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Sea buckthorn ( Elaeagnus rhamnoides ; syn. Hippophae rhamnoides ) is a thorny shrub or a small tree belonging to the Elaeagnaceae family, native to Eurasia. Sea buckthorn fruit is rich in vitamins and minerals, oils from the seeds and fruit flesh find use in medicine and the cosmetic industry or as nutraceutical supplements. Fruit, leaves and other parts of buckthorn have been used in traditional medicine, especially in China, Tibet, Mongolia, and Central Asia countries, and are a rich source of many bioactive substances. Due to its health-promoting and medicinal properties, the plant has been extensively investigated for several decades, and its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties are well characterized. The years 2010–2021 brought significant progress in phytochemical research on sea buckthorn. Dozens of new compounds, mainly phenolics, were isolated from this plant. Numerous pharmacological studies were also performed, investigating diverse aspects of the biological activity of different extracts and natural products from sea buckthorn. This review focuses on the progress in research on sea buckthorn specialized metabolites made in this period. Pharmacological studies on sea buckthorn are also discussed. In addition, biosynthetic pathways of the main groups of these compounds have been shortly described. Graphical abstract

Family Elaeagnaceae is also known as oleaster family having three genera: Hippophae , Shepherdia and Elaeagnus , and about 70–80 species found worldwide. The multipurpose uses of genus Elaeagnus , their pharmacological significances and diverse chemical composition make them worthy of investigation and exploration for botanists and phytochemists. This critical review summarizes the botanical distribution, phytochemical constituents, and biological activities of various species of genus Elaeagnus . The online published material/papers available at different search engines were studied to compile this review. The existing literature available on search engines like Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Springer, Elsevier, Scopus, Taylor and Francis, ACS publications, Google Scholar and Wiley On-line Library, was screened to collect relevant data. Elaeagnus species are widely used to treat a number of health issues due to their God gifted phytochemical compositions having great beneficial health applications. Phytochemical and biological evaluation studies have revealed the presence of essential chemical constituents like flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids, terpenoids, lignanoids, organic acids, coumarins, alkaloids, steroids, vitamin C, lycopene, and polyphenols in Elaeagnus species that are responsible for their remarkable observed biological activities like antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, muscle relaxant effect, anti-diarrheal, antinociceptive, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and anti-amnesic activities. This review presents the importance of some species of genus Elaeagnus in terms of their traditional medicinal uses, phytochemical composition as well as potential pharmacological properties. However, bio-guided isolation studies are needed to understand the role of a particular compound in the observed biological activities.

Elaeagnus is a genus which consists about 70 species of flowering plants in the family Elaeagnaceae, and its edible fruit is a natural product used as food and in traditional medicine. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of four species, namely Elaeagnus umbellate Thunb., E. multiflora Thunb., E. macrophylla Thunb., and E. glabra Thunb., to study their phylogenetic relationships within the Elaeagnaceae. Total lengths of the chloroplast genome were 152,261 bp, 152,267 bp, 152,224 bp, and 152,227 bp, respectively. The four genomes had representative quadripartite structures, with an LSC region (82,207 bp, 82,191 bp, 82,136 bp, and 82,139 bp) and an SSC region (18,262 bp, 18,282 bp,and 18,278 bp for both species) separated by a pair of IRs (25,896 bp, 25,897 bp, and 25,905 bp for the latter two species), respectively. Moreover, they were composed of 136-137 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 40-41 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis indicated that E. umbellata was most closely related to E. multiflora, whereas E. macrophylla was close to E. glabra.

Background: Elaeagnus oxycarpa Schltdl. (Elaeagnaceae) is a vital sand-fixing tree species in the arid, semi-arid, and desert regions of China, holding significant ecological and economic value. However, its chloroplast (cp) genome has not been previously characterized. Results: In this study, we sequenced the complete cp genome of Elaeagnus oxycarpa using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology. We performed de novo assembly, annotation, and comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses with six other Elaeagnaceae species. The results revealed a typical quadripartite structure for the E. oxycarpa cp genome, with a total length of 150,567 bp and a GC content of 36.90%. Annotation identified 132 genes, comprising 86 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Codon usage bias analysis indicated a preference for A/U endings, with leucine codons being the most frequent (9.5%). Additionally, 77 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were detected, predominantly mononucleotide repeats (71.4%). Comparative genomic analysis demonstrated high sequence conservation among the seven Elaeagnus species, with nucleotide variations primarily concentrated in non-coding regions and intergenic spacers of genes such as rps16, ycf1, and trnC-GCA. These variable regions and SSR loci represent valuable molecular markers for future population genetics and species identification studies on Elaeagnus. Phylogenetic analysis strongly supported the notion that E. oxycarpa and Elaeagnus angustifolia form a sister clade, indicating their close genetic relationship. Conclusions: Our findings provide crucial genomic resources and a theoretical foundation for the species identification and elucidation of the evolutionary history of Elaeagnaceae.

Various parts of sea buckthorn [ (L.) A. Nelson], particularly the berries, known also as seaberries, or Siberian pineapples, are characterized by a unique composition of bioactive compounds: phenolic compounds, vitamins (especially vitamin C), unsaturated fatty acids, and phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol. These berries, together with the juices, jams, and oils made from them, have a range of beneficial antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. This short review discusses whether sea buckthorn may represent a \"golden mean\" for the treatment of cancers: It has anti-proliferation properties and can induce apoptosis and stimulate the immune system, and sea buckthorn oil counteracts many side effects of chemotherapy by restoring kidney and liver function, increasing appetite, and keeping patients in general good health. Although the anticancer activity of sea buckthorn has been confirmed by many and animal studies, the treatment and prophylactic doses for humans are unknown. Therefore, greater attention should be paid to the development of well-controlled and high-quality clinical experiments in this area.

Herein, Elaeagnus angustifolia L. was utilized as a raw material to extract bound polyphenols using an ultrasound-assisted complex enzyme method for the first time. The effects of enzyme ratio, ultrasonic time, liquid-to-solid ratio, and pH value on the bound polyphenol yield were investigated using single-factor experiments. The key parameters were subsequently optimized using the Box–Behnken design. The optimal conditions identified were as follows: enzyme ratio (α-amylase/cellulase = 5:1 mg/mg), ultrasonic time of 50 min, liquid-to-solid ratio of 12:1 mL/g, and pH value of 5. Under these conditions, the bound polyphenol yield was measured at 13.970 ± 0.3 mg/g. A total of 27 phenolic compounds were identified using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC–IMS-QTOF-MS), including two coumarins, five lignins, 10 polyphenols, nine flavonoids, and one tannin, and specifically containing Angeloylgomisin Q, Yakuchinone A, Furosin, 6-Dehydrogingerdione, and 4′-Methylpinosylvin, and so on. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) methods, revealing significant antioxidant potential. This study introduced a novel extraction process for bound polyphenols from E. angustifolia L. and provided the first qualitative analysis of bound polyphenols in this species, establishing a scientific foundation for its development and application in the functional food, medicine, and cosmetics industries.

A new benzenoid, 2,3-(methylenedioxy)-6-methylbenzene-1,4,5-triol ( 1 ) and seven known compounds ( 2–8 ) were isolated from the stems of Elaeagnus grandifolia Hayata. The structure of the new benzenoid was elucidated by chemical and physical evidence.

In the study, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were used as alternatives to traditional chemical solvents for the extraction of polyphenols from Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Nine NADESs were tested for the first time and compared with ethanol and water (traditional solvents) regarding the extraction of phenolic compounds from E. angustifolia L. These solvents were particularly effective at extracting polyphenols, whose low water solubility usually requires high amounts of organic solvents. The solvent based on choline chloride and malonic acid provided optimal results and was selected for further optimization. The effects of material-to-liquid ratio, ultrasound time, and ultrasound temperature on the extraction efficiency were studied through single-factor experiments. These parameters were optimized by Box–Behnken design using response surface methodology. The optimal conditions identified were 49.86 g/mL of material-to-liquid ratio, 31.10 min of ultrasound time, and 62.35 °C of ultrasound temperature, resulting in a high yield of 140.30 ± 0.19 mg/g. The results indicated that the NADES extraction technique provided a higher yield than the conventional extraction process. The antioxidant activity of the extract of polyphenols from E. angustifolia L. was determined, and UPLC–IMS–QTOF–MS was used to analyze the phenolic compounds in it. The results revealed that the scavenging ability of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) extracted by NADES was higher than that of polyphenols extracted by water and ethanol. Furthermore, a total of 24 phenolic compounds were identified in the extract. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which a green and efficient NADES extraction method has been used to extract bioactive polyphenols from E. angustifolia L., which could provide potential value in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food additives.

The amounts of total phenol and flavonoid of Elaeagnus flowers and fruit collected at different maturity stages were between 234.94 (18 August) and 922.62 mg GAE/100 g (1 August) and 73.93 (4 October) and 525.36 mg/100 g (flowering stage), respectively. The antioxidant capacity of Elaeagnus flowers and fruit was between 3.57 (30 October) and 12.16 mmol/kg (1 August). While the total phenol and antioxidant capacity of the samples was at the highest levels in the first flowering period and the second harvest period, it decreased significantly in the other harvest periods. Gallic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid values of Elaeagnus fruit collected at different maturity stages were between 4.29 (flowering stage) and 130.29 mg/100 g (3 September) and 1.13 (3 September) and 13.42 mg/100 g (4 October), respectively. The P and K values of fruit samples were between 374.89 (20 November) and 2125.18 mg/kg (flowering stage) and 4348.70 (20 September) and 10158.48 mg/kg (flowering stage), respectively. In general, there was a significant decrease in the majority of the phenolics of Elaeagnus fruit harvested on 30 October. The gallic acid content of Elaeagnus increased significantly after the flowering phase. In general, the protein and mineral contents of buckthorn fruit were detected at very high levels in the first three periods of harvesting, while they decreased significantly at other times. The element with the highest concentration in Elaeagnus fruit was K, followed by Ca, P, S, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, B, and Cu in decreasing order.Graphic abstract

Elaeagnus mollis is an important newly developing woody oil plant species and the vitamin E (VitE) content in its kernel oil is relatively high. In the present study, the VitE component content and functional genes involving in VitE biosynthesis in E. mollis kernel at different developmental stage were investigated. The VitE content increased with kernel development, reaching up to ~ 7.96 mg/g oil in kernel mature stage. The content of tocopherol was much higher than that of tocotrienol and γ-tocopherol became the dominant component. E. mollis kernel extracts had relatively strong antioxidant capacity. We identified 17 genes (16 VTEs and 1 homogentisic acid geranylgeranyl transferase (HGGT)) directly involving in VitE biosynthesis in RNA-Seq data. Phylogenetic and qRT-PCR results indicated that the annotation and reliability of the RNA-Seq were accurate. Transient overexpression of EmVTE3 and EmWRKY13 in tobacoo leaves increased and decreased the VitE content to 192.18 and 118.29 µg/g, respectively. Weighted gene co-expression analysis elucidated that the blue module showed significant correlation with tocopherol content. Co-expression network analysis revealed that 2-methyl-6-phytobenzoquinone methyltransferase (MPBQ-MT/VTE3) played a vital role and EmWRKY13 may be a key negative regulator in E. mollis VitE biosynthesis. This study not only revealed the traditional VitE biosynthesis pathway in E. mollis, but also set a solid foundation for future genetic breeding of this species.Key messageThe high vitamin E content in Elaeagnus mollis kernel oil was determined by EmVTE3 and was regulated by EmWRKY13.