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Castilleja tenuiflora (Orobanchaceae) has been used in Mexican traditional medicine as a treatment for cough, dysentery, anxiety, nausea and vomiting as well as hepatic and gastrointestinal diseases. The ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of Castilleja tenuiflora was separated by silica gel column chromatography. The fractions were evaluated using the induced edema acetate 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol (TPA) anti-inflammatory activity model. The most active fraction was subjected to medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) with UV detection at 206 and 240 nm. The following iridoids were isolated: geniposidic acid, aucubin, bartioside, 8-epi-loganin, mussaenoside, and the phenylpropanoid verbascoside. The most active iridoid was geniposidic acid, which was more active than the control (indomethacin), and the least active iridoid was mussaenoside. 8-epi-Loganin, and mussaenoside have not been previously reported to be anti-inflammatory compounds. The results of these investigations confirm the potential of Mexican plants for the production of bioactive compounds and validate the ethnomedical use of Castilleja tenuiflora-like anti-inflammatory plants.

Paclobutrazol (PBZ) is a triazole-type plant growth regulator that interferes with gibberellin (GAs) biosynthesis by blocking the oxidation step that converts ent-kaurene into ent-kaurenoic acid; however, the developmental mechanisms linking GAs restriction with storage organ enlargement remain poorly understood. In potato, PBZ induces compact growth while promoting microtubers (MTs) expansion, suggesting that GAs depletion triggers coordinated developmental reprogramming rather than simply suppressing elongation. Here, we evaluated the phenotypic, histological, and transcriptomic responses associated with PBZ-induced MTs development in Solanum tuberosum L. PBZ treatment, which increased MTs size, suppressed stolon growth, and enhanced starch accumulation, indicating a shift toward storage tissue development. Transcriptomic analysis identified broad PBZ-responsive changes, including enrichment of pathways related to metabolism, ribosome function, carbon metabolism, plant hormone signaling, and cell cycle regulation. Network analyses revealed ATH1-associated modules connected with receptor-like kinases, transcriptional regulators, mitotic regulators, replication-licensing factors and condensin components, supporting coordinated regulation among growth control, localized proliferation, asymmetric division, endoreduplication, and chromatin stability. These patterns were further supported by the absence of a detectable gibberellic acid (GA3) peak in PBZ-treated samples. These findings support a model in which PBZ-responsive signaling is associated with developmental reprogramming toward radial expansion and reinforcement of storage tissue, providing a regulatory mechanism by which growth repression is coupled to microtube enlargement in potato.

Natural melanins represent an emerging class of bio-based materials with exceptional properties for advanced technological applications. This study presents a comprehensive analytical characterization of eumelanin produced from organically cultivated Mucuna ceniza seeds through sustainable biotechnological processes. A high-quality L-DOPA extract containing 56% w/w L-DOPA was first obtained using green extraction protocols with organic acids, followed by lyophilization. Then, optimized stirred-tank bioreactor conditions achieved remarkable melanin production rates of 1526.23 ± 10.78 mg L−1 h−1 with complete L-DOPA conversion, yielding 9.5 g/L of purified eumelanin. Spectroscopic characterization using UV-visible, FTIR, Raman, and NMR spectroscopy confirmed the authentic eumelanin structure, characterized by a characteristic absorption at 225 nm, diagnostic FTIR bands, Raman signatures at 1380 and 1580 cm−1, and NMR peaks. The elemental composition (C: 48.04%, H: 6.14%, N: 11.85%, O: 33.94%) classified the pigment as eumelanin, with an inferred empirical formula of C48H74N10O25. This melanin has already demonstrated practical utility in optoelectronic applications. By harnessing the unique biocatalytic potential of organically grown Mucuna ceniza, this study validates a green, high-yield production platform for eumelanin, paving the way for its commercially viable application in advanced functional materials.