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Plants have been central to traditional medicine for millennia, yet the precise metabolites responsible for their therapeutic properties often remain unidentified. In this work, we investigate the reported anti-inflammatory properties of Calendula officinalis (pot marigold), an ancient medicinal herb. We confirm C16-hydroxylated triterpenoids as key contributors to the anti-inflammatory activity of C. officinalis floral extracts and uncover a mechanism by which they act in modulating interleukin 6 release. Through biosynthetic pathway elucidation, we demonstrate that the oxidosqualene synthase catalysing the first committed step emerged early in Asteraceae evolution and identify residues governing product specificity. Further, we functionally characterise cytochrome P450s and acyltransferases responsible for downstream modifications. By reconstructing the complete biosynthetic pathway in the plant chassis Nicotiana benthamiana , we provide a basis for the future bioproduction of the anti-inflammatory components. Our work highlights how integrated studies of bioactivity and biosynthesis can unlock the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants. Calendula, a plant used in traditional medicine for centuries, helps reduce inflammation. Here the authors identify natural compounds that are key to its anti-inflammatory activity, revealing how they work and how plants evolved the ability to make them

Pot marigold ( Calendula officinalis L.) is an ornamental-medicinal plant commonly planted in green spaces, and it has various industrial and medicinal applications. It is widely cultivated in semi-arid and Mediterranean regions, where it often faces drought stress. This research was conducted to evaluate the impact of moderate and severe drought stress during the flowering stage and to determine the drought response mechanisms in pot marigold. Therefore, the pot marigold plants were treated with control (100%), 60% and 30% of field capacity (FC) in the greenhouse, starting from the blooming stage, when usually the decrease in rainfall occurs during its life cycle. The impacts of different levels of stress were evaluated on eight plant water content parameters, seventeen morpho-physiological and phenological traits, and nine biochemical factors. Restricted maximum likelihood (REML) by best linear unbiased estimates (BLUEs) indicated that reducing water supply at moderate stress still led to satisfactory growth of pot marigold, where most of the morpho-physiological and phenological traits, including days from budding to flowering and pollination, flowers number, flower weight and diameter, and plant height, were not significantly affected at 60% of FC in comparison to 100% of FC. However, severe drought stress significantly reduced plant height, flower diameter, and flower weight by 31%, 20%, and 38%, respectively. In addition, the factor analysis demonstrated that pot marigold employs a combination of avoidance and tolerance mechanisms, including root system elongation, adjustment in antioxidant enzymes activity, and chlorophyll and carotenoid content to cope with drought stress. Our results represent a significant advance in understanding the level of tolerance and the responsive mechanisms to drought stress in pot marigold during the most critical stage of its life cycle, when reduced rainfall usually occurs in its cultivation area.

Background Among different adsorbents, natural and inorganic compounds such as diatomite are important and advantageous in terms of high efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and function in stabilizing heavy metals in the environment. Calendula officinalis , a plant known as a high accumulator of heavy metals, was cultivated in soil treated with varying concentrations of modified diatomite to demonstrate the efficiency of modified diatomite in stabilizating of heavy metals in soils, Results The modification of diatomite aimed to enhance Calendula officinalis adsorptive properties, particularly towards heavy metals such as lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Nickle (Ni), and Copper (Cu), common contaminants in industrial soils. The experimental design included both control and treated soil samples, with assessments at regular intervals. Modified diatomite significantly decreased the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in contaminated soils except Zn, evidenced by decreased DTPA extractable heavy metals in soil and also heavy metal concentrations in plant tissues. Using 10% modified diatomite decreased 91% Pb and Cu, 78% Cr, and 79% Ni concentration of plants compared to the control treatment. The highest concentration of Zn in plant tissue was observed in 2.5% modified diatomite treatment. Remarkably, the application of modified diatomite also appeared to improve the nutrient profile of the soil, leading to enhanced uptake of key nutrients like phosphorus (P) 1.18%, and potassium (K) 79.6% in shoots and 82.3% in roots in Calendula officinalis . Consequently, treated plants exhibited improved growth characteristics, including shoots and roots height of 16.98% and 12.8% respectively, and shoots fresh and dry weight of 48.5% and 50.2% respectively., compared to those in untreated, contaminated soil. Conclusion The findings suggest promising implications for using such amendments in ecological restoration and sustainable agriculture, particularly in areas impacted by industrial pollution.

Topical anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is of major interest because of their fewer side effects compared to oral therapy. The purpose of this study was to prepare different types of topical formulations (ointments and gels) containing synthetic and natural anti-inflammatory agents with different excipients (e.g.,: surfactants, gel-forming) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The combination of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), diclofenac sodium, a topical analgesic agent methyl salicylate, and a lyophilized extract of Calendula officinalis with antioxidant effect were used in our formulations. The aim was to select the appropriate excipients and dosage form for the formulation in order to enhance the diffusion of active substances and to certify the antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory effects of these formulations. To characterize the physicochemical properties of the formulations, rheological studies, and texture profile analysis were carried out. Membrane diffusion and permeability studies were performed with Franz-diffusion method. The therapeutic properties of the formulations have been proven by an antioxidant assay and a randomized prospective study that was carried out on 115 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed that the treatment with the gel containing diclofenac sodium, methyl salicylate, and lyophilized Calendula officinalis as active ingredients, 2-propenoic acid homopolymer (Synthalen K) as gel-forming excipient, distilled water, triethanolamine, and glycerol had a beneficial analgesic and local anti-inflammatory effect.

The morphological, meiotic and chromosomal variability were studied in two cultivars of Calendula officinalis L. and their mutant lines obtained though chemical mutagenesis using diethyl sulphate (DES) (0.04%, 0.08%) and dimethyl sulphate (DMS) (0.025%, 0.05%). The studied cultivars displayed different sensitivity to DMS and DES mutagens. More M1 plants with morphological changes were observed in C . officinalis cv. ‘Zolotoe more’ than in cv. ‘Rajskij sad’. DMS and DES at low concentrations had positive effects on main agro-metrical traits in both cultivars including plant height, inflorescence diameter and number of inflorescences per plant. Dose-dependent increase in number of various meiotic abnormalities was revealed in both mutant lines. Comparative karyotype analysis and FISH-based visualization of 45S and 5S rDNA indicated a high level of karyotype stability in M1 and M2 plants. Seed treatments with DMS and DES at certain concentrations resulted in higher yields of inflorescences in M1 plants compared to the control. In M2 generation, dose-dependent reduction in the yields of inflorescences was observed. Our findings demonstrate that DMS and DES at low concentrations have great potential in calendula mutation breeding.

Background Soil contamination with heavy metals poses a significant threat to plant health and human well-being. This study explores the potential of nano silica as a solution for mitigating heavy metal uptake in Calendula officinalis . Results Greenhouse experiments demonstrated, 1000 mg•kg − 1 nano silica caused a 6% increase in soil pH compared to the control treatment. Also in 1000 mg. kg − 1 nano silica, the concentrations of available Pb (lead), Zn (zinc), Cu (copper), Ni (nickel), and Cr (chromium) in soil decreased by 12%, 11%, 11.6%, 10%, and 9.5%, respectively, compared to the control. Nano silica application significantly reduces heavy metal accumulation in C. officinalis exposed to contaminated soil except Zn. In 1000 mg.kg − 1 nano silica shoots Zn 13.28% increased and roots Zn increased 13% compared to the control treatment. Applying nano silica leads to increase the amount of phosphorus (P) 25%, potassium (K) 26% uptake by plant, In 1000 mg.kg − 1 treatment the highest amount of urease enzyme activity was 2.5%, dehydrogenase enzyme activity, 23.6% and the highest level of alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity was 13.5% higher than the control treatment. Conclusion Nano silica, particularly at a concentration of 1000 mg.kg − 1 , enhanced roots and shoots length, dry weight, and soil enzyme activity Moreover, it increased P and K concentrations in plant tissues while decreasing heavy metals uptake by plant.

The rain gardens (RGs) have been one of the best management practices in cities to reduce the impact of urban flooding. However, very little is known about various design parameters of RGs, viz., the type of plantation, planting mixtures, and RG dimensions. This study pertains to examining the influence of planting mixtures on the variations of percolation rates of the RG with Calendula officinalis plant and without plants. Six types of planting mixtures in different experimental RGs have been tried. It has been observed that the percolation rate increases with a higher percentage of compost in the planting mixture for RGs with and without plants. The percolation rate is highest for the planting mixture having 25% compost. The runoff rate reduces with a higher percentage of compost in the planting mixture for RGs with C. officinalis and bare surfaces. No runoff is produced in RGs with plant having a compost of more than 20% in the planting mixture. The outcome of the study will be useful in deciding the composition of the planting mixture which will keep the RG plant healthy and at the same time improve the hydrological performance leading to lowering urban flooding magnitude.

Considering medicinal plants as an inexhaustible source of active ingredients that may be easily isolated using simple and inexpensive techniques, phytotherapy is becoming increasingly popular. Various experimental approaches and analytical methods have been used to demonstrate that the genus Calendula (Asteraceae) has a particular richness in active ingredients, especially phenolic compounds, which justifies the growing interest in scientific studies on this genus’ species. From a chemical and biological viewpoint, Calendula aegyptiaca is a little-studied plant. For the first time, high-performance liquid chromatography combined with negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-HESI-MS) was used to analyze methanolic extracts of Calendula aegyptiaca (C. aegyptiaca) fruits. Thirty-five molecules were identified. Flavonoids (47.87%), phenolic acids (5.18%), and saponins (6.47%) formed the majority of these chemicals. Rutin, caffeic acid hexoside, and Soyasaponin βg’ were the most abundant molecules in the fruit methanolic extract, accounting for 17.49% of total flavonoids, 2.32 % of total phenolic acids, and 0.95% of total saponins, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the fruit extracts of C. aegyptiaca was investigated using FRAP, TAC, and DPPH as well as flavonoids and total phenols content. Because the phenolic components were more extractable using polar solvents, the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was found to be higher than that of the dichloromethane and hexane extracts. The IC50 value for DPPH of methanolic extract was found to be 0.041 mg·mL−1. Our findings showed that C. aegyptiaca is an important source of physiologically active compounds.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized using aqueous medical plant extracts as reducing and capping agents show multiple applicability for bacterial problems. The aim of this study was to expand the boundaries on AgNPs using a novel, low-toxicity, and cost-effective alternative and green approach to the biosynthesis of metallic NPs using Calendula officinalis (Calendula) and Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssopus) aqueous extracts. The formation of AgNPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The effectiveness of biosynthesized AgNPs in quenching free radicals and inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms was supported by in vitro antioxidant activity assay methods and using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test, respectively. The elucidated antimicrobial and antioxidative activities of medical plant extracts were compared with data from the engineered biosynthetic AgNPs. The antimicrobial effect of engineered AgNPs against selected test cultures was found to be substantially stronger than for plant extracts used for their synthesis. The analysis of AgNPs by TEM revealed the presence of spherical-shaped nano-objects. The size distribution of AgNPs was found to be plant-type-dependent. The smaller AgNPs were obtained with Hyssopus extract (with a size range of 16.8 ± 5.8 nm compared to 35.7 ± 4.8 nm from Calendula AgNPs). The AgNPs’ presumably inherited biological functions of Hyssopus and Calendula medical plants can provide a platform to combat pathogenic bacteria in the era of multi-drug resistance.

Plant stem cell cultures have so far been established in only a few plant species using cambial meristematic cells. The presence of stem cells or stem cell-like cells in other organs and tissues of the plant body, as well as the possibility of de novo generation of meristematic cells from differentiated cells, allow to consider the establishment of stem cell cultures in a broader range of species. This study aimed to establish a stem cell culture of the medicinal plant Calendula officinalis L. Callus tissues were induced from leaf and root explants, and already at this stage, stem and dedifferentiated cells could be identified. The cell suspension cultures established both from the root- and leaf-derived calli contained a high proportion of stem cells (92–93% and 72–73%, respectively). The most effective combination of growth regulators for the development of stem cells in calli as well as cell cultures was 1.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/L BAP. The highest amount of stem cells (5.60–5.72 × 10 5 ) was in cell suspension derived from the roots. An effective protocol for the establishment of marigold stem cell suspension culture was developed. The ratio of root-derived stem cells against dedifferentiated cells exceeded 90%.