Aristolochic acid (AA) is a carcinogenic, mutagenic and nephrotoxic compound commonly isolated from members of the plant family of Aristolochiaceae (such as Aristolochia and Asarum) and used in Chinese herbal medicine. Use of AA and AA‑containing plants causes chronic kidney disease (CKD) and upper urinary tract carcinoma (UUC); however, the underlying mechanism remains to be defined. miRNAs re...

Aims The clustering of plants with similar leaf traits along environmental gradients may arise from adaptation as well as acclimation to heterogeneous habitat conditions. Determining the forces that shape plant leaf traits requires both linking variation in trait morphology with abiotic gradients and linking that trait variation with plant performance under varying abiotic conditions. Across th...

Several antibiotic compounds have been isolated from green plants. Those which have been structurally identified, are citrinin (l-4), dicumarol (5-7), and protoanemonin (8, 9). Other less well defined factors are an oil from AZZium sativum (lo-12), a colorless crystalline compound from Arci&rz minus (13), Products A and B from Asarum cunadense (14), cassic acid from the leaves of Custiu reticdu...

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been practiced for thousands of years, but only within the last few decades has its use become more widespread outside of Asia. Concerns continue to be raised about the efficacy, legality, and safety of many popular complementary alternative medicines, including TCMs. Ingredients of some TCMs are known to include derivatives of endangered, trade-restricted...

The genetic basis of stem cell specification in somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis is still obscure. SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (SERK) genes are involved in embryogenesis and organogenesis in numerous species. In vitro culture of Cyclamen persicum immature ovules provides a system for investigating stem cell formation and maintenance, because lines forming either organs or ...

The biological effects of heavy-ion beam irradiation on cultured tissues of cyclamen were investigated by establishing an irradiation-mediated mutation breeding protocol for producing a new variety of cyclamen. Initially, a callus, a somatic embryo, and a plantlet were irradiated with C ion beam at doses of 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 Gy. Distinct mutants were not obtained in plants regenerated from...