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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Unraveling the evolutionary radiation of the families of the Zingiberales using morphological and molecular evidence.

The Zingiberales are a tropical group of monocotyledons that includes bananas, gingers, and their relatives. The phylogenetic relationships among the eight families currently recognized are investigated here by using parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of four character sets: morphological features (1), and sequence data of the (2) chloroplast rbcL gene, (3) chloroplast atpB gene, and (4) nuclear 18S rDNA gene. Outgroups for the analyses include the closely related Commelinaceae + Philydraceae + Haemodoraceae + Pontederiaceae + Hanguanaceae as well as seven more distantly related monocots and paleoherbs. Only slightly different estimates of evolutionary relationships result from the analysis of each character set. The morphological data yield a single fully resolved most-parsimonious tree. None of the molecular datasets alone completely resolves interfamilial relationships. The analyses of the combined molecular dataset provide more resolution than do those of individual genes, and the addition of the morphological data provides a well-supported estimate of phylogenetic relationships: (Musaceae ((Strelitziaceae, Lowiaceae) (Heliconiaceae ((Zingiberaceae, Costaceae) (Cannaceae, Marantaceae))))). Evidence from branch lengths in the parsimony analyses and from the fossil record suggests that the Zingiberales originated in the Early Cretaceous and underwent a rapid radiation in the mid-Cretaceous, by which time most extant family lineages had diverged.

DNA, Plant↗
PubMed2004

Sulfur free radical reactivity with curcumin as reference for evaluating antioxidant properties of medicinal zingiberales.

Rhizome extracts of some members of the medicinal Zingiberales are widely used in dietary intake as well as in the traditional system of medicine. Curcumin, the chrome orange-yellow coloring compound present in turmeric rhizomes, has long been known to possess antioxidant property. Crude methanol extracts of the rhizomes of 11 species--Alpinia allughas, A. galanga, Curcuma amada, C. caesia, C. leucorrhiza, Hedychium coronarium, H. coccineum, H. flavescens, Kaempferia galanga, Zingiber cassumunar, and Z. officinale--were evaluated for their antioxidant properties using sulfur free radical reactivity with curcumin as a reference indicator. Sulfur free radicals (GS.) are generated by irradiating 15 mM glutathione (GSH) solution using a 5100 Ci cobalt-60 gamma irradiator. As reference indicator for the reactivity with sulfur free radicals, we used the depletion of pure curcumin sample in vitro as determined by a simple spectrophotometric method. The addition of the supernatant from crude rhizome extracts to the reaction mixture significantly decreased the depletion of curcumin, indicating that these crude extracts possessed antioxidant properties. The relative curcumin protection by different crude extracts against GS. showed that Z. cassumunar gave the highest degree of radioprotection. Our results reveal the potential medicinal use of rhizomes of medicinal Zingiberales as dietary agents.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2006

Developmental anatomy and morphology of the ovule and seed of heliconia (heliconiaceae, zingiberales).

The developmental anatomy and morphology of the ovule and seed in several species of Heliconia were investigated as part of an embryological study of the Heliconiaceae and to provide a better understanding of their relationships with the other families of the Zingiberales. Heliconia species have an ovule primordium with an outer integument of both dermal and subdermal origin. The archesporial cell is divided into a megasporocyte and a single parietal cell, which in turn are divided only anticlinally to form a single parietal layer, disintegrating later during gametogenesis. The embryo sac was fully developed prior to anthesis. In the developing seed, the endosperm was nuclear, with wall formation in the globular stage; a nucellar pad was observed during embryo development, but later became compressed. The ripe fruit contained seeds enveloped by a lignified endocarp that formed the pyrenes, with each pyrene having an operculum at the basal end; the embryo was considered to be differentiated. Most of these characteristics are shared with other Zingiberales, although the derivation of the operculum from the funicle and the formation of the main mechanical layer by the endocarp are unique to the Heliconiaceae.

Flowering Tops↗
PubMed2001

A molecular phylogeny of Costaceae (Zingiberales).

The phylogenetic relationships of Costaceae, a tropical monocotyledonous family sister to the gingers (Zingiberaceae), were investigated with a combination of two chloroplast loci (the trnL-F locus, including the trnL intron, the 3'trnL exon, and the trnL-F intergenic spacer, and the trnK locus, including the trnK intron and the matK coding region) and one nuclear locus (ITS1-5.8s-ITS2). The resulting parsimony analysis of selected taxa that demonstrate the range of floral morphological variation in the family shows that the Cadalvena-type [corrected] floral morphology is ancestral to the group and that both Tapeinochilos species and a Monocostus + Dimerocostus clade represent recent divergences. The genus Costus is broadly paraphyletic but Costus subgenus Eucostus K. Schum. represents a large monophyletic radiation that is poorly resolved. Within this clade, secondary analyses suggest that pollination syndrome, traditionally used for taxonomic and classification purposes within the genus Costus, is a relatively plastic trait of limited phylogenetic utility. This represents the first detailed investigation into intrageneric and interspecific evolutionary relationships within the family Costaceae and presents some novel evolutionary trends with respect to floral morphology and biogeography.

Chloroplasts↗
PubMed2005

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution of host plant use in the Neotropical rolled leaf 'hispine' beetle genus Cephaloleia (Chevrolat) (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae).

Here, we report the results of a species level phylogenetic study of Cephaloleia beetles designed to clarify relationships and patterns of host plant taxon and tissue use among species. Our study is based on up to 2088bp of mtDNA sequence data. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods of phylogenetic inference consistently recover a monophyletic Cephaloleia outside of a basal clade of primarily palm feeding species (the 'Arecaceae-feeding clade'), and C. irregularis. In all three analyses, the 'Arecaceae-feeding clade' includes Cephaloleia spp. with unusual morphological features, and a few species currently placed in other cassidine genera and tribes. All three analyses also recover a clade that includes all Zingiberales feeding Cephaloleia and most Cephaloleia species (the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade'). Two notable clades are found within the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade.' One is comprised of beetles that normally feed only on the young rolled leaves of plants in the families Heliconiaceae and Marantaceae (the 'Heliconiaceae & Marantaceae-feeding clade'). The other is comprised of relative host tissue generalist, primarily Zingiberales feeding species (the 'generalist-feeding clade'). A few species in the 'generalist-feeding clade' utilize Cyperaceae or Poaceae as hosts. Overall, relatively basal Cephaloleia (e.g., the 'Arecaceae clade') feed on relatively basal monocots (e.g., Cyclanthaceae and Arecaceae), and relatively derived Cephaloleia (e.g., the 'Zingiberales-feeding clade') feed on relatively derived monocots (mostly in the order Zingiberales). Zingiberales feeding and specialization on young rolled Zingiberales leaves have each apparently evolved just once in Cephaloleia.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed1999

Polyphyly and convergent morphological evolution in Commelinales and Commelinidae: evidence from rbcL sequence data.

Phylogenetic relationships of the five families of the order Commelinales remain an area of deep uncertainty in higher-level monocot systematics, despite intensive morphological and anatomical study. To test the monophyly of the Commelinales and the subclass Commelinidae, evaluate their relationships, and analyze evolutionary trends in their morphology, ecology, and biogeography, we conducted parsimony analyses on 95 rbcL sequences representing 17 taxa of Commelinales, 16 taxa of other Commelinidae, and 63 taxa from Arecidae, Liliidae, and Zingiberidae. Commelinales is polyphyletic and Commelinidae paraphyletic, with Eriocaulaceae and Xyridaceae sister to Poaceae and its relatives, Rapateaceae sister to Bromeliaceae and Mayacaceae, and Commelinaceae sister to Philydrales and allies. Thurnia is sister to Prionium at the base of Cyperaceae-Juncaceae; only 1 of Cronquist's multifamily commelinoid orders is diagnosed as monophyletic. We propose a revised Commelinidae, incorporating 4 revised superorders (Bromelianae, Commelinanae, Dasypogonanae, Arecanae) and 10 orders ((Poales, Eriocaulales, Cyperales, Typhales, Bromeliales), (Commelinales, Philydrales, Zingiberales), (Dasypogonales), (Arecales)). Morphological and anatomical characters used to define the original Commelinales and Commelinidae appear to be plesiomorphic or to reflect convergence or recurrent mutation; several characters supporting our revised classification are anatomical traits that seem relatively insulated from environmental selection pressures. The Commelinidae distal to the Arecales arose in South America, with amphiatlantic Bromeliaceae-Mayacaceae-Rapateaceae originating in the Guayana Shield. Ecological diversification involved the repeated invasion of shady, infertile, or arid microsites. The numbers of species in families of the revised Commelinidae are related partly to the extent of adaptive radiation in those families, but seem more strongly related to nonadaptive features promoting speciation, such as restricted seed dispersal (especially in forest interior groups with fleshy fruits), polyploidy, aneuploidy, and apomixis. Species diversity is unrelated to the rate/amount of rbcL sequence evolution.

DNA, Plant↗
PubMed2004

Ancient polyploidization predating divergence of the cereals, and its consequences for comparative genomics.

Integration of structural genomic data from a largely assembled rice genome sequence, with phylogenetic analysis of sequence samples for many other taxa, suggests that a polyploidization event occurred approximately 70 million years ago, before the divergence of the major cereals from one another but after the divergence of the Poales from the Liliales and Zingiberales. Ancient polyploidization and subsequent "diploidization" (loss) of many duplicated gene copies has thus shaped the genomes of all Poaceae cereal, forage, and biomass crops. The Poaceae appear to have evolved as separate lineages for approximately 50 million years, or two-thirds of the time since the duplication event. Chromosomes that are predicted to be homoeologs resulting from this ancient duplication event account for a disproportionate share of incongruent loci found by comparison of the rice sequence to a detailed sorghum sequence-tagged site-based genetic map. Differential gene loss during diploidization may have contributed many of these incongruities. Such predicted homoeologs also account for a disproportionate share of duplicated sorghum loci, further supporting the hypothesis that the polyploidization event was common to sorghum and rice. Comparative gene orders along paleo-homoeologous chromosomal segments provide a means to make phylogenetic inferences about chromosome structural rearrangements that differentiate among the grasses. Superimposition of the timing of major duplication events on taxonomic relationships leads to improved understanding of comparative gene orders, enhancing the value of data from botanical models for crop improvement and for further exploration of genomic biodiversity. Additional ancient duplication events probably remain to be discovered in other angiosperm lineages.

Edible Grain↗
PubMed2000

Evolutionary biology. Chewed leaves reveal ancient relationship.

On page 291, researchers describe a new beetle fossil based not on traces of the insect skeleton but on the distinctive gouges the beetles left when they munched on 11 ginger leaves many millions of years ago. The chew marks of the newly described Cephaloleichnites strongi prove that leaf beetles underwent rapid evolution and diversification more than 65 million years ago, possibly taking advantage of (and perhaps influencing) the rapid diversification among flowering plants occurring at the same time. What's more, C. strongi represents the earliest known rolled-leaf beetle species, hundreds of which today still prefer just one of the ginger- and heliconia-like plants in the Zingiberales order.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Three pollination guilds and variation in floral characteristics of Bornean gingers (Zingiberaceae and Costaceae).

The pollinators of 29 ginger species representing 11 genera in relation to certain floral morphological characteristics in a mixed-dipterocarp forest in Borneo were investigated. Among the 29 species studied, eight were pollinated by spiderhunters (Nectariniidae), 11 by medium-sized Amegilla bees (Anthophoridae), and ten by small halictid bees. These pollination guilds found in gingers in Sarawak are comparable to the pollination guilds of neotropical Zingiberales, i.e., hummingbird-, and euglossine-bee-pollinated guilds. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed that there were significant correlations between floral morphology and pollination guilds and suggests the importance of plant-pollinator interactions in the evolution of floral morphology. Most species in the three guilds were separated on the plot by the first and second canonical variables. Spiderhunter-pollinated flowers had longer floral tubes, while Amegilla-pollinated flowers had wider lips than the others, which function as a platform for the pollinators. Pistils and stamens of halictid-pollinated flowers were smaller than the others. The fact that gingers with diverse morphologies in a forest with high species diversity were grouped into only three pollination guilds and that the pollinators themselves showed low species diversity suggests that many species of rare understory plants have evolved without segregating pollinators in each pollination guild.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A review of 12 commonly used medicinal herbs.

A large and increasing number of patients use medicinal herbs or seek the advice of their physician regarding their use. More than one third of Americans use herbs for health purposes, yet patients (and physicians) often lack accurate information about the safety and efficacy of herbal remedies. Burgeoning interest in medicinal herbs has increased scientific scrutiny of their therapeutic potential and safety, thereby providing physicians with data to help patients make wise decisions about their use. This article provides a review of the data on 12 of the most commonly used herbs in the United States. In addition, we provide practical information and guidelines for the judicious use of medicinal herbs.

Chamomile↗
PubMed1998

Odor preferences in neonatal and weanling rats.

In order to establish odors which can be used in appetitive and aversive conditioning paradigms, naive rat pups, postnatal day 7 (i.e., PND 7) and weanlings (PND 25), were placed in a rectangular open field with an odorant at one or both ends. Time spent over each odor was measured for 3 min. At both ages subjects avoided peppermint, orange, and lemon odors in favor of fresh home-cage bedding. Comparing any of these three odorants with each other resulted in no significant differences in preferences. In experiments using banana odorant, equal time was spent between banana and no odorant. However, in a two-odorant choice between banana and peppermint, weanlings preferred banana whereas pups showed no preference. The results of this study indicate that in an appetitive learning paradigm, peppermint, orange, or lemon odors may be used, while in aversive learning paradigms banana odor may be more appropriate for weanlings.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Neuroprotective role of curcumin from curcuma longa on ethanol-induced brain damage.

In the present study, curcumin from Curcuma longa was screened for neuroprotective activity using ethanol as a model of brain injury. Oral administration of curcumin to rats caused a significant reversal in lipid peroxidation, brain lipids and produced enhancement of glutathione, a non-enzymic antioxidant in ethanol intoxicated rats, revealing that the antioxidative and hypolipidaemic action of curcumin is-responsible for its protective role against ethanol induced brain injury.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Antihyperglycaemic activity of Musa sapientum flowers: effect on lipid peroxidation in alloxan diabetic rats.

Musa sapientum commonly known as 'banana' is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Oral administration of 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 g/kg body weight of the chloroform extract of the flowers for 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin and an increase in total haemoglobin. The extract prevented a decrease in body weight, and also resulted in a decrease in free radical formation in the tissues. Thus the study shows that banana flower extract (BFEt) has an antihyperglycaemic action. The decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the increase in reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) clearly shows the antioxidant property of BFEt. The effect of BFEt was more prominently seen in the case of animals given 0.25 g/kg body weight. BFEt was more effective than glibenclamide.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2000

Myorelaxant and antispasmodic effects of the essential oil of Alpinia speciosa on rat ileum.

The effects of the essential oil of Alpinia speciosa Schum (EOAS) on rat ileum were studied. EOAS (0.1-600 microg/mL) reversibly relaxed ileal basal tonus. Submaximal contractions induced by 60 mM KCl or acetylcholine were concentration dependently inhibited by EOAS with similar IC(50) values ( approximately 44 and 48 microg/mL, respectively). These results show that EOAS possesses both relaxant and antispasmodic actions in the ileum.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Enzyme inhibition by the molluscicidal agent Punica granatum Linn. bark and Canna indica Linn. root.

Sublethal in vivo 24 h exposure to (40% and 80% of 24 h LC(50)) active fractions of Punica granatum bark or Canna indica root or in combination with other plant-derived molluscicides significantly inhibited the activity of acetylcholinesterase, acid/alkaline phosphatase, Na(+)K(+)ATPase and lactic dehydrogenase in the nervous tissue of Lymnaea acuminata. The inhibition kinetics of these enzymes indicates that active fractions of both the plants caused a competitive inhibition of AChE, LDH, ALP, ACP and Na(+)K(+)ATPase.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2001

The antiulcerative effect of Thai Musa species in rats.

Bananas are reported to have an antipeptic ulcer effect, however, the beneficial action can be affected by many factors, including the variety. Our study was undertaken to investigate the antipeptic ulcer effect of the Palo and Horn varieties of banana, grown and consumed in the northeast of Thailand. Indomethacin and acetic acid-induced gastric lesions in rats were employed as models of peptic ulcer disease. The lengths of gastric lesions in the glandular part of the stomach were measured for the assessment of the protective effect of bananas. The healing effect was studied by histological examination of the ulcerated area. The lesions in rats treated with the extract of banana were significantly less dominant than those of the control. The average length of total lesions of rats treated with an extract of Palo or Horn bananas at a dose of 1.0 g/kg/d for 3 days prior to indomethacin administration were 4.47+/-1.2 and 1.87+/-0.44 mm, respectively, whereas those observed in the control rats were 14.56+/-2.43 mm. In the ulcer-healing model, only the Hom-banana-extract-treated group showed a beneficial effect which manifested as a milder degree of histological change than that of the indomethacin-induced-chronic-ulcer control group. However, in acetic acid-induced ulcers, the histological changes of every group were similar. The present findings indicate that bananas of different varieties have varying antipeptic ulcer effects. The extracts of Palo and Hom bananas have a prominent gastroprotective effect, whereas only the extract of Hom banana had an observed ulcer-healing effect.

Acetic Acid↗
PubMed2000

Amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting of 16 banana cultivars (Musa cvs.).

Banana is one of the most important subtropical crops. The genetic system, however, is relatively unknown and is complicated by specific interhybridization, heterozygosity, and polyploidy, which are common in most clones. These factors make identification of closely related banana cultivars difficult, particularly when sterile. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis using eight primer combinations was carried out on 16 banana cultivars. Results showed that AFLP could be used to distinguish the different cultivars by their unique banding patterns. Unique AFLP molecular markers were detected for 12 banana cultivars, which can be used to develop specific probes for identification purposes. The cluster analysis also revealed the need for a link between genotype studies using molecular techniques and the current system of classification of Musa cultivars based purely on morphological traits.

DNA Fingerprinting↗