Fatty acids are of great nutritional, therapeutic, and physiological importance, especially the polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, possessing larger carbon chains and abundant double bonds or their immediate precursors. A few higher plant species are able to accumulate these compounds, like those belonging to the Echium genus. Here, the novel E. acanthocarpum hairy root system, which is able to a...

Abstract Shikonin and its derivatives are the main components of traditional Chinese medicine, Zicao. The pharmacological potential shikonin have been extensively studied. Yet, less is known about microbial assemblages associated with producing Borage plants. We studied profiles two species, Echium plantagineum (EP) Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LE), to identify dynamics colonization pattern with...

BACKGROUND The therapeutic and health promoting role of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) from fish, i.e. eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) are well known. These same benefits may however be shared by some of their precursors, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4 n-3). In order to obtain alternative sources ...

BACKGROUND Today most of herbal medicines are marketing without any standard safety profiles. Although common assumption is that these products are nontoxic but this assumption may be incorrect and dangerous, so toxicological studies should be done for herbal drugs. According to the frequent use of Echium amoenum as immunostimulant and useful in conditions including pain, cough, sore throat and...

Ptilostemon greuteri is one of the most endangered and poorly studied woody vascular plant species Mediterranean Basin, endemic to Sicily (Italy). Several peculiar traits confer P. a character uniqueness an enigmatic attractiveness. In fact, at first glimpse largest individuals this remind remarkable cases herbaceous genera (e.g., Echium, Senecio) turned on insular or insular-like mountain ecos...

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a serious threat to biodiversity, agriculture, health, and economies globally. Accurate mapping of IAPs is crucial for their management, mitigate impacts prevent further spread where possible. Remote sensing has become valuable tool in detecting IAPs, especially with freely available data such as Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Yet, remote methods map herbaceous ...