Resumen El género Tecoma es un miembro medicinalmente valioso de la familia Bignoniaceae que comprende catorce especies demarcadas defectuosamente con caracteres vegetativos superpuestos. Nuestro estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar la diversidad micromorfométrica, fitoquímica y genética entre ocho plantas de Tecoma cultivadas. Se exploraron mediante análisis multivariado las variabilidades existentes en tres matrices de datos derivadas de las características micromorfométricas de las hojas en polvo, las huellas dactilares por medio de cromatografía líquida de alta resolución y las huellas dactilares de ADN polimórfico amplificado al azar (RAPD). Las mediciones microscópicas de tricomas no glandulares, esto es, tricomas multicelulares colapsados y ramificados, y tricomas glandulares mostraron ser las características significativas de discriminación botánica de las muestras en polvo de plantas. Se identificaron marcadores fitoquímicos específicos para algunas especies como ácido gálico, catequina y ácido clorogénico para T. radicans, T. grandiflora, T. capensis var. amarillo, respectivamente. El ácido sinápico está enriqueció en T capensis y sus variedades, esto es, rosa, rojo y armonía. Los cebadores RAPD, esto es, OP-B02, OP-C04 y OP-K2 sirvieron como descriptores moleculares que producen el polimorfismo más elevado entre las plantas. A través de sus características micromorfométricas y sus huellas genéticas se determinó la variabilidad en dos plantas trepadoras de trompeta “T. radicans y T. grandiflora.” El híbrido de Tecoma “Tecoma × smithii” es micromorfométricamente más similar al chino “T. grandiflora” que a T. capensis, que es una de sus plantas progenitoras, y mostró estar más relacionada genéticamente con ella. En esta investigación de biodiversidad en aspectos botánicos, químicos y genéticos de las plantas de Tecoma que son esenciales para la autenticación y diferenciación integral entre las plantas estudiadas con la ayuda del análisis multivariado. El enfoque presentado proporciona una herramienta eficiente y que ahorra tiempo para discriminar simultáneamente entre especies estrechamente relacionadas.

Abstract Tecoma genus is a medicinally-valuable member in Bignoniaceae family comprising fourteen defectively-demarcated species with overlapping vegetative characters. Our study aimed to explore the micro-morphometric, phytochemical and genetic diversity among eight cultivated Tecoma plants. The variabilities existing in three data matrices derived from micro-morphometric features of powdered leaves, high performance liquid chromatographic fingerprints and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprints were explored by multivariate analysis. The microscopical measurements of non-glandular trichomes, i.e. collapsed multicellular and branched, and glandular trichomes were revealed to be the significant botanical discriminatory features of the powdered plant specimens, however species-specific phytochemical markers were identified to be gallic acid, catechin and chlorogenic acid for T. radicans, T. grandiflora, T. capensis var. yellow, respectively. Sinapic acid was enriched in T capensis and its varieties i.e. pink, red and harmony. RAPD primers i.e. OP-B02, OP-C04 and OP-K2 served as molecular descriptors producing the highest polymorphism among the plants. The variabilities within two trumpet creeper plants “T. radicans and T. grandiflora” were unveiled via their micro-morphometric features as well as genetic fingerprints. Tecoma hybrid “Tecoma ×smithii” was more micro-morphometrically similar to the Chinese “T. grandiflora.” than T. capensis which is one of its parents plants, and proved to be more genetically related to it. This is the report for biodiversity in botanical, chemical and genetic aspects of Tecoma plants which are essential for the comprehensive authentication and differentiation among the studied plants assisted by multivariate analysis. The presented approach provides a competent and time-saving tool for simultaneously-discriminating among closely-related species.

Abstract Genus Aloe, Xanthorrhoeaceae, is well distributed all over Egypt, and many species have been used as medicinal plants; mainly reported to prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. This study attempts to analyze the secondary metabolites in the methanol extract of the leaves of eight Aloe species; A. vera (L.) Burm. f., A. arborescens Mill., A. eru A. Berger, A. grandidentata Salm-Dyck, A. perfoliata L., A. brevifolia Mill., A. saponaria Haw. and A. ferox Mill. growing in Egypt. For this aim HPLC–DAD–MS/MS in negative ion mode was used. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented different particularities. Seventy one compounds were identified in the investigated Aloe species, of which cis-p-coumaric acid derivaties, 3,4-O-(E) caffeoylferuloylquinic acid and caffeoyl quinic acid hexoside were the most common phenolic acids identified. Aloeresin E and isoaloeresin D, 2'-O-feruloylaloesin were the common anthraquinones identified. Lucenin II, vicenin II, and orientin were the common identified flavonoids in the investigated Aloe species. 6'-Malonylnataloin, aloe-emodin-8-O-glucoside, flavone-6,8-di-C-glucosides could be considered as chemotaxonomic markers for the investigated Aloe species. The eight Aloe species had significant anti-inflammatory activity, in addition to the significant acceleration of diabetic wound healing in rats following topical application of the methanol extracts of their leaves. This is the first simultaneous characterization and qualitative determination of multiple phenolic compounds in Aloe species from locally grown cultivars in Egypt using HPLC–DAD–MS/MS, which can be applied to standardize the quality of different Aloe species and the future design of nutraceuticals and cosmetic preparations.

Abstract Securigera securidaca (L.) Degen & Döefl., Fabaceae, has been widely used in the Iranian, Indian and Egyptian folk medicine as antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic remedy. Phenolic profiling of the ethanolic extract (90%) of the flowers of S. securidaca was performed via HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis in the positive and negative ion modes. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the flowers were determined colorimetrically, and the quantification of their components was carried out using HPLC-UV. Total phenolics and flavonoids estimated as gallic acid and rutin equivalents were 82.39 ± 2.79 mg/g and 48.82 ± 1.95 mg/g of the dried powdered flowers, respectively. HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis of the extract allowed the identification of 39 flavonoids and eight phenolic acids. Quantitative analysis of some flavonoids and phenolics (mg/100 g powdered flowers) revealed the presence of isoquercetrin (3340 ± 2.1), hesperidin (32.09 ± 2.28), naringin (197.3 ± 30.16), luteolin (10.247 ± 0.594), chlorogenic acid (84.22 ± 2.08), catechin (3.94 ± 0.57) and protocatechuic acid (34.4 ± 0.15), in the extract. Moreover, the acute toxicity, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the extract were investigated using alloxan induced diabetes in rats in a dose of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg bwt. The ethanolic extract was safe up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg. All tested doses of the flower extract showed marked decrease in blood glucose level by 31.78%, 66.41% and 63.8% at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg bwt, respectively, at p < 0.05. Regarding the anti-hyperlipidemic effect, a dose of 400 mg/kg of the flower extract showed the highest reduction in serum triacylglycerides and total cholesterol levels (68.46% and 51.50%, respectively at p < 0.05). The current study proved the folk use of the flowers of S. securidaca as anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic agent which could be attributed to its high phenolic content.