis of dried leaves ofPistacia atlantica is determined, the sorption is other ms are of great importance in the food industry, especially in the drying; the sorption isotherms of pistachio leaves were measured by the gravimetric method at three temperatures 40, 50 and 60 ℃. The equilibrium was achieved after eight days for desorption and seven days for adsorption with water activity ranging from 5% to 90%. Only the GAB and Peleg models were found to be the most suitable for describing the sorption curves. The isosteric heat of sorption of Pistacia atlantica leaves decreases with an increase in moisture content and was found to be an exponential function of moisture content for adsorption and desorption. The pistachio leaves could be considered as a rich natural source of valuable nutriments （carbohydrates, proteins and lipids）; lipid fraction is equal to 2.25%; proteins are the second macronutriment that predominates in these sheets： 4.35%; accordingly carbohydrates content was about 25.77%.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Pistacia lentiscus L. Essential Oil from Oran (Algeria)

Essential oil from the leaves of Pistacia lentiscus L. growing in the Oran region in the west of Algeria was obtained by hydrodistillation with a 1.26 % yield on a dry weight basis. Spectrophotometric analyses were employed to highlight the scavenger capacity of this oil using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test. Twenty compounds were identified by GC and CG/MS analyses, and the main part of the compounds of the oil was terpinene-4-ol (41.24%) and α-terpineol (7.31%), α-pinene (9.48%), limonene (09.11%), β-myrcene (10.5%), p-cymene (8.67%) and α-phellandrene (2.20%), β-caryophyllene (12.62%) as major compounds. The DPPH test shows that Pistacia lentiscus essential oil possesses antiradical activity. A linear correlation (correlation coefficient R2 = 0.995, P Pistacia lentiscus essential oil.