Anti-Inflammatory Constituents from Bidens frondosa.[Pubmed: 26473814]

A new polyacetylene glucoside (3E,5E,11E)-tridecatriene-7,9-diyne-1,2,13-triol-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), a new phenylpropanoid glucoside 2'-butoxyethylconiferin (2), and a new flavonoid glycoside 8,3',4'-trihydroxyflavone-7-O-(6''-O-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), have been isolated from Bidens frondosa together with fifty-three known compounds 4-56. The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic methods. mainly ESIMS, 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data. and comparison with literature data. Compounds 1-34, 36, 39, 43, 47, 51, and 52 were tested for inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in 293-NF-κB-luciferase report cell line induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and compounds 1, 2, 3, 9, 15, 21, 24 and 51 were tested for the production of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 in RAW 264.7 macrophages induced by LPS. In conclusion, the isolated compounds 1, 2, 3, 9, 15, 21, 24 and 51 exhibited significant activity in anti-inflammatory activity assays.

Performance and responses to competition in two congeneric annual species: does seed heteromorphism matter?[Pubmed: 26206119]

Variations in seed characteristics observed in heteromorphic species may affect various stages of their life cycles, e.g. seed dormancy, germination characteristics or even adult plant performance. Highly specialised seed morphs - described as colonisers and maintainers - exhibit a trade-off between colonisation capacity and competitive traits. The performance of distinct seed morph progeny under competitive conditions, and especially in multi-species arrangements, had previously not been given much attention. In this study, we compared performance and response to competition among distinct seed morph progenies in two congeneric, co-occurring species: the invasive Bidens frondosa and the non-invasive Bidens tripartita. We hypothesised that maintainer seed morphs of both species would perform better under increased plant densities and within inter-morphic mixtures, while coloniser morphs would show stronger responses to increased densities and perform relatively poorly in inter-morphic mixtures. We conducted a growth trial and a greenhouse experiment, which revealed that seed morph progeny differed significantly in plant height when grown without competition, while under competitive conditions such differences became less apparent. The observed pattern was more strongly pronounced in B. frondosa, which showed a general predominance in stature and biomass over its non-invasive congener. Although seed morphs performed equally well under competitive conditions, increased plant height and more rapid germination can favour the maintainer seed morph on sites where vegetation is already present.

Allelopathy of the invasive plant Bidens frondosa on the seed germination of Geum japonicum var. chinense.[Pubmed: 25511044]

Five gradient concentrations (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.10 g/mL) of leaching liquors from the roots, stems, and leaves of the invasive plant Bidens frondosa were used as conditioning fluid to examine its influence on seed germination conditions of the native plant Geum japonicum var. chinense in Huangshan. All leaching liquors of organs suppressed the seed germination of Geum japonicum var. chinense and reduced the final germination percentage and rate, and increased the germination inhibition rate, with a bimodal dependence on concentration. The leaching liquor inhibited the seed germination significantly at the concentration of 0.02 g/mL respectively. The seed germination was also inhibited as the concentration reached to 0.04 g/mL and beyond. Hence the allelopathic effects of the organs were significantly enhanced respectively. This phenomenon represented the presence of allelopathy substances in the root, stem and leaf of Bidens frondosa.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on seedling growth and development of two wetland plants, Bidens frondosa L., and Eclipta prostrata (L.) L., grown under three levels of water availability.[Pubmed: 20668891]

To identify the importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonizing wetland seedlings following flooding, we assessed the effects of AMF on seedling establishment of two pioneer species, Bidens frondosa and Eclipta prostrata grown under three levels of water availability and ask: (1) Do inoculated seedlings differ in growth and development from non-inoculated plants? (2) Are the effects of inoculation and degree of colonization dependent on water availability? (3) Do plant responses to inoculation differ between two closely related species? Inoculation had no detectable effects on shoot height, or plant biomass but did affect biomass partitioning and root morphology in a species-specific manner. Shoot/root ratios were significantly lower in non-inoculated E. prostrata plants compared with inoculated plants (0.381 ± 0.066 vs. 0.683 ± 0.132). Root length and surface area were greater in non-inoculated E. prostrata (259.55 ± 33.78 cm vs. 194.64 ± 27.45 cm and 54.91 ± 7.628 cm(2) vs. 46.26 ± 6.8 cm(2), respectively). Inoculation had no detectable effect on B. frondosa root length, volume, or surface area. AMF associations formed at all levels of water availability. Hyphal, arbuscular, and vesicular colonization levels were greater in dry compared with intermediate and flooded treatments. Measures of mycorrhizal responsiveness were significantly depressed in E. prostrata compared with B. frondosa for total fresh weight (-0.3 ± 0.18 g vs. 0.06 ± 0.06 g), root length (-0.78 ± 0.28 cm vs.-0.11 ± 0.07 cm), root volume (-0.49 ± 0.22 cm(3) vs. 0.06 ± 0.07 cm(3)), and surface area (-0.59 ± 0.23 cm(2) vs.-0.03 ± 0.08 cm(2)). Given the disparity in species response to AMF inoculation, events that alter AMF prevalence in wetlands could significantly alter plant community structure by directly affecting seedling growth and development.

Effects of triclosan on seed germination and seedling development of three wetland plants: Sesbania herbacea, Eclipta prostrata, and Bidens frondosa.[Pubmed: 19653736]

Three wetland macrophytes, Sesbania herbacea, Bidens frondosa, and Eclipta prostrata, were exposed (0.4-1,000-ppb nominal concentrations) to the antimicrobial triclosan for 28 d in a flow-through system. Sesbania herbacea had decreased seed germination at the 100-ppb exposure level at days 7, 14, and 21, and B. frondosa germination was reduced at the 1,000-ppb exposure level at day 7. Eclipta prostrata germination was unaffected. Seedling effects monitored were total fresh weight, shoot and root fresh weights, root length, and root surface area. Root metrics were most affected by exposure. Total root length was diminished at all exposure levels in S. herbacea and B. frondosa and at the 10-ppb and higher concentrations for E. prostrata. Root surface area decreased at all exposure levels in B. frondosa and at the 10-ppb level and above in S. herbacea and E. prostrata. Root and shoot bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were estimated for S. herbacea and B. frondosa. While BCFs were low in shoots of both species and roots of S. herbacea (<10), they were elevated in B. frondosa roots (53-101). Methyl-triclosan was formed in the system and accumulated in shoot and root tissues of S. herbacea to concentrations that exceeded those of the parent compound. However, methyl-triclosan was nontoxic in an Arabidopsis thaliana enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (the putative enzymatic target of triclosan) assay and did not appear to contribute to the effects of exposure. Two of the three plant species assessed exhibited reduced root systems at environmentally relevant concentrations, raising the concern that wetland plant performance could be compromised in constructed wetlands receiving wastewater treatment plant discharges.

[Effects of tillage method and herbicide on cornfield weed community].[Pubmed: 16422507]

By the method of community ecology, this paper surveyed the weed community in a cornfield at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, CAS, and studied the effects of tillage method and herbicide on the weed composition, species diversity, and biomass at the experimental site. The results showed that the dominant weed species in the cornfield were Eriochloa villosa, Abutilon theophrasti, Bidens frondosa and Commelina communis, of which, Eriochloa villosa had the highest important value. In non-tillage field without herbicide application, the weed community had larger biomass, higher richness (S) and concentration (C), but lower species diversity (D) and species evenness (J). Herbicide could decrease weed species and inhibit biomass growth significantly in non-tillage field. It was clear that tillage method and herbicide could affect the weed composition, diversity and stability significantly.