Volumen 5 (2022): Edición 2 (December 2022)

The current research deals with the morpho-anatomical characteristics of Cassia occidentalis (L.) (Coffee senna plant), grown in the steppe climate conditions of the Republic of Moldova. This study was performed according to investigated organ in vegetative periods of 2019-2021 years. Morphological and anatomical indices of organs with diagnostic role in identifying species and those with adaptive potential to the action of unfavorable growth factors, have been elucidated. These indices were evaluated in the light of data already reported by other researchers. This morpho-anatomical research has revealed new aspects to support some anatomical features already outlined, but less confirmed in the studies of the last decades and will serve as landmarks for a real clarity of the integral microstructural picture of the C. occidentalis species.

Treatment of St. John’s wort plantlets with 1 µM triacontanol and 2 µM benzyladenine stimulates growth and metabolic processes, being an environmental-friendly approach for optimizing the cultivation of these valuable medicinal plants under controlled conditions. When the two growth regulators (a bioactive cuticular wax constituent and a cytokinin) are applied simultaneously, they act synergistically, enhancing each other’s effect on the biomass accumulation and on certain parameters of the photosynthetic light use efficiency, such as the effective quantum yield of photosystem II and the overall vitality index of the photosynthetic apparatus which performs the conversion of light energy into usable forms for carbon dioxide assimilation. The results concerning the interactions between the two externally applied growth regulators during the early development of St. John’s wort plants may lead to a more efficient cultivation of this herbal medicinal product, including the possibility to modulate the production of pharmacologically active metabolites.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has identified 16 substances as priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are harmful to humans, including anthracene and phenanthrene. These substances are pervasive pollutants introduced into the environment through anthropogenic and natural processes, causing ecological concerns and necessitating the quest for new strains capable of biodegrading these toxins. A novel strain of the genus Pseudomonas was isolated and molecularly identified based on partial 16S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis as Pseudomonas stutzeri strain BUK_BTEG1 from petrochemical contaminated soil. One factor at a time (OFAT) in Bushnell-Haas (BH) media was used to optimize the strain’s biodegradation conditions. The isolate could grow up to 600 mgL⁻¹ and 400 mgL⁻¹ of anthracene and phenanthrene as the sole carbon source at an optimum pH of 7.0 and 7.5 respectively, inoculum concentration of 4% (v/v), and temperature of 35°C during 72 hours of incubation. The strain could degrade phenanthrene and anthracene to a maximum of 99 and 72 percent, respectively, under ideal conditions. The breakdown products’ GC-MS analysis revealed the existence of the pathway’s main metabolites, catechol, salicylic acid, and derivatives of phthalic acid. The strain exhibits promising potential for use in the bio-cleansing of environments contaminated by PAHs.metabolites.

A group of free-living bacteria known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inhabit the rhizosphere and aid root development. These rhizobacteria bacteria are vital to the growth of plants and can serve as bio-fertilizer and can enhance food security through green agricultural practices. They exhibit special features which make them potential candidates as bio-fertilizer. Isolation and characterization of rhizobacteria is the first step toward their utilization as bio-fertilizers. Ten rhizobacteria from two different rice farms were isolated and characterized for plant growth promoting properties. The isolated rhizobacteria were identified morphologically, microscopically, biochemically, and molecularly. Plant’s growth promoting properties of these rhizobacteria was also analyzed which includes; Indole 3-acetic acid production (IAA), phosphate solubilisation, hydrogen cyanide production (HCN), ammonia production (NH₃), and zinc solubilisation. Out of the ten isolates, three were found to have the best plant growth enhancing properties and were therefore the best candidates as bio-fertilizers. 16SrRNA study and phylogenetic analysis was performed in order to unravel the specie of these three isolates and they were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus niacini, and Bacillus cereus with accession numbers OM184294, OM1842295 and OM184296 respectively. These isolates have the potential to be used as bio-fertilizer, which would significantly contribute to food security.

In this study, we focus on two arthritic diseases that affect a large part of the population, which cause inflammatory disorders of the joints and oxidative stress, which can cause certain degrees of disability. Arthritis is a chronic disease frequently encountered in the world’s population. Osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, are two extensive forms of arthritis associated with pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints and a low standard of life. Many drugs are used in their treatment, associated with some severe side effects and expensive prices. Today there are many studies carried out with extracts from medicinal plants, used in alternative therapy, and effective in these diseases. They are available for clinical use due to the active phytoconstituents that modulate inflammation and are antioxidants. In carrying out this study, electronic databases were screened: Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar, trying to describe these medicinal plants, and elucidate their biological mechanisms of action. The most numerous references were found on the following plants: Arctium lappa, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Nigella sativa, Urtica dioica, etc. vary parts of plants are used such as different types of seeds, roots, leaves, fruit, bark, flowers, or even the whole plant.