South African Journal of Botany最新文献

{"title":"Optimizing seaweed extract for enhanced biomass yield and pharmacologically active specialized metabolites in St. John's wort","authors":"Yog Raj ,&nbsp;Rakesh Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>St. John’s wort (SJW) is a high-value medicinal plant with antidepressant properties, typically consumed in its raw or minimally processed form to treat mild to moderate depression. Given the concerns over chemical inputs, there is growing interest in using bio-based alternatives such as seaweed extracts (SWE) for sustainable crop cultivation. However, conclusive studies on the selection and optimal application of SWE for SJW cultivation are still lacking. This two-year field experiment, laid out in a randomized block design, evaluated three commercially available indigenous SWE derived from red (<em>Gracilaria salicornoia, Kappaphycus alverzii</em>) and brown (<em>Sargassum wightii</em>) macroalgae. These SWE were applied individually at ascending concentrations (1.0, 2.5, and 5.0 % w/v) and in combinations at a moderate concentration (2.5 % w/v) at sleeve filling, transplanting, and after establishment of seedlings at main field, via root-dipping and soil drenching. Untreated seedlings served as the control. Plant morphological parameters, yield attributes, photosynthetic performance, biomass yield, and contents of pharmacologically active specialized metabolites were accessed. Results revealed that highest concentrations (5.0 % w/v) significantly (<em>p &lt; 0.05</em>) maximized specialized metabolites but substantially reduced the biomass yield compared to the control and other treatments. Conversely, at lowest concentrations (1.0 % w/v), no significant (<em>p &gt; 0.05</em>) improvements were observed; instead, biomass yield and specialized metabolites were either numerically decreased or remained statistically similar with control. Notably, moderate concentration (2.5 % w/v) treatments, particularly a combination of <em>G. salicornoia</em> (red) and <em>S. wightii</em> (brown), significantly enhanced both biomass yield and specialized metabolites compared with other combinations, control, and individual treatments (at all concentrations). These findings suggest application of <em>G. salicornoia</em> and <em>S. wightii</em> SWE combination at optimal concentration (2.5 % w/v) can serve a promising sustainable strategy for cultivating high-quality SJW plants with ample biomass yield in the western Himalaya.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 30-39"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616843","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":"Targeted delivery of phytochemicals via nanocarriers: Emerging strategies for psoriasis and acne","authors":"Zahra Jalayeri Darbandy ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Oroojalian ,&nbsp;Prashant Kesharwani ,&nbsp;Sercan Karav ,&nbsp;Amirhossein Sahebkar","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Psoriasis and acne are prevalent dermatological disorders often managed with conventional therapies, which present limitations in efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes. Recently, increasing attention has been directed toward the integration of phytoconstituents, bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants, into nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems as a novel therapeutic strategy. Phytochemicals possess well-documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties, and generally offer favorable a safety profile compared to synthetic agents. Incorporated of these natural compounds into nanocarriers enhances their therapeutic potential by improving skin penetration, enabling controlled drug release, facilitating targeted delivery, and reducing dosing frequency. This review highlights recent advances in the use of nanotechnology to optimize the delivery and efficacy of phytoconstituents for treating psoriasis and acne. It also discusses the mechanistic insights, therapeutic outcomes, formulation challenges, and translational hurdles associated with the clinical application of these nano-herbal systems. Continued research and development are essential to address formulation stability, scaling processes, regulatory compliance, and clinical validation, thereby facilitating the commercialization of effective and safe phyto-nanocarrier therapies in dermatology</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 68-85"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616860","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":"Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Aspalathus L. (Fabaceae; Papilionoideae; Crotalarieae) based on molecular and morphological evidence","authors":"L.K. Madika ,&nbsp;R.J. Sebola ,&nbsp;D.A. Zhigila ,&nbsp;C.H. Stirton ,&nbsp;A.M. Muasya","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The genus <em>Aspalathus</em>, comprising approximately 300 species predominantly endemic to South Africa's Core Cape Subregion, is the largest genus within the legume (Leguminosae /Fabaceae) family in the subregion. Despite its ecological and economic significance, phylogenetic reconstructions within <em>Aspalathus</em> have been hindered by poor resolution, largely due to limited variation in commonly used molecular markers. This study expands sampling within <em>Aspalathus</em> and employs four DNA markers—ETS, ITS, <em>mat</em>K, and <em>trn</em>S<em>-trn</em>G—to improve phylogenetic resolution and clarify relationships within the genus. Our results indicate that <em>Aspalathus</em>, as currently circumscribed, may not be monophyletic, with two major clades sharing a common ancestor with other Cape Crotalarieae genera. A polytomy at the backbone of the phylogeny suggests unresolved evolutionary relationships, potentially influenced by limited marker variation. Character inference highlights morphological and ecological differences between the two major clades, particularly in leaf lamina morphology, supporting previous hypotheses of taxonomic divergence within the genus. These findings refine the phylogenetic framework for <em>Aspalathus</em>, but further studies, like those using the angiosperm353 target capture sequencing approach, are needed to improve resolution. Additionally, broader sampling of related taxa will be essential for accurately determining the position of <em>Aspalathus</em> within the tribe Crotalarieae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 107-119"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616861","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":"Taxonomic revision of acaulescent and pseudoacaulescent perennial Arctotis species (Asteraceae, Arctotideae, Arctotidinae)","authors":"Robert J. McKenzie","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A taxonomic revision of the southern African genus <em>Arctotis</em> (Asteraceae, Arctotideae) is ongoing. <em>Arctotis acaulis</em> is distributed predominantly in the Western Cape province of South Africa and is among the most common <em>Arctotis</em> species in fynbos and renosterveld. Here, I present a revised taxonomy for <em>Arctotis acaulis</em> and allied species (perennial, non-shrubby species that share a similar distinctive cypsela morphology with <em>A. acaulis</em>) and pseudoacaulescent perennial species that may be confusable with <em>A. acaulis</em>. Twelve species are treated, distinguishable by the root system, caulescence, leaf, involucral bract and cypsela morphology, and pubescence. Four species are newly described: <em>Arctotis convallis, Arctotis diversicolor, Arctotis olifanta</em> and <em>Arctotis sunae</em>. The <em>nomen novum Arctotis madida</em> is proposed for the species described under the nomenclaturally illegitimate name <em>Arctotis undulata</em> Jacq. <em>Arctotis tricolor</em> Jacq. is lectotypified and synonymised with <em>A. acaulis</em>. Full descriptive accounts and a key for identification of the treated species are presented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 620-653"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925030","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":"Diversity assessment of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst germplasm using DIVA-GIS approach with special reference to phytochemical composition","authors":"Archana P. Raina ,&nbsp;A Suma ,&nbsp;D.P. Semwal ,&nbsp;P. Holajjer ,&nbsp;N. Sivaraj ,&nbsp;R.K. Gautam","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bacopa monnieri</em> L. Wettest (Brahmi) is a well-known high value medicinal plant used in Indian system of traditional medicine for its role as a memory enhancer. Plant is highly in demand for its use in the pharmaceutical and herbal industries due to presence of pharmacologically active triterpenoid saponins known as bacosides. These compounds of prime importance due to their role in enhancing nerve impulse transmission and in promoting healthy cognitive functions like attention span, focus, concentration, learning and memory. There is a need to develop and cultivate <em>B. monnieri</em> with high bacoside-A content to meet the growing demand of industry. Considering its value as a drug raw material, genetic variability of <em>B. monnieri</em> was augmented by exploration trips from diverse geographically regions of India. The objective of the present study was to identify elite genotypes of <em>B. monnieri</em> for quality traits among thirty-one accessions augmented from different agro-climatic zones of India and grown under uniform environmental conditions at experimental farm of NBPGR Regional Station, Thrissur, Kerala. The pharmacologically important active compound of bacoside-A was determined in <em>B. monnieri</em> germplasm by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). A wide variability was observed in bacoside-A content across the germplasm varying from 0.92 to 3.59 % with mean bacoside-A content of 1.93 ± 0.58 %. The range of variation in other biochemical traits of the germplasm were: total phenols (11.83–27.19 mg GAE/g), total flavonoids (15.44 to 43.84 mg/g QE), tannins (3.19–5.73 %) and ash content (10.73–17.09 %) accompanied with high DPPH scavenging activity (64.75–82.31 %). Superior accessions identified with high bacoside-A content were IC554586, IC554588, IC353204, IC342108 and IC439118. Due to the economic importance of the brahmi in drug formulation, these promising collections can be exploited for large-scale cultivation for production of quality raw material for meeting demands of pharmaceutical industry and genetic improvement of the crop for obtaining higher drug yield. DIVA-GIS diversity and MaxEnt analyses identified potential states for distribution of elite germplasm in Western Ghat region. These states of India could be targeted for future exploration missions, selection of cultivation sites of elite germplasm based on climate suitability and for identifying <em>in-situ</em> conservation areas for managing genetic resources activities in the climate change regime.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 19-29"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570903","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":"Walnut shell phenolics as natural antioxidants: Green extraction, functional characterization and polyphenol oxidase inhibition","authors":"Ayodeji Amobonye,&nbsp;Joana Bendoraitiene,&nbsp;Laura Peciulyte,&nbsp;Ramune Rutkaite","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite its significant contribution to the overall fruit architecture, the shell of walnut (<em>Juglans regia</em>), which accounts for 50–60 % of the total nut weight, is typically discarded as an agro-industrial waste. Herein, we valorised walnut shells as a source of natural antioxidants with potential applications in food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic processing. Microwave extraction, a green approach, was utilized to obtain walnut shell extract (WNSE), subsequently, the functional characterization was evaluated. The optimized green extraction at 16.25 % biomass loading, 61.25 % of methanol in aqueous solution, 558.12 W microwave power, and 2 min incubation led to a total phenolic content of 424 ± 19.43 mg GAE/g, a 3-fold increase relative to the unoptimized value of 142.74 mg GAE/g. Comprehensive profiling of WNSE via FTIR, LC-MS and GC–MS revealed a total of 53 phenolic and non-phenolic compounds. Thermogravimetry showed that WNSE exhibited significant thermal stability with minimal mass loss up to 190 °C while its antioxidant activity was demonstrated by its remarkable IC₅₀ of 203.91, 102.48 and 71.52 µg/mL, against ABTS<strong>^•</strong>⁺, DPPH<strong>^•</strong> and O<strong>₂^•−</strong> radicals, and a Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) value of 629.33 μmol Fe (II)/mg. Furthermore, a concentration-dependent inhibition of mushroom tyrosinase was observed with a IC₅₀ of 512.46 µg/mL. Subsequently, molecular docking against mushroom tyrosinase suggested more favourable interactions between the WNSE phenolics, viz., chlorogenic acid, 3-O-p-coumaroylquinic acid, betulin relative to butylated hydroxytoluene. These results highlight walnut shells as a promising source of natural additives, alternative to synthetic antioxidants, hence, promoting a more circular and efficient use of bioresources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 374-386"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145790559","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 therapeutic potential of Portulaca oleracea Linn. in treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: In vitro and in silico approaches","authors":"Varsha Yadav ,&nbsp;Anjali Murmu ,&nbsp;Balaji Wamanrao Matore ,&nbsp;Sinchan Das ,&nbsp;Swaha Satpathy ,&nbsp;Vivekananda Mandal ,&nbsp;Partha Pratim Roy ,&nbsp;Jagadish Singh ,&nbsp;Arjun Patra","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease wherein loss of memory and cognition is very common. Oxidative stress, lack of acetylcholine, and inflammation in brain tissues are characteristics of AD. Development of natural remedies such as medicinal plants for management of AD is a viable strategy. In the present study, methanolic extract of &lt;em&gt;Portulaca oleracea&lt;/em&gt; Linn. (MEPO) was examined for its beneficial role in management of AD. MEPO was prepared from the leaves of &lt;em&gt;P. oleracea&lt;/em&gt;, analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid content, and subjected to GCMS and LC/MS-MS analyses for identification of various chemical compounds. The identified compounds were screened for antioxidant property, and cholinesterase inhibition nature by molecular docking analysis. &lt;em&gt;In vitro&lt;/em&gt; antioxidant activity by free radical scavenging assay (DPPH assay), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, and cytotoxicity in SHSY-5Y cells by MTT assay, of MEPO was evaluated. Furthermore, measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS), NF-kB inhibition, level of glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonaldehyde (MDA) and catalase in MEPO treated Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated SHSY-5Y cells were also determined. MEPO contained 20.92 mg of GAE/g and 135 mg of QE/g of MEPO of total phenolics and flavonoids, respectively. GCMS analysis revealed the presence of 37 compounds in MEPO, and LC/MS-MS analysis confirmed presence of 18 phenolic acids and 15 flavonoids. MEPO did not show significant neurotoxicity in SHSY-5Y cells up to a dose of 1200 µg/mL, but possessed prominent antioxidant potential, and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. MEPO significantly reduced the level of ROS, NF-kB, and MDA, however, the level of SOD, glutathione, and catalase increased significantly, in LPS-stimulated SHSY-5Y cells. In molecular docking studies against the targets 4EY7 (AChE receptor), 4TPK (butyrylcholine esterase, BuChE receptor), and 2BXK (antioxidant receptor) of all compounds from GCMS analysis, squalene exhibited the highest docking scores across all targeted proteins. Among the flavonoids, rutin exhibited strong binding affinities toward the active sites of 4EY7 and 4TPK, with the highest LibDock scores of 144.525 and 147.606, respectively, but in 2BXK, myricetin demonstrated the highest docking score 125.097. Within the phenolic acids, chlorogenic acid showed the highest binding affinities for AChE and BuChE, with docking scores of 128.514 (4EY7) and 125.387 (4TPK), respectively, and for antioxidant activity, ferulic acid exhibited the highest docking score with the 2BXK receptor. The binding free energy of protein–ligand complexes of the top docked compounds was also estimated using the &lt;em&gt;Calculate Binding Energies&lt;/em&gt; protocol in Discovery Studio Client (DSC) 4.1. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed using the Desmond module of the Schrödinger 2023–4 suite to evaluate the stability and interaction dynamics of the top-ranke","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 489-507"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840047","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":"DNA barcoding and anti-tyrosinase activities of three species-representative populations of the genus Greyia Hook & Harv","authors":"Iné Botha ,&nbsp;Marco N. De Canha ,&nbsp;Kenneth Oberlander ,&nbsp;Jana Botes ,&nbsp;Namrita Lall ,&nbsp;Dave K. Berger","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The tree genus <em>Greyia</em> is endemic to South Africa and Eswatini. The Eastern Cape species <em>Greyia flanaganii</em> Bolus is confined to a limited range west of the Kei River. <em>Greyia radlkoferi</em> Szyszyl. occurs in Limpopo Province, whereas <em>Greyia sutherlandii</em> Hook. &amp; Harv. is associated with KwaZulu-Natal Province, but the ranges of these two species overlap in Mpumalanga Province. <em>Greyia</em> trees are of value to the bioeconomy as leaf extracts from <em>G. flanaganii</em> and <em>G. radlkoferi</em> possess anti-tyrosinase activity and low toxicity and are being developed in herbal formulations for the treatment of skin hyper-pigmentation. The main active compound is 2’,4’,6’ trihydroxydihydrochalcone. However, there are no reports of medicinal assays from <em>Greyia</em> trees growing in their natural habitat, it is not known whether the third species - <em>G. sutherlandii</em> - has activity, and DNA barcode data is limited. To address these knowledge gaps, we sampled five trees per <em>Greyia</em> species that matched morphological descriptions and were from sites close to type specimen collection records. Leaf ethanolic extracts from <em>G. sutherlandii</em> had similar average anti-tyrosinase activity (IC₅₀ = 84 µg/mL ± 18 [SD]) when compared to <em>G. radlkoferi</em> (58 µg/mL ± 21) and <em>G. flanaganii</em> (72 µg/mL ± 11). High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography showed the presence of the active compound in all three species, although it was below the detection limit of 4.4 µg/10 mg extract in two of the <em>G. flanaganii</em> samples. Considering the difficulty in differentiating <em>G. sutherlandii</em> from <em>G. radlkoferi</em> morphologically in the field and production orchards, we investigated DNA barcoding as a method of species-specific authentication. Phylogenetic analysis using Bayesian Inference from combined ITS, <em>trnL-F, matK</em> and <em>psbA-trnH</em> barcodes from the 15 <em>Greyia</em> trees plus Genbank sequences indicated (i) clear differentiation from other lineages in the order Geraniales, but (ii) extremely short internal branches within <em>Greyia</em> and poor discrimination between <em>Greyia</em> species and individuals. Our study has shown that natural populations of all three species sampled in late summer exhibit consistent leaf anti-tyrosinase activity between biological replicate trees. We have demonstrated activity from <em>G. sutherlandii</em> for the first time, indicating that this species can also be deployed in production orchards. However, alternative phylogenetically informative SNP markers need to be developed to provide species-specific authentication of <em>Greyia</em> extracts in herbal products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 55-67"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616842","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":"Geraniin as an antiviral agent: Chemistry and biological profiles, preventive and therapeutic effects on various viruses and associated molecular mechanisms","authors":"Qi Wei Tan ,&nbsp;Michelle Felicia Lee ,&nbsp;Yuan Seng Wu ,&nbsp;Sheryar Afzal ,&nbsp;Appalaraju Velaga ,&nbsp;Mahendran Sekar ,&nbsp;Neeraj Kumar Fuloria ,&nbsp;Shivkanya Fuloria ,&nbsp;Md Moklesur Rahman Sarker ,&nbsp;Rhanye Mac Guad ,&nbsp;Ali Attiq ,&nbsp;Vetriselvan Subramaniyan ,&nbsp;Subash C.B. Gopinath ,&nbsp;Ker Woon Choy","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Considering the skyrocketing global emergence and spread of viral infections, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need for effective antiviral strategies. Conventional antiviral therapies are often limited by adverse effects and accessibility issues, highlighting the importance of exploring natural products as alternative therapeutics. Numerous plant extracts have been examined for their antiviral potential. Tannins, the significant component of these extracts, have been discovered to efficiently suppress viral replication by inhibiting targets responsible for distinct phases of the viral replication process. Among these tannins, multiple studies have demonstrated the potential of geraniin’s relevance in preventing and combating a wide range of viral illnesses. This review aims to evaluate the antiviral potential of geraniin, a hydrolyzable tannin, across a range of viral infections. A comprehensive literature survey was conducted, examining <em>in vitro, in vivo</em>, and <em>in silico</em> studies that investigated geraniin’s antiviral activity against dengue virus, Ebola virus, Enterovirus 71, human immunodeficiency virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza virus, hepatitis viruses, and herpes simplex virus. Geraniin demonstrated inhibitory effects at multiple stages of viral replications, including viral entry, enzyme activity, and viral protein expression, and also exhibited immunomodulatory properties. These findings suggest that geraniin is a promising candidate for the development of plant-based antiviral therapies. Future studies are warranted to clarify its pharmacokinetic properties, bioavailability, and clinical efficacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 604-619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925141","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":"Chemical characterization, toxicity and involvement of calmodulin in the antithrombotic activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil","authors":"Kalynca Kayla Viana Aragão ,&nbsp;Railson Pereira Souza ,&nbsp;Silvia Letícia Maciel Barbosa ,&nbsp;Enedina Rodrigues da Silva Neta ,&nbsp;Lorranya Éveli Pereira Feitosa Araújo ,&nbsp;Alyne Pereira Lopes ,&nbsp;Heron Silva Soares ,&nbsp;Emerson Portela Sena ,&nbsp;Pedro Simão da Silva Azevedo ,&nbsp;Benedito Pereira de Sousa Neto ,&nbsp;Daniel Fernando Pereira Vasconcelos ,&nbsp;Maria José dos Santos Soares ,&nbsp;Sidney Gonçalo de Lima ,&nbsp;Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira ,&nbsp;Aldeídia Pereira de Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the leading causes of global mortality and are consistently associated with thrombotic events. The essential oil of <em>Rosmarinus officinalis</em> L. (EORO), rich in monoterpenes such as camphor and α-pinene, has been investigated for its antithrombotic properties, offering a potential alternative to conventional drugs, which often present significant adverse effects.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To evaluate the chemical profile, toxicity, and anticoagulant and antiplatelet activities of EORO, aiming to elucidate its mechanisms of action and safety.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>EORO was analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify its constituents. Toxicity was assessed using <em>Artemia salina</em> nauplii, L929 cells (MTT assay), and human erythrocytes. Anticoagulant activity was evaluated in Wistar rats (PT, aPTT, INR), while antiplatelet activity was analyzed both <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> using ADP as an inducer. Additionally, biochemical and histopathological parameters were investigated to assess the compound’s safety.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>EORO’s major components were camphor (24.58 %), α-pinene (20.39 %), and 1.8-cineole (18.5 %). It exhibited high toxicity in A<em>. salina</em> (LC₅₀ = 9.3 µg/mL), but demonstrated low cytotoxicity in mammalian cells (IC₅₀ = 612.7 µg/mL) and caused hemolysis only at higher concentrations (500 µg/mL). <em>In vivo</em>, EORO significantly prolonged PT and increased INR, without altering aPTT and <em>in vitro</em> tests revealed 98 % of platelet aggregation inhibition, although this effect was not replicated <em>in vivo</em>. No hepatic or renal toxicity was observed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>EORO exhibits promising anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects with a favorable <em>in vitro</em> safety profile. Its selective action on the extrinsic coagulation pathway and modulation of calmodulin underscore its therapeutic potential, although challenges related to bioavailability must still be addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 590-603"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925142","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}