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Kaempferia L., a medicinal genus of Zingiberaceae family, is widely distributed from India to Southeast Asia and is rich in terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, and volatile oils. Recently, it has gained attention for its diverse biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tuberculosis effects. However, several Kaempferia species complexes exhibit similar morphological characteristics, making identification and classification challenging. This study integrates morphology, molecular phylogeny, and phytochemistry to identify and distinguish Kaempferia species. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using four DNA barcoding markers: one nuclear region (ITS) and three chloroplast markers ( mat K, rbc L, and psb A- trn H). Untargeted metabolomic analysis using SPME-GC-MS, combined with multivariate statistical analyses, was employed to resolve species relationships and display volatile profiles among 15 Kaempferia species from two subgenera. A total of 217 metabolites were identified by the SPME-GC-MS technique. Variable Importance in Projection (VIP ≥ 1.5) analysis indicated 30 key metabolites, primarily sesquiterpenes, as specific chemotaxonomic markers. This study provides a comprehensive chemical profile of Kaempferia species and highlights metabolomic differences among them. Our findings emphasize the importance of integrating morphological, molecular, and phytochemical approaches for precise identification of closely related species, particularly within Kaempferia . This chemotaxonomic research also provides further applications for species authentication in pharmaceuticals and medicine.

Zingiberaceae plants are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, being used in many famous medicinal materials. Meanwhile, some Zingiberaceae plants are important horticultural flowers because they are green all year round and have special aromas. To conduct an extensive investigation of the resources of Zingiberaceae plants, the volatile compounds of ten species of Zingiberaceae were extracted and analyzed by GC–MS, including Costus comosus var. bakeri (K.Schum.) Maas, Curcuma rubescens Roxb., Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb., Curcuma attenuata Wall., Hongfengshou, Hedychium coronarium Koeng, Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Smith, Hedychium brevicaule D. Fang, Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., and Alpinia pumila Hook.F. A total of 162 compounds were identified, and most of those identified were monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. (E)-labda-8(17),12-diene-15,16-dial, n-hexadecanoic acid, 4-methoxy-6-phenethyl-2H-pyran-2-one, and L-β-pinene were found in high concentrations among the plants. These ten species of Zingiberaceae contained some of the same volatiles, but their contents were different. Pharmacological effects may be associated with the diversity of volatiles in these ten plants.

is a genus belonging to the ginger family. Currently, this genus is comprised of about 63 species, mainly distributed from India to Southeast Asia. During our fieldwork, a new species of was found in Chon Buri Province, Thailand. The objective of this article was to provide morphological evidence and confirm its relationships in through molecular phylogenetic analysis. Plant samples were collected from field sites and investigated by conventional taxonomy and molecular techniques. The phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using the maximum likelihood criterion and Bayesian inference. The morphological evolution was also examined to elaborate the relationships among representative taxa. from southeastern Thailand is described and illustrated based on morphological features and its taxonomic placement was confirmed by molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological evolution. An identification key is provided for the new species occurring in Thailand. is a new enumerated species of from Thailand.

Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. (A. oxyphylla) is an important edible and traditional herbal medicine. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of A. oxyphylla was sequenced, analysed, and compared to five species in the Zingiberaceae family. The size of the A. oxyphylla chloroplast genome was 161351 bp, which consisted of a large single-copy (LSC, 87248 bp) and small single-copy (SSC, 16175 bp) region separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb, 28964 bp each). The genome encoded 132 unique genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs and four rRNAs. The GC content of the genome was 36.17%. A total of 53 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 80 long repeats were identified in the A. oxyphylla chloroplast genome. The chloroplast genome of A. oxyphylla shared the highest sequence similarity of >90% with the chloroplast genome of A. zerumbet, and six chloroplast genomes in the Zingiberaceae family were compared by using CGView Comparison Tool (CCT). According to the phylogenetic tree, the Zingiberaceae family is divided into two categories, which coincide with the classification of the characteristics of sun-like and shade-like in plants. Our results reveal the phototrophic component of NADH-dehydrogenase (ndhB and ndhC), photosystem II (psbZ) and ATP synthase (atpE, atpF) exhibit adaptive evolution under different environments, and the strength of light is an important trigger for the adaptations at the chloroplast level.

Auxin plays a key role in different plant growth and development processes, including flower opening and development. The perception and signaling of auxin depend on the cooperative action of various components, among which auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) proteins play an imperative role. In a recent study, the entire Aux/IAA gene family was identified and comprehensively analyzed in Hedychium coronarium, a scented species used as an ornamental plant for cut flowers. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Aux/IAA gene family in H. coronarium is slightly contracted compared to Arabidopsis, with low levels of non-canonical proteins. Sequence analysis of promoters showed numerous cis-regulatory elements related to various phytohormones. HcIAA genes showed distinct expression patterns in different tissues and flower developmental stages, and some HcIAA genes showed significant responses to auxin and ethylene, indicating that Aux/IAAs may play an important role in linking hormone signaling pathways. Based on the expression profiles, HcIAA2, HcIAA4, HcIAA6 and HcIAA12, were selected as candidate genes and HcIAA2 and HcIAA4 were screened for further characterization. Downregulation of HcIAA2 and HcIAA4 by virus-induced gene silencing in H. coronarium flowers modified the total volatile compound content, suggesting that HcIAA2 and HcIAA4 play important roles in H. coronarium floral scent formation. The results presented here will provide insights into the putative roles of HcIAA genes and will assist the elucidation of their precise roles during floral scent formation.

Curcumamaxwelliisp. nov. and Curcumarubroaurantiacasp. nov. (Zingiberaceae, Zingiberoideae, Zingibereae), two new red-orange-flowered species from Thailand, are described. They are compared to the morphologically closest species from the Curcumasubgen.Ecomatae and detailed descriptions, colour plates and information on their distribution, ecology, phenology and uses are provided. Preliminary IUCN conservation assessments for both of these species are proposed as Least Concern.Curcumamaxwelliisp. nov. and Curcumarubroaurantiacasp. nov. (Zingiberaceae, Zingiberoideae, Zingibereae), two new red-orange-flowered species from Thailand, are described. They are compared to the morphologically closest species from the Curcumasubgen.Ecomatae and detailed descriptions, colour plates and information on their distribution, ecology, phenology and uses are provided. Preliminary IUCN conservation assessments for both of these species are proposed as Least Concern.

Background Hedychium coronarium is highly valued for its intense fragrance, which may be influenced by the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are a class of small RNAs that play conserved and pivotal regulatory roles throughout plant growth and development, modulating various aspects of plant metabolism. However, the specific roles of miRNAs in the growth and development of H. coronarium remain largely uncharacterized. Results To identify miRNAs in H. coronarium and assess their potential role in the synthesis of floral fragrance compounds, we analyzed the volatile compounds and miRNA expression patterns at three developmental stages (F1, F5, F6). Our findings revealed that the volatile emissions of major floral compounds, including eucalyptol, ocimene, and linalool, increased as the flowers progressed through development. Small RNA sequencing identified 171 conserved miRNAs from 24 miRNA families, along with 32 novel miRNAs. Degradome sequencing uncovered 102 mRNA degradation sites corresponding to 90 target genes from 30 miRNA families. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression of hco-miR393a and hco-miR167n mirrored the release pattern of floral fragrance compounds, while the expression of HcTIR1 and HcARF8 inversely correlated with those of hco-miR393a and hco-miR167n. Co-transformation experiments in tobacco confirmed that HcTIR1 and HcARF8 are direct targets of hco-miR393a and hco-miR167n, respectively. Additionally, treatments with exogenous IAA and the auxin inhibitor PCIB modulated both the release of floral volatiles and the expression of hco-miR393a and hco-miR167n. STTM and VIGS experiments further indicated that hco-miR167n and hco-miR393a positively regulate floral fragrance metabolism, while HcARF8 and HcTIR1 act as negative regulators. Finally, dual-luciferase and yeast one-hybrid assays demonstrated that HcARF8 binds to the promoter of the terpene synthase gene HcTPS8 , thereby regulating the biosynthesis of floral fragrance compounds. Conclusions This study represents the first comprehensive identification of miRNAs in H. coronarium and the characterization of their expression profiles in petal tissues at various developmental stages. These findings offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing the synthesis of floral fragrance compounds and highlight the critical role of miRNAs in the regulation of metabolic processes within the Zingiberaceae family.

Key messageHerein, 37 ARF genes were identified and analyzed inHedychium coronarium andHcARF5showed a potential role in the regulation of HcTPS3.Auxin is an important plant hormone, implicated in various aspects of plant growth and development processes especially in the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites. Auxin response factors (ARF) belong to the transcription factors (TFs) gene family and play a crucial role in transcriptional activation/repression of auxin-responsive genes by directly binding to their promoter region. Nevertheless, whether ARF genes are involved in the regulatory mechanism of volatile compounds in flowering plants is largely unknown. β-ocimene is a key floral volatile compound synthesized by terpene synthase 3 (HcTPS3) in Hedychium coronarium. A comprehensive analysis of H. coronarium genome reveals 37 candidate ARF genes in the whole genome. Tissue-specific expression patterns of HcARFs family members were assessed using available transcriptome data. Among them, HcARF5 showed a higher expression level in flowers, and significantly correlated with the key structural β-ocimene synthesis gene (HcTPS3). Furthermore, transcript levels of both genes were associated with the flower development. Under hormone treatments, the response of HcARF5 and HcTPS3, and the emission level of β-ocimene contents were evaluated. Subcellular and transcriptional activity assay showed that HcARF5 localizes to the nucleus and possesses transcriptional activity. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase assays revealed that HcARF5 directly regulates the transcriptional activity of HcTPS3. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays showed that HcARF5 interacts with scent-related HcIAA4, HcIAA6, and HcMYB1 in vivo. Overall, these results indicate that HcARF5 is potentially involved in the regulation of β-ocimene synthesis in H. coronarium.

Background Aframomum is a genus of ecologically and economically important plants in the Zingiberaceae family, yet its genomic evolution remains poorly understood. Previous chloroplast genome studies in the family have focused mainly on Asian genera such as Alpinia and Amomum , leaving the African lineage unexplored. Methods This study presents a comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast genomes of five Aframomum species, including A. alboviolaceum , A. angustifolium , A. daniellii , A. melegueta , and A. sceptrum . High-throughput Illumina sequencing was used to assemble the chloroplast genomes, which were annotated and analyzed for structural features, sequence divergence, codon usage, simple sequence repeats (SSRs), long repeats, and selection pressure on protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic relationships and divergence times were inferred using Bayesian methods implemented in MrBayes and BEAST2, respectively. Results All five chloroplast genomes exhibited a conserved quadripartite structure with genome sizes ranging from 161,101 bp to 166,130 bp, but displayed lineage-specific variation at inverted repeat/single-copy boundaries, particularly the expanded ycf1 and rps19 gene junctions in A. alboviolaceum . Comparative analyses revealed high sequence conservation, with notable divergence hotspots in non-coding regions, including ycf1-rps15 , atpH-atpI , and trnT-trnL . Codon usage patterns indicated strong AT-bias, and selection analyses revealed that most genes are under purifying selection, whereas ycf1 , rpoC2 , and rpl16 show signals of positive selection, suggesting adaptive evolution in photosynthetic and translational functions. SSR analysis revealed predominantly A/T-rich mononucleotide repeats, with slight interspecific variation. Phylogenomic analysis strongly supported the monophyly of Aframomum and its close relationship to Amomum . Divergence time estimation indicates that Aframomum began diversifying around 26 Mya, with major radiation during the Miocene, contemporaneous with the African climatic shift that likely drove speciation. Conclusions This study provides valuable insights into the chloroplast genome evolution and phylogeny of Aframomum , highlighting regions of high variability that are potential targets for molecular marker development. The results also reinforce the utility of chloroplast genome data in resolving evolutionary relationships and estimating divergence times within Zingiberaceae.

The family has long been used in traditional medicine due to its rich array of secondary metabolites. However, its low bioavailability, limited stability in its native form, degradation during digestion, and poor solubility in water all restrict its absorption in the human body. Fermentation represents an effective biotechnological method for modifying the phytochemical composition and potentially enhancing its pharmacological effects. This study aims to explore the impact of fermentation on , focusing on the alteration of phytochemical profiles and the enhancement of pharmacological activities. Articles were sourced from the Scopus and PubMed databases and filtered for publications between 2015 and 2025; there were 2 articles that were electronically removed before screening due to duplication, yielding 62 articles. These articles were then further screened based on titles, abstracts, and full texts, resulting in five relevant studies. Fermentation was found to improve the phytochemical profile, influenced by the microbial strains used and the physicochemical properties of the phytochemicals. The fermentation process enhanced the stability of compounds, such as converting 6-gingerol to 6-shogaol and transforming glycosides into aglycones, which are more easily absorbed by the body. Additionally, fermentation increased phenolic and flavonoid content, accompanied by enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Pharmacologically, in vitro studies showed that fermented extracts modulate cytokine signaling pathways in immune cells while enhancing anti-aging properties and skin barrier protection. Meanwhile, in vivo studies demonstrated improvements in metabolic regulation and neuroprotective effects in cognitive disorders. Further mechanistic investigations are needed to clarify the pathways through which fermentation influences the behavior of phytoconstituents and their pharmacological performance. This review provides an overview of preclinical fermentation studies on plants, both in vitro and in vivo, with a focus on their phytochemical composition and effectiveness in enhancing pharmacological activity.