Disease relevance of Gentiana

• Gentiopicroside (GPS), a main bitter secoiridoid constituent of roots of Gentiana macrophylla Pall., was tested for therapeutic effects on the two hepatic injury models, the CCl4-induced and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-induced hepatitides [1].
• Cofactor requirement was determined for the heterologous expressed phytoene desaturases from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus and the higher plant Gentiana lutea [2].

High impact information on Gentiana

• Calluses derived from leaf tissues of silenced transgenic gentian also exhibited transgene suppression, but expression was recovered by treatment with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (aza-dC) [3].
• Highly methylated cytosine residues of CpG and CpWpG (W contains A or T) sites were distinctively detected in the promoter and 5' coding regions of the transgenes 35S-bar and 35S-GtMADS in all gentian lines analysed [3].
• Gentian (Gentiana triflora) blue petals predominantly contain an unusually blue and stable anthocyanin, delphinidin 3-O-glucosyl-5-O-(6-O-caffeoyl-glucosyl)-3'-O-(6-O-caffeoyl-glucoside) (gentiodelphin) [4].
• cDNA cloning, gene expression and subcellular localization of anthocyanin 5-aromatic acyltransferase from Gentiana triflora [5].
• Wound healing properties of Gentian (Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra) extract and its main constituents, gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarine (compounds 1-3, respectively) were evaluated by comparison with dexpanthenol on cultured chicken embryonic fibroblasts [6].

Biological context of Gentiana

• A full-length cDNA encoding the anthocyanin 5-aromatic acyltransferase (5AT) (EC 2.3.1.153) that acylates the glucose bound at the 5-position of anthocyanidin 3,5-diglucoside was isolated from petals of Gentiana triflora on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme [5].

Anatomical context of Gentiana

• Smooth muscle relaxing activity of gentiopicroside isolated from Gentiana spathacea [7].
• At doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg (i.p.), the methanol extract of Gentiana roots caused a significant increase in the swimming endurance test and exhibited slight analgesic activity, but no lethality in mice suggesting some activity on the central nervous system [8].

Associations of Gentiana with chemical compounds

• The methanol extract of Gentiana campestris leaves exhibited significant inhibition of AChE activity [9].
• The xanthones gentiacaulein and gentiakochianin are responsible for the vasodilator action of the roots of Gentiana kochiana [10].
• In conclusion, gentiacaulein and gentiakochianin seem to be the compounds responsible for the vasorelaxing properties of the crude extract of Gentiana kochiana roots [10].
• Full length cDNA clones of flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase and flavonoid 3-glucosyltransferase were cloned from petals of Gentiana triflora [11].
• A new triterpenoid, 12-ursene-3beta, 11alpha-diol 3-O-palmitate (1), has been isolated from the rhizomes and roots of Gentiana lutea, together with the artificial diene derivative, 9 (11), 12-ursadien-3beta-ol 3-O-palmitate (1a) and five known compounds (3-7) [12].

Gene context of Gentiana

• Isoorientin-6"-O-glucoside, a water-soluble antioxidant isolated from Gentiana arisanensis [13].
• Antiproliferative Activity of Root Extract from Gentian Plant (Gentiana triflora) on Cultured and Implanted Tumor Cells [14].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Gentiana

• HPLC analysis showed that three secoiridoid compounds, gentiopicroside, swertiamarine and sweroside were present and may have been responsible for the CNS effects of the methanol extract of Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra roots [8].

References