Evaluation of nitrate contents in regulated and non-regulated leafy vegetables of high consumption in the Canary Islands, Spain: Risk assessment.
Abstract
The nitrate content of the most consumed green leafy vegetables in the European Region of the Canary Islands was determined. The sampling included chard and watercress, which are not regulated but highly consumed in this region. The levels of nitrates in organic vegetables were significantly higher than those of conventional cultivation. However, no seasonal differences were observed, and overall nitrate levels were lower than those reported in other studies. Median nitrate levels in the analyzed vegetables were: lettuce (3 varieties) = 573.7 mg/kg; ready-to-eat salad mixes = 595.0 mg/kg; sp...
Source: Food and Chemical Toxicology - October 13, 2020 Category: Food Science Authors: Martín León V, Luzardo OP Tags: Food Chem Toxicol Source Type: research
Novel glucosinolate metabolism in larvae of the leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae.
Abstract
Plants of the Brassicales are defended by a binary system, in which glucosinolates are degraded by myrosinases, forming toxic breakdown products such as isothiocyanates and nitriles. Various detoxification pathways and avoidance strategies have been found that allow different herbivorous insect taxa to deal with the glucosinolate-myrosinase system of their host plants. Here, we investigated how larvae of the leaf beetle species Phaedon cochleariae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a feeding specialist on Brassicaceae, cope with this binary defence. We performed feeding experiments using leaves of water...
Source: Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - July 8, 2020 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Friedrichs J, Schweiger R, Geisler S, Mix A, Wittstock U, Müller C Tags: Insect Biochem Mol Biol Source Type: research
Effects of water pollution on some physiological parameters and phytoremediation performance of watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
AbstractPhytoremediation is a sustainable, natural, and eco ‐friendly approach, which is generally applied in environmental decontamination. The aim of this study was the assessment of phytoremediation performance of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) under different levels of water pollution. The shrubs of watercress were collected from the local springs adjacent to the Qarah ‐Sou river in Iran. In order to build an artificial culture similar to natural conditions, the water samples collected from different river sections and the harvested plants were added to the hydroponic culture. The variables of interest were org...
Source: Environmental Quality Management - June 21, 2020 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Sharareh Amiri,
Amir Hossein Nafez,
Nasim Amiri Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
An algal biostimulant promotes growth and decreases cadmium uptake in accumulator plant Nasturtium officinale
. (Source: International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry)
Source: International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry - June 18, 2020 Category: Chemistry Authors: Rongping Hu Hairong Wang Qin Liu Lijin Lin Ming ’An Liao Honghong Deng Zhihui Wang Dong Liang Xun Wang Hui Xia Yi Tang Source Type: research
Protective effect of Nasturtium officinale R. Br and quercetin against cyclophosphamide-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
Abstract
Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is used in the management of autoimmune conditions and malignant illnesses. However, its therapeutic use is limited because of its severe side effects, especially hepatotoxicity attributed to oxidative stress. Nasturtium officinale R. Br (watercress or WC) has pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammation, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, the present study was design to assess effects of WC or its active ingredient, quercetin (QE), against CPA-induced hepatotoxicity. For this study, 49 male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were randomly selected and categorized into se...
Source: Molecular Biology Reports - June 11, 2020 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Doustimotlagh AH, Kokhdan EP, Vakilpour H, Khalvati B, Barmak MJ, Sadeghi H, Asfaram A Tags: Mol Biol Rep Source Type: research
Highlighting of the antialgal activity of organic extracts of Moroccan macrophytes: potential use in cyanobacteria blooms control.
Abstract
Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of algicidal compounds produced by macrophytes against microalgae. The aim of this study was to assess the algicidal activity of seven Moroccan macrophyte ethyl acetate extracts (MEA) to control harmful algal blooms (HABs). The response and sensitivity of prokaryotic toxic cyanobacteria (Microcystis aeruginosa) and eukaryotic microalgae (Chlorella sp.) were highlighted. The algicidal effect of MEA extracts against the two microalgae was assessed using both the paper disc diffusion and microdilution methods. This last was used in order to evaluate th...
Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International - March 25, 2020 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tazart Z, Douma M, Caldeira AT, Tebaa L, Mouhri K, Loudiki M Tags: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Source Type: research
Molecules, Vol. 25, Pages 1240: Induction of Apoptosis by Gluconasturtiin-Isothiocyanate (GNST-ITC) in Human Hepatocarcinoma HepG2 Cells and Human Breast Adenocarcinoma MCF-7 Cells
Abdull Razis
Gluconasturtiin, a glucosinolate present in watercress, is hydrolysed by myrosinase to form gluconasturtiin-isothiocyanate (GNST-ITC), which has potential chemopreventive effects; however, the underlying mechanisms of action have not been explored, mainly in human cell lines. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the cytotoxicity of GNST-ITC and to further assess its potential to induce apoptosis. GNST-ITC inhibited cell proliferation in both human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells with IC50 values of 7.83 µM and 5.02 µM, respectively. M...
Source: Molecules - March 8, 2020 Category: Chemistry Authors: Arumugam Ibrahim Kntayya Mohd Ain Iori Galletti Ioannides Abdull Razis Tags: Article Source Type: research
Molecules, Vol. 25, Pages 664: Biostimulant Potential of Scenedesmus obliquus Grown in Brewery Wastewater
Gouveia
Microalgae are microorganisms with the capacity to contribute to the sustainable and healthy food production, in addition to wastewater treatment. The subject of this work was to determine the potential of Scenedesmus obliquus microalga grown in brewery wastewater to act as a plant biostimulant. The germination index of watercress seeds, as well as the auxin-like activity in mung bean and cucumber, and in the cytokinin-like activity in cucumber bioassays were used to evaluate the biostimulant potential. Several biomass processes were studied, such as centrifugation, ultrasonication and enzymatic hydrolysis, as ...
Source: Molecules - February 3, 2020 Category: Chemistry Authors: Navarro-L ópez Ru íz-Nieto Ferreira Aci én Gouveia Tags: Article Source Type: research
IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 895: An Appraisal of Potential for Sowing of Nasturtium officinale Into Streams to Mitigate Nutrient Pollution in Eastern Scotland
This study examines a farmer-led initiative to sow watercress (Nasturtium officinale) in field ditches. The objective was to assess the potential of this practice to mitigate summer nutrient loads in rivers. Two ditches—one seeded, the other unseeded—on a mixed-livestock farm in Eastern Scotland were monitored during the spring-summer of 2014–2016. The un-replicated trial design limited statistical analysis. However, changes in N and P concentrations along the two ditches were measured. In the watercress-seeded ditch, N retention of 0.092 g/m2/d (p < 0.001, SE = 0.020) a...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - January 30, 2020 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Vinten Bowden-Smith Tags: Article Source Type: research
Effects of melatonin-treated Nasturtium officinale on the growth and cadmium accumulation of subsequently grown rice seedlings
. (Source: International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry)
Source: International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry - January 13, 2020 Category: Chemistry Authors: Jun Shi Zufen Xiang Tao Peng Hongyan Li Kewen Huang Dingyou Liu Tingyou Huang Source Type: research
The compound effects of biochar and iron on watercress in a Cd/Pb-contaminated soil.
In conclusion, BC-Fe amendment could improve soil physicochemical properties and soil fertility, promote Cd and Pb transfer to the stable form, thus, reduce the bioavailability and mobility of Cd and Pb, and further, decrease Cd and Pb ecotoxicity and its accumulation in watercress and improve watercress quality.
PMID: 31865563 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International)
Source: Environmental Science and Pollution Research International - December 20, 2019 Category: Environmental Health Authors: Yu B, Li D, Wang Y, He H, Li H, Chen G Tags: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int Source Type: research
GSE138020 Keeping the shoot above water – underwater stem elongation in watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Contributors : Jana T Mueller ; Melis Akman ; Hans van Veen ; Rashmi Sasidharan ; Angelika MustrophSeries Type : Expression profiling by high throughput sequencingOrganism : Nasturtium officinaleFlooding stress is a major environmental threat for many terrestrial plants. The detrimental effects of flooding stress, however, vary between different plant species. Whereas many crops are rather sensitive to flooding, some wild species from flood-prone areas are well adapted to excess water conditions. Morphological adaptations like adventitious roots and aerenchyma formation, or the ability to elongate rapidly the above-gro...
Source: GEO: Gene Expression Omnibus - December 4, 2019 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Expression profiling by high throughput sequencing Nasturtium officinale Source Type: research
