Anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of five Veronica species. (1/15)

Biological activities of five Veronica species (Scrophulariaceae), V. cymbalaria, V. hederifolia, V. pectinata var. glandulosa, V. persica and V. polita were studied for their anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Their methanol extracts showed both the inhibitory activity of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages and cytotoxic activity against KB epidermoid carcinoma and B16 melanoma. When the methanol extracts were fractionated between water and chloroform, water fractions significantly inhibited NO production without any cytotoxicity, while chloroform fractions showed cytotoxicity dose-dependently. When the radical scavenging activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), water fractions of the five Veronica species scavenged free radicals effectively, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of this species on NO production was due to their radical scavenging activity. On the other hand, chloroform fractions of Veronica species except for V. cymbalaria showed similar cytotoxic activity against KB and B16 melanoma cells.  (+info)

New phenylethanoid glycosides from Veronica pectinata var. glandulosa and their free radical scavenging activities. (2/15)

A known phenylethanoid glycoside, ehrenoside (1), was isolated together with three new phenylethanoid glycosides, verpectoside A (2), B (3) and C (4) from the aerial parts of Veronica pectinata var. glandulosa. On the basis of spectral analysis (UV, FAB-MS, 1H-, 13C- and 2D-NMR), compounds 2-4 were determined to be 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopy ranosyl-(1-->3)]-(4-O-trans-feruloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyran osyl-(1-->3)]-(4-O-trans-caffeoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyran osyl-(1-->3)]-(4-O-trans-feruloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, respectively. Isolated phenylethanoid glycosides exhibited potent radical scavenging activity against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical.  (+info)

Iridoid glucosides from Veronica hederifolia. (3/15)

A new iridoid glucoside, urphoside A, and six known iridoid glucosides, pikuroside, aucubin, veronicoside, catalposide, amphicoside, and verminoside, were isolated from Veronica hederifolia together with a known megastigmane glucoside, 3-hydroxy-5,6-epoxy-beta-ionol-9-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and a hexitol, dulcitol. The structures of the isolated compounds were established by the extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy.  (+info)

Genome size variation and evolution in Veronica. (4/15)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The amount of DNA per chromosome set is known to be a fairly constant characteristic of a species. Its interspecific variation is enormous, but the biological significance of this variation is little understood. Some of the characters believed to be correlated with DNA amount are alpine habitat, life history and breeding system. In the present study, the aim is to distinguish between direct causal connections and chance correlation of the amount of DNA in the genus Veronica. METHODS: Estimates of DNA amount were analysed for 42 members of Veroniceae in connection with results from a phylogenetic analysis of plastid trnL-F DNA sequences and tested correlations using standard statistical tests, phylogenetically independent contrasts and a model-based generalized least squares method to distinguish the phylogenetic effect on the results. KEY RESULTS: There appears to be a lower upper limit for DNA amount in annuals than in perennials. Most DNAC-values in Veroniceae are below the mean DNA C-value for annuals in angiosperms as a whole. However, the long-debated correlation of low genome size with annual life history is not significant (P = 0.12) using either standard statistical tests or independent contrasts, but it is significant with the generalized least squares method (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation of annual life history and low genome size found in earlier studies could be due to the association of annual life history and selfing, which is significantly correlated with low genome size using any of the three tests applied. This correlation can be explained by models showing a reduction in transposable elements in selfers. A significant correlation of higher genome sizes with alpine habitats was also detected.  (+info)

Systematic significance of seed morphology in veronica (plantaginaceae): a phylogenetic perspective. (5/15)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A new infrageneric rearrangement for Veronica has been proposed based on the most recent evidence from DNA sequence data, morphological evidence, and biogeographical considerations. Looking for morphological synapomorphies for each monophyletic subgenus has been problematic, due to difficulties arising from widespread homoplasy (mainly parallel evolution). In an attempt to overcome these difficulties, previously underexplored morphological characters are starting to be studied in more depth. METHODS: A molecular phylogenetic hypothesis was used based on sequences of ITS (nuclear ribosomal DNA) and plastid trnL-F regions, as a framework to test the use of seed coat ultrastructure (studied under scanning electron microscope) in the systematics of the genus. A sample of 132 taxa representing ten of the 13 subgenera in Veronica, excluding the species of the southern hemisphere Hebe complex and the exclusively North American subgenus Synthyris, was studied. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that, in many cases, the ultrastucture of the testa can be employed to assess relationships of taxa within the genus, and the character provides additional support for molecular trees. Further characters relevant for the classification of Veronica, i.e. base chromosome number, iridoid chemical data, life cycle, inflorescence position, have been taken into consideration in a discussion where an attempt is made to highlight the best traits to characterize each subgenus investigated.  (+info)

An unusual helix-turn-helix protease inhibitory motif in a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica (Veronica hederifolia L.). (6/15)

The storage tissues of many plants contain protease inhibitors that are believed to play an important role in defending the plant from invasion by pests and pathogens. These proteinaceous inhibitor molecules belong to a number of structurally distinct families. We describe here the isolation, purification, initial inhibitory properties, and three-dimensional structure of a novel trypsin inhibitor from seeds of Veronica hederifolia (VhTI). The VhTI peptide inhibits trypsin with a submicromolar apparent K(i) and is expected to be specific for trypsin-like serine proteases. VhTI differs dramatically in structure from all previously described families of trypsin inhibitors, consisting of a helix-turn-helix motif, with the two alpha helices tightly associated by two disulfide bonds. Unusually, the crystallized complex is in the form of a stabilized acyl-enzyme intermediate with the scissile bond of the VhTI inhibitor cleaved and the resulting N-terminal portion of the inhibitor remaining attached to the trypsin catalytic serine 195 by an ester bond. A synthetic, truncated version of the VhTI peptide has also been produced and co-crystallized with trypsin but, surprisingly, is seen to be uncleaved and consequently forms a noncovalent complex with trypsin. The VhTI peptide shows that effective enzyme inhibitors can be constructed from simple helical motifs and provides a new scaffold on which to base the design of novel serine protease inhibitors.  (+info)

Anthocyanin components and mechanism for color development in blue Veronica flowers. (7/15)

3-Di-p-coumaroylsophoroside-5-malonylglucoside and its demalonyl derivative were isolated from blue petals of Veronica persica Poiret. Blue, violet and purple cells coexist in the petal. These colors might be due to the varying pH of the vacuole between 5 and 7 unit. Only the demalonylated pigment was detected in the blue anthers.  (+info)

Red (anthocyanic) leaf margins do not correspond to increased phenolic content in New Zealand Veronica spp. (8/15)

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