Capparis spinosa is an edible medicinal plant which is considered as an excellent source of rutin. Rutin is a glycoside of the flavonoid quercetin that has been reported to have a beneficial role in controlling various diseases such as hypertension, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and obesity. In this study, the partial cDNA of four genes involved in the rutin biosynthetic pathway including 4-coumaroyl CoA ligase (4CL), flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), flavonol synthase (FLS) and flavonol-3-O-glucoside L-rhamnosyltransferase (RT) were identified in C.spinosa plants for the first time. The protein sequences of these genes shared high similarity with the same proteins in other plant species. Subsequently, the expression patterns of these genes as well as rutin accumulation in C.spinosa leaves treated with different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and also in different tissues of Caper plants treated with 100 mgL −1 SA and 150 μM MeJA were evaluated. The expression of all four genes was clearly up-regulated and rutin contents increased in response to MeJA and SA treatments after 24 h. The highest rutin contents (5.30 mgg −1 DW and 13.27 mgg −1 DW), as well as the highest expression levels of all four genes, were obtained using 100 mgL −1 SA and 150 μM MeJA, respectively. Among the different tissues, the highest rutin content was observed in young leaves treated with 150 μM MeJA, which corresponded to the expression of related genes, especially RT, as a key gene in the rutin biosynthetic pathway. These results suggest that rutin content in various tissues of C. spinosa can be enhanced to a significant extent by MeJA and SA treatments and the gene expression patterns of rutin-biosynthesis-related genes are regulated by these elicitors. Flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in higher plants has been well defined and several key enzymes involved in this pathway have been identified 1-3. Rutin is one of the most important flavonoids and plays a key role to protect plants against ultraviolet radiation or pathogens and is also used to prevent the side effects of some diseases such as cancer treatments, diabetes, and hypercholesteremia 4,5. The presence of rutin has been reported in many plant species, but only a limited number of plants such as Fagopyrum esculentum 6,7 and Cappris species, especially, C. spinosa 8 are identified as the biggest plant sources of rutin (or rutoside). C. spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) an aromatic plant, is widely distributed in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean basin and is reported with a 2.8% of rutin content in the leaf tissue 9 .

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Background and Objectives. Allium hirtifolium Boiss (Persian shallot), as an edible vegetable, has several pharmacological properties including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects, while its protective effects in liver cells are controversial. In this study, we examined the effect of A. hirtifolium extract on cadmium- (Cd-) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Materials and Methods. Thirty-six male Wistar rats were divided into six groups: groups 1, 2, and 3 received vehicle, Cd (100 mg/L/day by drinking water), and A. hirtifolium extract (200 mg/kg/day; orally), respectively. Groups 4, 5, and 6 were Cd groups which were treated with A. hirtifolium extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively). After 2 weeks, liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and also oxidative stress biomarkers including lipid peroxidation (LPO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total thiol molecule (TTM), and the histopathological changes were determined using standard procedure. Results. The findings showed that Cd caused a remarkable rise in levels of serum hepatic enzymes such as ALT (P<0.001), AST (P<0.01) and ALP (P<0.001) compared with the control group. In addition, Cd led to the decreasing of the levels of TTM (P<0.001) and TAC (P<0.001) and increasing of LPO (P<0.001) in liver tissue in comparison with the control group. In this regard, remarkable vascular congestion, hepatocellular degeneration, and vacuolization were observed in hepatic tissue of Cd-treated rats. Following the administration of A. hirtifolium extract, a significant improvement was observed in the functional and oxidative stress indices of hepatic tissue alongside histopathologic changes. Conclusion. The current study indicated that the A. hirtifolium extract might prevent hepatic oxidative injury by improving oxidant/antioxidant balance in rats exposed to Cd.