We established a simple HPLC method to determine the activity and stereochemistry of the chiral mandelonitrile synthesized from benzaldehyde and cyanide, and applied it to screen for hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL) activity of plant origin. A total of 163 species of plants among 74 families were examined for (R)- and (S)-HNL activities using the method. We discovered that homogenate of leaves of Bal...

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF THE STUDY We developed the first microsatellites for Passiflora setacea and characterized new sets of markers for P. edulis and P. cincinnata, enabling further genetic diversity studies to support the conservation and breeding of passion fruit species. • METHODS AND RESULTS We developed 69 microsatellite markers and, in conjunction with assessments of cross-amplificat...

The discovery and characterization of informative intraspecific genetic markers is fundamental for evolutionary and conservation genetics studies. Here, we used nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences to access intraspecific genetic diversity in 23 species of the genus Passiflora L. Some degree of variation was detected in 21 of these. The Passiflora and Decaloba (DC.) Rchb. subgenera showed significan...

The Molnieboi Spur is located at the northwestern margin of the Katun Range, the highmountain part of the Altai Mountains. Unique geological and geophysical characteristics of the Molnieboi Spur made it an attractive target for complex botanical studies including botanical, soil, geological, geochemical, geophysical, radiation, and soil gas surveys and analyses. In this paper, we present the fi...

10.1586/14750708.2.4.609 © 2 Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common early-onset childhood disorder that is estimated to occur in 3 to 5% of school-aged children. Stimulants are the first-line medication in the pharmacotherapy of ADHD. Nevertheless, approximately 30% of children and adolescents either do not respond to or do not tolerate stimulants. Therefore, ne...

BACKGROUND The distribution and abundance of plants is controlled by the availability of seeds and of sites suitable for establishment. The relative importance of these two constraints is still contentious and possibly varies among species and ecosystems. In alpine landscapes, the role of seed limitation has traditionally been neglected, and the role of abiotic gradients emphasized. METHODOLO...

Previous studies have shown that fruits have different effects on alcohol metabolism and alcohol-induced liver injury. The present work selected three fruits and aimed at studying the effects of Syzygium samarangense, Passiflora edulis and Solanum muricatum on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The animals were treated daily with alcohol and fruit juices for fifteen days. Chronic treatment w...

Passiflora subgenus Astrophea is one of the five recognised subgenera of Passiflora. Brazil presents ca. 26 species of this subgenus with the majority distributed in the Amazon Basin. During the ongoing taxonomic revision of the Brazilian species of subg. Astrophea, seven species previously unknown for the country were recorded: Passiflora amoena, P. fuchsiiflora, P. jussieui, P. ovata, P. plum...

Mutualism between plants and the ants that defend them from herbivory is a well-known phenomenon. Because of ant aggression, ant mimicry as a defense against predation is very common in the animal kingdom, and has already been suggested as a type of visual anti-herbivory defensive coloration in leaves and stems of several plant species. Many Passiflora species have dark dots and short stripes o...