Unlocking nature's potential: Chemical and Genetic diversity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from specific origins and their potent Anthelmintic activity
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Abstract
Unlocking nature's potential: Chemical and genetic diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants from specific origins and their potent anthelmintic activity
Parasitic helminths, particularly gastrointestinal (GI) roundworms, are a substantial threat to livestock worldwide. In the poultry industry, Ascaridia galli is a prevalent nematode responsible for ascariasis, leading to animal welfare and economic losses. Conventional control strategies rely on synthetic anthelmintic (AH) compounds, yet the emergence of drug resistance has significantly compromised their long-term efficacy. In this context, the HERBAL Euregio Project was initiated to identify novel plant-derived substances with AH activity and to evaluate the genetic and chemical profiles of ethnoveterinary plants for potential application in sustainable animal health solutions.
As part of the HERBAL project, an ethnoveterinary selection of ten medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) species from the Italian Alps was made, based on their historical use and known bioactivity. In vitro assays targeting the embryonic development (ED) of A. galli eggs revealed that Cicerbita alpina and Tanacetum vulgare exhibited superior inhibitory activity compared to other candidates. These findings directed the project's focus towards a deeper phytochemical and genetic exploration of these species to identify key specialized metabolites (SMs) associated with enhanced AH activity and genetic markers to assess their variability.
Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs), well-documented for their bitterness and bioactivity, emerged as key candidates due to their known AH efficacy, particularly in synergy with other phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid derivatives and flavonoids. For this purpose, a targeted analytical method was developed using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) employing Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) to qualitatively and quantitatively identify these metabolites in the selected plant species. Parallel to this, genetic analysis was undertaken using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers, transferred from related species, to assess the genetic diversity across germplasm collections.
While initial tests demonstrated only moderate in vitro AH activity for Origanum vulgare subsp. vulgare, originating from North Italy, the scientific literature suggested that the genus Origanum displays extensive chemotypic and genotypic diversity, with certain taxa and subspecies, particularly O. vulgare subsp. hirtum (Greek oregano), reported to be rich in thymol and carvacrol, compounds known for their antimicrobial and AH effects. Based on this, a hypothesis was formed that O. vulgare subsp. hirtum may possess stronger AH properties than its more extensively studied counterparts.
To test this hypothesis, sixteen accessions of O. vulgare subsp. hirtum collected from across mainland Greece, along with four clones and one wild population from Turkey, were subjected to phytochemical profiling and in vitro bioassays against A. galli. The results were evaluated concerning their chemical composition and genetic background to identify individuals or populations enriched in bioactive SMs.
The methodological framework of the present study was designed to capture genetic and chemical variability within and between the species under investigation. Representative plant individuals were selected from germplasm collections originating from diverse locations of Trentino and South Tyrol (Italy), as well as Greece. Various extraction techniques were optimized to maximize yield and preserve the activity of key SMs, with the developed LC-MS/MS method providing high-resolution quantification of STLs and phenolic acids.
The genetic characterization revealed significant intraspecific variation within the studied populations, supporting the notion that genetic background plays a vital role in determining phytochemical profiles and, consequently, bioactivity. This insight holds particular relevance for breeding and domestication programs, which could utilize molecular markers identified in this study to select for high-yielding, chemically rich genotypes with potent AH properties.
In conclusion, the study advances our understanding of the genetic and chemical determinants in selected MAPs with potent AH activity and supports the development of novel, plant-based interventions for the control of parasitic infections in poultry. These findings also underscore the importance of biodiversity conservation and germplasm evaluation in identifying underutilized botanical resources with high pharmaceutical value. Future research should aim to validate the in vitro findings through in vivo trials and explore the mechanisms of action for key bioactive compounds to inform formulation and dosage strategies for practical applications in livestock health management.
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Issued: 2025-11-04
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FB16:Pharmazie
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en
Keywords
Aromatic and Medicinal PlantsMetabolomicsPopulations GeneticsAnthelminticNatural ProductsPopulation GeneticsSSRsCicerbita alpinaTanacetum vulgareOriganum
DFG-subjects
202-05 Biochemie und Biophysik der Pflanzen202-07 Genetik der Pflanzen205-09 Pharmakologie
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Martinidou, Eftychia: Unlocking nature's potential: Chemical and Genetic diversity of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants from specific origins and their potent Anthelmintic activity. : 2025-11-04.
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