Herbal extracts targeting at the brain remain a continuous challenge to pharmacology. Usually, a number of different animal tests have to be performed in order to find a potential clinical use. Due ...to manifold possibly active ingredients biochemical approaches are difficult. A more holistic approach using a neurophysiological technique has been developed earlier in order to characterise synthetic drugs. Stereotactic implantation of four semi-microelectrodes into frontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum and reticular formation of rats allowed continuous wireless monitoring of field potentials (EEG) before and after drug intake. After frequency analysis (Fast Fourier Transformation) electric power was calculated for 6 ranges (delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, beta1 and beta2). Data from 14 synthetic drugs – tested earlier and representative for different clinical indications – were taken for construction of discriminant functions showing the projection of the frequency patterns in a six-dimensional graph. Quantitative analysis of the EEG frequency pattern from the depth of the brain succeeded in discrimination of drug effects according to their known clinical indication (Dimpfel and Schober, 2003). Extracts from Valerian root, Ginkgo leaves, Paullinia seed, Hop strobile, Rhodiola rosea root and Sideritis scardica herb were tested now under identical conditions. Classification of these extracts based on the matrix from synthetic drugs revealed that Valerian root and hop induced a pattern reminiscent of physiological sleep. Ginkgo and Paullinia appeared in close neighbourhood of stimulatory drugs like caffeine or to an analgesic profile (tramadol). Rhodiola and Sideritis developed similar frequency patterns comparable to a psychostimulant drug (methylphenidate) as well to an antidepressive drug (paroxetine).
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MicroRNAs are 21- to 24-nucleotide-long, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They can modulate various biological processes, including plant ...response and resistance to fungal pathogens. Hops are grown for use in the brewing industry and, recently, also for the pharmaceutical industry. Severe Verticillium wilt caused by the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium nonalfalfae, is the main factor in yield loss in many crops, including hops (Humulus lupulus L.). In our study, we identified 56 known and 43 novel miRNAs and their expression patterns in the roots of susceptible and resistant hop cultivars after inoculation with V. nonalfalfae. In response to inoculation with V. nonalfalfae, we found five known and two novel miRNAs that are differentially expressed in the susceptible cultivar and six known miRNAs in the resistant cultivar. Differentially expressed miRNAs target 49 transcripts involved in protein localization and pigment synthesis in the susceptible cultivar, whereas they are involved in transcription factor regulation and hormone signalling in the resistant cultivar. The results of our study suggest that the susceptible and resistant hop cultivars respond differently to V. nonalfalfae inoculation at the miRNA level and that miRNAs may contribute to the successful defence of the resistant cultivar.
In hops (Humulus lupulus L.), irrigation by flooding the inter-row can carry away suspended particles and minerals, causing gradients in soil fertility. The effect of more than 20 years of flooding ...irrigation on soil and plants was evaluated in two hop fields by measuring soil and plant variables in multiple points along the rows. In a second experiment 1000 kg ha−1 of lime was applied and incorporated into the soil to assess whether liming could moderate any gradient created by the irrigation. At different sampling points along the rows, significant differences were recorded in soil properties, plant elemental composition and dry matter yield, but this was not found to exist over a continuous gradient. The variations in cone yield were over 50% when different sampling points were compared. However, this difference cannot be attributed to the effect of irrigation, but rather to an erratic spatial variation in some of the soil constituents, such as sand, silt and clay. Flooding irrigation and frequent soil tillage resulted in lower porosity and higher soil bulk density in the 0.0–0.10 m soil layer in comparison to the 0.10–0.20 m layer. In turn, porosity and bulk density were respectively positively and negatively associated with crop productivity. Thus, irrigation and soil tillage may have damaged the soil condition but did not create any gradient along the row. The ridge appeared to provide an important pool of nutrients, probably caused by mass flow due to the evaporation from it and a regular supply of irrigation water to the inter-row. Liming raised the soil pH slightly, but had a relevant effect on neither soil nor plants, perhaps because of the small amounts of lime applied.
Abscisic acid (ABA) is one of the most common stress signals that appear in plant organs in response to soil drying. Equilibrium between ABA biosynthesis and catabolism regulates ABA accumulation in ...plants under water stress. The aim of our work was to explore the dynamics of changes in ABA metabolites as well as other stress-induced phytohormones such as jasmonic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and their respective metabolites in hop Humulus lupulus (L.) plants during drying and to identify among them potential signals involved in drought signalling. We showed that the concentrations of all ABA metabolites (except the concentration of ABA glucosyl ester in leaves) increased in the same manner in leaves and xylem sap approximately at the same level of soil water content when the relative water content of leaves decreased. The predominant metabolites in leaves and xylem sap were phaseic acid and dihydroxyphaseic acid. ABA glucosyl ester was not a source of the increased concentration of ABA in leaves and xylem sap because of its considerably lower concentration compared to ABA. The concentration of jasmonates decreased in leaves of hop plants. Changes in auxin concentration suggest that this hormone is involved in the response of hop plants to soil drying.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Soil drying leads to the generation of chemical signals in plants that regulate water use via control of the stomatal aperture. The aim of our work was to identify the presence ...and identity of potential chemical signals, their dynamics, and their relationship with transpiration rate during soil drying in hop (Humulus lupulus (L.)) plants. METHODS: We used pressure chamber technique for measurement of shoot water potential and collection of shoot xylem sap. We analyzed concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA), nitrate, phosphate, sulphate and malate in sap and also the rate of whole plant transpiration. RESULTS: Transpiration rate decreased prior to changes in shoot water potential. The concentration of ABA in xylem sap continuously increased from early to later stages of water stress, whereas in leaves it increased only at later stages. Shoot sap pH increased simultaneously with the decrease of transpiration rate. Xylem sap alkalization was in some cases accompanied by a decrease in nitrate concentration and an increase in malate concentration. Concentration of sulphate increased in xylem sap during drying and sulphate in combination with a higher ABA concentration enhanced stomatal closure. CONCLUSIONS: Several early chemical signals appear in sap of hop plants during soil drying and their impact on transpiration may vary according to the stage of soil drying.
Hop (Humulus lupulus L., Cannabaceae family) is prized for its essential oil contents, used in beer production and, more recently, in biological and pharmacological applications. In this work, a ...method involving headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was developed and optimized to establish the terpenoid (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) metabolomic pattern of hop‐essential oil derived from Saaz variety as a mean to explore this matrix as a powerful biological source for newer, more selective, biodegradable and naturally produced antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds.
Different parameters affecting terpenoid metabolites extraction by headspace solid‐phase microextraction were considered and optimized: type of fiber coatings, extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, and sample agitation. In the optimized method, analytes were extracted for 30 min at 40°C in the sample headspace with a 50/30 μm divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane coating fiber. The methodology allowed the identification of a total of 27 terpenoid metabolites, representing 92.5% of the total Saaz hop‐essential oil volatile terpenoid composition. The headspace composition was dominated by monoterpenes (56.1%, 13 compounds), sesquiterpenes (34.9%, 10), oxygenated monoterpenes (1.41%, 3), and hemiterpenes (0.04%, 1) some of which can probably contribute to the hop of Saaz variety aroma. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main metabolites are the monoterpene β‐myrcene (53.0 ± 1.1% of the total volatile fraction), and the cyclic sesquiterpenes, α‐humulene (16.6 ± 0.8%), and β‐caryophyllene (14.7 ± 0.4%), which together represent about 80% of the total volatile fraction from the hop‐essential oil. These findings suggest that this matrix can be explored as a powerful biosource of terpenoid metabolites.
Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) hard resin is mainly composed of deterioration products that arise by oxidation of the soft resin (mainly α- and β-acids). The prenylated chalcone xanthohumol is also ...naturally found in the hop hard resins. To date, no clear distinctions have been made among the brewing properties of hard resins extracted from different hop varieties. Hard resins extracted from bittering and aroma hops were compared and rated based on their brewing value and their contributions to beer quality. Brewing trials were conducted in which hop pellets were replaced with resin-rich extracts and added to the wort at different time points. It was thereby possible to evaluate and establish the brewing potential of the hop hard resin as well as the varietal impact and the effect of the hopping technology. The sensory evaluations of the beers proved that hard resins have a positive impact on taste and bitterness. The data indicated that the hard-resin brews are not only influenced by the hop variety used but also by the boiling regime applied. Hard resins from bittering hops showed better brewing properties than those extracted from the aroma variety.
Due to the harsh environment, microorganisms encounter in beer, spoilage bacteria must be able to customise their metabolism and physiology in an order to master various kinds of perturbations. ...Proteomic approaches have been used to examine differences between various beer spoilage bacteria and between different stress conditions, such as acid and hop (Humulus lupulus) stress. However, these investigations cannot detect changes in low molecular weight (lmw) proteins (<150 amino acids). Therefore, for the first time, we herein present data from a proteomic study of lmw proteins for two Lactobacillus (L.) brevis strains exposed to acid stress or, respectively, two different qualities of hop induced stress. We used MALDI-TOF MS as analytical tool for the detection of lmw stress response proteins due to its high sensitivity and low throughput times. Comparing a hop-sensitive and a hop-tolerant strain, detection of the fatty acid biosynthesis-associated acyl carrier protein varied between different stress conditions and incubation times. The findings coincide with previous studies of our group regarding the fatty acid cell membrane composition of beer spoiling L. brevis. It is demonstrated that MALDI-TOF MS is a fast tool to detect and characterise stress situations in beer spoiling bacteria along the lmw sub-proteome.
•First study for lmw sub-proteome acid/hop induced stress in Lactobacillus brevis.•FA-biosynthesis associated ACP abundance is linked to hop sensitivity.•MALDI-TOF MS is a superb tool for analysis of hop stress response of L. brevis.
Hop-derived products may contain xanthohumol (XN), isoxanthohumol (IX), and the potent phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN). To evaluate the potential health effects of these prenylflavonoids on ...breast tissue, their concentration, nature of metabolites, and biodistribution were assessed and compared with 17β-estradiol (E₂) exposure. In this dietary intervention study, women were randomly allocated to hop (n=11; 2.04 mg XN, 1.20 mg IX, and 0.1 mg 8-PN per supplement) or control (n=10). After a run-in of ≥4 days, three supplements were taken daily for 5 days preceding an aesthetic breast reduction. Blood and breast biopsies were analyzed using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Upon hop administration, XN and IX concentrations ranged between 0.72 and 17.65 nmol/L and 3.30 and 31.50 nmol/L, and between 0.26 and 5.14 pmol/g and 1.16 and 83.67 pmol/g in hydrolyzed serum and breast tissue, respectively. 8-PN however, was only detected in samples of moderate and strong 8-PN producers (0.43-7.06 nmol/L and 0.78-4.83 pmol/g). Phase I metabolism appeared to be minor (~10%), whereas extensive glucuronidation was observed (> 90%). Total prenylflavonoids showed a breast adipose/glandular tissue distribution of 38/62 and their derived E₂-equivalents were negligible compared with E₂ in adipose (384.6±118.8 fmol/g, p=0.009) and glandular (241.6±93.1 fmol/g, p<0.001) tissue, respectively. Consequently, low doses of prenylflavonoids are unlikely to elicit estrogenic responses in breast tissue.
Invasive species of the knotweed complex (Fallopia sp.) have repeatedly been shown to decrease diversity of native local biota. While effects on plant species richness are well established, effects ...on invertebrate and in particular gastropod species richness are less well understood. We recorded cover of plant species and diversity and abundance of gastropod species in four plots (1m×1m) with Fallopia japonica and compared these to paired control plots without F. japonica at 15 sites along the river Birs (Switzerland) in early summer (June) and autumn (September). Knotweed and control plots did not differ in site characteristics and soil parameters.
Average plant species richness in F. japonica plots was 50% lower compared to control plots. This reduction was significant for woody species as well as for herbaceous species. However, species richness of early flowering annuals did not differ significantly. Among the species most affected by knotweed were hop (Humulus lupulus) and European spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus) but also stand-forming species such as nettle (Urtica dioica) or ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria).
Average snail species richness was significantly reduced in F. japonica plots. The reduction was pronounced in large (≥5mm shell size) and long-lived (>2years) snail species but not in slugs or small and short-lived snails. For example, large snails such as the Roman snail (Helix pomatia, −85%) or the red-listed species Bradybaena fruticum (−93%), showed reduced abundances in F. japonica compared to control plots. In contrast, the red-listed but small Vertigo pusilla (+92%) had higher abundances in F. japoinca plots. Principal component analyses revealed little overlap in plant communities or community composition of large snail species between F. japonica and control plots. Taken together, knotweed invasion decreased the cover of most plant species and abundance of large and long-lived gastropods.
Invasive Arten des japanischen Knöterichs (Fallopia sp.) reduzieren die Diversität der einheimischen Flora und Fauna. Dabei sind die Auswirkungen auf die Pflanzenvielfalt besser dokumentiert als jene auf Invertebraten, insbesonders auf Gastropoden. Im Frühsommer (Juni) und Herbst (September) erfassten wir die Artenvielfalt und Deckung von Pflanzenarten und die Artenvielfalt und Abundanz lebender Gastropoden in jeweils vier Plots (1m×1m) mit hoher Dichte von Fallopia japonica und verglichen sie mit gepaarten Kontrollplots ohne F. japonica an 15 Standorten entlang der Birs (Schweiz). Plots mit F. japonica und Kontrollplots unterschieden sich nicht in den erhobenen Standort- und Bodenparametern.
Die durchschnittliche Anzahl Pflanzenarten in Plots mit F. japonica war gegenüber den Kontrollplots um 50% reduziert. Die Reduktion war sowohl für holzige als auch krautige Arten signifikant. Einzig die Artenzahl früh blühender, einjähriger Arten zeigte keinen Unterschied zwischen den Plotstypen. Unter den am stärksten betroffenen einheimischen Arten waren der Hopfen (Humulus lupulus) und das Pfaffenhütchen (Euonymous europaeus). Aber auch bestandsbildende Arten wie etwa die Brennnessel (Urtica dioica) oder der Geißfuß (Aegopodium podagraria) waren durch F. japonica in ihrer Deckung stark reduziert.
Die durchschnittliche Anzahl der Schneckenarten war in Plots mit F. japonica signifikant reduziert. Die Reduktion war vorwiegend auf grosse (Schalengrösse≥5mm) und langlebige (>2 Jahre) Arten zurückzuführen während Nacktschnecken, sowie kleine oder kurzlebige Arten weniger betroffen waren. Unter den grossen, langlebigen Arten mit stark reduzierten Abundanzen waren charismatische Arten wie die Weinbergschnecke (Helix pomatia, −85% im Vergleich zur Kontrolle) oder die gefährdete Art Bradybaena fruticum (−93%). Im Gegensatz dazu hatte die gefährdete, aber kleine Art Vertigo pusilla (+92%) höhere Abundanzen in Plots mit F. japonica. Eine Hauptkomponenten-Analyse zeigte eine sehr geringe Überlappung der Pflanzengesellschaften und der großen Schneckenarten in F. japonica und Kontrollplots. Alles in allem reduzierte der invasive Knöterich die Deckung der meisten Pflanzenarten sowie die Abundanz der großen und langlebigen Schneckenarten.
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