South African Journal of Botany最新文献

{"title":"Optimizing callus induction, indirect plantlet regeneration and evaluation of antioxidant enzyme activities in Tecoma stans L","authors":"Sheikh Altaf Hussain ,&nbsp;Afshan Naaz ,&nbsp;Khalid Rehman Hakeem ,&nbsp;Mohammad Anis","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An efficient protocol has been designed for high frequency indirect shoot organogenesis and plant establishment for <em>Tecoma stans</em>, an anti-diabetic shrub from inter node segment derived callus. Maximum organogenic callus induction frequency (75 %) was recorded on Murashige and Skoog medium augmented by 7.5 µM 2, 4 – D. Efficient shoot bud differentiation <em>via</em> de novo callus formation was achieved using various hormonal concentrations. The highest shoot regeneration frequency, with an average of 24.4 ± 0.74 shoots / per callus clump having 5.96 ± 0.43 cm mean shoot length, was achieved on MS medium enriched with 7.50 µM <em>m</em>T + 0.50 µM NAA, after 8 weeks of incubation. Effective (95 %) <em>in vitro</em> rhizogenesis among regenerated shoots were revealed on ½ MS containing 1.0 µM IBA with maximum (12.4 ± 0.50) number of roots having average mean length (5.92 ± 0.44) cm per excised shoot, after 4 weeks of incubation. Plantlets with fully developed root / shoot systems were effectively acclimatized, with a 90.0 % success rate, and planted in pots filled with soil. The micro-propagated plants exhibited healthy growth pattern with normal morphology. In addition effect of environmental conditions on acclimatization was studied <em>via</em> evaluating the biochemical and antioxidant enzymatic activities such as CAT, SOD, H₂O₂ and GR on weekly basis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 680-687"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cultivation of Typha latifolia seeds in vitro: Establishing an aseptic protocol for germination, development, and cadmium exposure of vitroplants","authors":"Amauri Ponce-Hernández ,&nbsp;Luis Jesús Castillo-Pérez ,&nbsp;Claudia Esthela Moctezuma-Granados ,&nbsp;Domingo Martínez-Soto ,&nbsp;Juan José Maldonado-Miranda ,&nbsp;Candy Carranza-Álvarez","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Typha latifolia</em> plants are esteemed for their heavy metal's bioremediation prowess, adeptly handling both biotic and abiotic stresses. Cultivating these plants <em>in vitro</em> is crucial for facilitating experimental studies. In this work, two seed asepsis treatments were compared to germinate, establish, and develop <em>T. latifolia</em> vitroplants, which were used to evaluate their capacity to remove and accumulate cadmium. In Asepsis Treatment I (AT-1), seeds were immersed in Captan, AgNO₃, Bacterin, NaClO, Tween 20, and three washes with sterile distilled water for 5 min each one. For Asepsis Treatment II (AT-2), the seeds were subjected to an agitation process in distilled water, followed by immersion in the same solutions used in AT-1, in the same order, and an additional washing with 70% ethanol for 5 min and five washes with sterile distilled water. In both treatments the seeds were refrigerated at 5°C in darkness. In AT-1 they were refrigerated for 24 h and in AT-2 for 72 h and after were cultured on MS medium. After 90 days, the vitroplants were assessed for cadmium removal and accumulation, subjected to varying concentrations of the element (0, 25, 50, and 75 mg L^-1). Results demonstrate AT-2 superiority, manifesting in 100% seed germination, minimal contamination, and oxidation of vitroplants after 30 days of culture. Notably, vitroplants from AT-2 attained a height of 15.3 ± 3 cm and a root length of 5.2 ± 1 cm. Furthermore, these vitroplants exhibited remarkable cadmium removal efficiency, up to 24% from a 75 mg L^-1 cadmium solution, with predominant accumulation in the root tissue. This study underscores the efficacy of AT-2 in generating vitroplants <em>T. latifolia</em> with improved vigor, fitness and potential for cadmium bioremediation, which can be used in the decontamination of environments impacted with heavy metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 636-643"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The potential of medicinal plants in tuberculosis treatment: Indigenous plants used by the Anak Dalam tribe of Jambi, Indonesia","authors":"Muhaimin Muhaimin ,&nbsp;Uce Lestari ,&nbsp;Rifanza Hirzan ,&nbsp;Anis Yohana Chaerunisaa","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Anak Dalam tribe—an Indigenous group in Jambi Province, Indonesia—resides in forested areas and relies on medicinal plants from their surroundings to treat diseases. Their traditional remedies are particularly used for conditions such as hemoptysis (bloody cough) and tuberculosis (TB). This review summarizes the traditional uses of 40 well-known and promising medicinal plants utilized by the Anak Dalam tribe, evaluating their potential in treating various diseases. The results revealed that 16 plant species were commonly employed for TB treatment. The plant parts used most frequently include leaves, roots, and wood, typically crushed in water and administered orally. In this study, the medicinal properties of the following species are discussed briefly, and their benefits are highlighted: <em>Centella asiatica, Andrographis paniculata, Pluchea indica, Annona muricata, Tinospora crispa, Citrus aurantifolia, Piper betle, Zingiber officinale, Peronema canescens, Spatholobus littoralis, Daemonorops draco, Premna serratifolia, Ginniera nervosa, Staurogyne kingiana, Blumea balsamifera</em>, and <em>Saprosma arboretum</em>. These plants contain bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, coumarins, and others. The key factors influencing the success or failure of these treatments are emphasized, with particular focus on the pharmacological activities of these medicinal plants and their mechanisms of action. This includes a discussion of toxicology and the potential development of new plant-derived drugs and herbal preparations from the Anak Dalam tribe. The analysis underscores the substantial value of traditional medicinal plants as an important ethnomedicinal resource, with pharmacological activities primarily attributed to their phytochemical composition. Furthermore, this review is a critical reference for future research on phytochemical-containing ethnomedicines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 688-709"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of the effects of licorice beverages and licorice extracts on monoamine oxidase and cholinesterase activity","authors":"Ece İskit ,&nbsp;Duygu Aktaş ,&nbsp;Lalehan Özalp ,&nbsp;Furkan Meletli ,&nbsp;Özkan Danış","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are neurodegenerative disorders whose incidence increases significantly with advanced age, and it is known that inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and cholinesterase (ChE) enzymes is important in the symptomatic treatment of these diseases. Natural compounds are important for discovering potent and relatively less toxic enzyme inhibitors. Licorice plant (<em>Glycyrrhiza glabra</em>) and its roots have been used as medicines by humans for hundreds of years. In this study, extracts of licorice root powder were prepared by direct extraction (DE) or fractionated extraction (FE) methods using various solvents, and their radical scavenging, anti-MAO, and anti-ChE activities were determined. Also, the biological activities of licorice drinks widely consumed in Türkiye and some of the active components of licorice root grown in Türkiye, namely glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and isoliquiritin, have been determined. The results indicate that the licorice drink prepared from commercial solid licorice extract called “licorice honey” has much higher DPPH radical scavenging activity than the licorice sherbet, EC₅₀= 0.403 mg DW/mL and 16.780 mg DW/mL, respectively. Similarly, the licorice drink more strongly inhibits MAO and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity when compared to traditional licorice sherbet. Amongst the active compounds studied, isoliquiritin demonstrates both high DPPH scavenging (EC₅₀= 0.238 mg DW/mL) and high MAO-B (IC₅₀= 0.035 µg DW/ mL) and AChE (IC₅₀= 0.039 mg DW/ mL) inhibitory activities. Based on these data, isoliquiritin emerges as a promising candidate for the development of novel drugs that can be used for the symptomatic therapy of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 606-614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro cytotoxic, genotoxic, and multi-parameter hepatotoxic evaluation of selected South African medicinal plant extracts","authors":"Sowesa Kevine Kanama ,&nbsp;Ilze Vermaak ,&nbsp;Maryna van de Venter ,&nbsp;Trevor C. Koekemoer ,&nbsp;Alvaro Viljoen","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many consumers assume the safety of medicinal plants, and consequently use these remedies for treating various conditions, without knowledge of their potential toxicity. Research assessing the safety of South African medicinal plants is scarce. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and <em>in vitro</em> multi-parameter hepatotoxicity of twenty South African indigenous medicinal plant extracts, which were selected based on their significance, popularity and commercial use. Sixty extracts (water, methanol and hexane) of 50, 100 and 200 μg/mL were prepared from the twenty selected species using the plant parts used traditionally. These were screened for cytotoxicity towards Vero and C3A cells. The extracts were tested for potential genotoxicity using the micronucleus assay in Vero cells. The hepatotoxicity of these extracts was assessed using a multi-parameter assay using C3A cells. Mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial mass, oxidative stress, lysosomal content and lipid accumulation were used as indicators to assess potential hepatotoxicity. In the micronucleus assay, most of the hexane and methanol extracts were found to be toxic towards Vero cells, while the majority of the water extracts were non-toxic, as confirmed by Hoechst 33342-PI dual staining. The methanol extracts of <em>Athrixia phylicoides</em> and <em>Pelargonium sidoides</em> were toxic to Vero cells at all three concentrations tested. Although some hexane and methanol extracts induced a degree of cytotoxicity at the highest concentrations, only the methanol extracts of <em>A. phylicoides</em> and <em>P. sidoides</em> exhibited possible genotoxic potential at all three concentrations. In the multi-parameter hepatotoxicity assay, the aqueous extracts of <em>Lippia javanica, Mentha longifolia, Merwilla plumbea, Mesembryanthemum tortuosum, P. sidoides,</em> and <em>Xysmalobium undulatum</em> were found to cause oxidative stress. The majority of extracts induced mitotoxicity, which is linked to lipid toxicity; this was particularly prominent in the case of all three <em>P. sidoides</em> extracts. The organic extracts of <em>Crinum macowanii</em> and <em>Melianthus major</em>, as well as the water extract of <em>X. undulatum</em>, caused lysosomal dysfunction. Almost all of the water, methanol and hexane extracts exhibited a degree of cytotoxicity towards C3A cells. Mitotoxicity and lipid accumulation were amongst the hepatotoxic mechanisms displayed by aqueous extracts. Some caution is recommended when using some of these plant species, as a degree of toxicity was observed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 625-635"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanotechnology in agriculture: Exploring the influence of calcium carbonate nanoparticles on tomato leaf and fruit metabolomic profiles","authors":"Thobo Motlhalamme ,&nbsp;Amani Gabriel Kaningini ,&nbsp;Force Tefo Thema ,&nbsp;Keletso Cecilia Mohale ,&nbsp;Malik Maaza","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant growth and development require various macronutrients such as calcium for the synthesis of secondary metabolites. One of the main factors hindering tomato development and fruiting is calcium deficiency. However, calcium can be made more available and more mobile in the plant and all of its activities through the use of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO₃ NPs) as a source of calcium for plant nutrition. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of CaCO₃ NPs on the metabolomic profile of two tomato cultivars grown under greenhouse conditions. A completely randomized design was used for plant growth. An LC-QTOF-MS/MS was used to analyze tomato fruits and leaves. The evaluation of the metabolomic profile was done using molecular networking in the GNPS analysis environment. The results obtained were compared against different databases and the DEREPLICATOR software was used for metabolites annotation. The PCA and heatmaps were generated using Metaboanalyst software. The results revealed each cultivar's metabolomic profile to be unique and highly influenced by application of CaCO₃ NPs, as shown by the distinct groups obtained via heatmap, PCA, and PLS-DA multivariate analyses. Additionally, the application of CaCO₃ NPs increased the presence of terpenoids and flavonoids in both fruits and leaves compared with the untreated plants. Metabolites such as 13-hydroxyabscisic acid, Dantaxusin A, and Sinuatol were identified in the leaves of the Moneymaker cultivar, with 3′-O-linolenoylglyceryl 6-O-galactopyranosyl-galactopyranoside, Olean-12-en-28-oic acid and scutianthraquinone B present in the fruits. In the case of the Heinz-1370 cultivar, 3-O-(α-L-oleandrosyl) oleandolide, 6,6′-di-O-caffeoylcatalpol and astilbin were identified in the leaves, with quercetin 3-O-xylosyl-rutinoside and 3-O-feruloyl-1,4-di-O-dihydrocaffeoylquinic acid identified in the fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 615-624"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptional profiling and proteomic validation revealed higher boron tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to salt pre-treatment","authors":"Ceyhun Kayıhan ,&nbsp;Efe Dallı ,&nbsp;Şeküre Çulha Erdal ,&nbsp;İdil Yet ,&nbsp;Nuran Çiçek ,&nbsp;Yasemin Ekmekçi","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boron (B), which has a very narrow range of deficiency and toxicity, is an essential and unique micronutrient for plants. The negative effects of B toxicity in plants have been recently alleviated by various treatments such as salt, melatonin, nitrit oxide etc. This study aimed to evaluate the alleviating effect of salt pre-treatment (SP) on boron stress by investigating B accumulation, photosynthetic activity, oxidative damage, and antioxidant defense system and the changes in transcriptomic responses and proteomic validation in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>. Twelve-day-old <em>A. thaliana</em> plants grown under control conditions were transferred to plates including 40 mM NaCl for 3 days and, then, the seedlings with/without SP were transferred to plates containing 3 mM H₃BO₃ (3B) and 5 mM H₃BO₃ (5B) for 7 days. B toxicity led to a decrease in leaf area, biomass, the photosynthetic performance and the content of photosynthetic pigments and an increase in the accumulation of B, the contents of anthocyanin, while SP treatments mitigated the adverse effects of B toxicity on these parameters in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>. According to RNA-seq analysis, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was higher in 5B than in 3B treatment in leaf tissues. Also, SP treatments induced more genes than 3B and 5B treatments and it was higher in SP-5B than in SP-3B treatment. These genes related to mainly the metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, ribosome, plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction, carbon metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids, photosynthesis, and ribosome biogenesis. Especially, the genes of ribosome biogenesis were induced under all conditions and in fact, it was determined that they were induced more following SP treatments compared to 3B and 5B. In conclusion, SP treatments can reduce the detrimental effect of B toxicity on <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> by inducing more internal B defense and detoxification mechanism, and the genes of some metabolic pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 588-605"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lipid-lowering effect of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) powder on Drosophila melanogaster larvae fed a high-sucrose diet","authors":"Dan He ,&nbsp;Shanshan Li ,&nbsp;Weihui Xu ,&nbsp;Lijie Liu ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Fan ,&nbsp;Jinxu Liu ,&nbsp;Yunlong Hu ,&nbsp;Zhigang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The food industry has shown a significant interest in exploring plant-based components with lipid-lowering properties. Industrial hemp (<em>Cannabis sativa</em> L., IH), which is renowned for its rich bioactive constituents, has emerged as a potential botanical source. However, there are limited reports on the lipid-lowering effects of IH and its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study employed network pharmacology and a high sucrose (HS)-fed <em>Drosophila melanogaster</em> larvae model to investigate the lipid-lowering effects of IH. Network pharmacology analysis confirmed that flavonoids, sterols, flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic compounds present in IH possess lipid-lowering effects, suggesting that IH may exhibit potential lipid-lowering activity. Subsequently, <em>in vivo</em> validation demonstrated that IH significantly reduced triglyceride levels in a concentration-dependent manner in the HS group. Notably, a 1 % concentration of IH markedly decreased lipid accumulation and was selected for further investigation of its mechanism in HS-fed larvae. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that the lipid-lowering effect of IH is associated with the regulation of lipid metabolism and related signaling pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. These results are consistent with the findings from the network pharmacological analysis and confirm the role of IH in modulating lipid metabolism. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that IH has significant lipid-lowering characteristics and holds great potential for future functional food applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 579-587"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular docking and bio-control efficacy of Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze against mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say","authors":"Bidinti Brahma ,&nbsp;Asha Boro ,&nbsp;Nerswn Basumatary ,&nbsp;Jatin Sarmah ,&nbsp;Yutika Narzary","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant-based insecticides are gaining attention as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic pesticides due to their natural compounds like essential oils and extracts, which pose minimal risks to non-target organisms and the environment. <em>Mesosphaerum suaveolens</em> (L.) Kuntze<strong>,</strong> traditionally used as an insect repellent by Bodo tribe of Assam, was evaluated for its insecticidal efficacy against <em>Culex quinquefasciatus</em>, a prevalent mosquito in the region. The methanolic extract of the leaves of <em>M. suaveolens</em> showed significant insecticidal activity with LC₅₀ value at 81.28 μg/mL &amp; LC₉₀ at 186.21 μg/mL. The GC–MS analysis revealed presence of 13 compounds out of which 11 are newly reported in <em>M. suaveolens</em>. For <em>in-silico</em> investigation, the phytochemicals identified from GC–MS analysis were investigated for their binding affinity to selected target proteins of <em>Cx. quinquefasciatus</em> namely: maltase 1 (Cqm1) and Odorant binding protein (OBP). Molecular docking studies predicted five potent inhibitors of the targeted proteins, and highlighted 7-Hydroxy-7, 8, 9, 10-Tetramethyl-7, 8-Dihydrocyclohepta [D, E] Naphthalene as the most promising compound. The MD simulation of two complexes “7-Hydroxy-7, 8, 9, 10-Tetramethyl-7,8-Dihydrocyclohepta [D, E] Naphthalene &amp; maltase 1 (Cqm1)” and “7-Hydroxy-7, 8, 9, 10-Tetramethyl-7,8-Dihydrocyclohepta [D, E] Naphthalene &amp; Odorant binding protein (OBP)”, showed that the compound 7-Hydroxy-7, 8, 9, 10-Tetramethyl-7,8-Dihydrocyclohepta [D, E] Naphthalene has a stronger inhibitory potential against maltase 1 (Cqm1) as compared to Odorant binding protein (OBP). This study underscores the potential of <em>M. suaveolens</em> as an effective, sustainable alternative to synthetic insecticides for controlling <em>Cx. quinquefasciatus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 541-552"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143724914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An appraisal of the South African antibacterial plants and their computational bioprospection for putative leads against Staphylococcus aureus penicillin-binding protein 2a and beta-lactamase","authors":"Gideon Ampoma Gyebi,&nbsp;Saheed Sabiu","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.03.040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2a and beta-lactamase play important roles in the resistance of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> to beta-lactam antibiotics, making them vital targets for the discovery of new chemical entities. The vast South African medicinal plants (SAMP) with reported antibacterial properties have not been sufficiently explored to date. This study explored SAMP with reported antibacterial activities for putative leads against <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a and beta-lactamase using computational studies. A total of 187 SAMPs with antibacterial activity were identified, spanning 67 families, with Fabaceae (18), Asteraceae (19), and Lamiaceae (11) being the most prominently represented. A library of 4230 secondary metabolites (SM), predominantly identified from leaves of the plants, was constructed and docked against active site of <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a. The top-ranked SM were further docked to the allosteric site of <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a, beta-lactamase and their ensembles obtained from conformational clustering and investigated for druggable pharmacokinetic and synthetic features. Thermodynamic stability analysis of the resulting complexes of the leads over a 120-ns MD simulation period revealed astragalin 6′’-gallate (-62.11 ± 4.94 and -39.70 ± 4.91 kcal/mol) and 20(29)-Lupene-3β-Isoferulate (-55.66 ± 8.91 and -42.88 ± 5.93 kcal/mol) as the most potent against <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a and beta-lactamase compared to reference standards, ceftaroline (-46.06 ± 5.65 kcal/mol) and clavulanate (-21.40 ± 4.77 kcal/mol), respectively, with an allosteric modulatory effect on Tyr446, the active site gatekeeper residue in <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a. Astragalin 6′'-gallate and 20(29)-lupene-3β-isoferulate, identified in <em>Myrothamnus flabellifolia</em> and <em>Euclea natalensis,</em> respectively, are likely contributors to the reported antibacterial activity of these plants. The potential dual-target inhibitory properties and the ability to modulate the active site conformation of <em>S. aureus</em> PBP2a position these metabolites as promising candidates for further investigation in combating <em>S. aureus</em> infections. Efforts are underway in this direction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"180 ","pages":"Pages 553-578"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}