PROCESSING OF BITTER ALMOND KERNELS AND OBTAINING EXTRACTS BASED ON THEM

Mountain almond kernels (seed) processing products are of practical interest as fungicidal, antimicrobial and antiviral substances, and also find application in medicine and cosmetics for various purposes. The composition and some technological properties of seeds of mountain almond seed (Amygdalus communis L. varietas amara DC.). Cultivated in the mountain zones (Bostanlyq) of Uzbekistan were studied. To obtain seeds from cold pressing, fatty oil was separated. The cake was degreased with organic solvents, the residues were dried and ground. Using gas-liquid chromatography, the presence of 3.24% amygdalin in the composition of crushed powder of bitter almonds was established. Spectral analysis of bitter almond powder showed the presence of Mg, P, Ca, K, Si, Sr, Fe, Mn, B, Cu and other elements. The nitrogen content of the powder determined by the Dume method was 5.72 (±0.2)%. Aqueous and ethanol extracts were obtained from bitter almond powder with a yield of 10.5 and 13.2%. Chromatographic analysis of the composition of the extracts showed the presence of 0.0029% amygdalin in aqueous and 27.2% in ethanol extracts. Protein with a yield of 35.25±0.2% was isolated from the studied powder of bitter almonds. The protein is purified by dialysis, centrifugation and identified by IR spectroscopy. The amino acid analysis of the composition of the hydrolyzate protein of bitter almonds showed the presence of glycine, aspartic acid, arginine, glutamine, alanine and other amino acids. Bitter almond seed powder, extracts and protein isolated from it are of practical interest for cosmetology practice.

Interaction of gibberellin and other hormones in almond anthers: phenotypic and physiological changes and transcriptomic reprogramming

Low temperature causes anther dysfunction, severe pollen sterility and, ultimately, major yield losses in crop plants. Previous studies have shown that the gibberellic acid (GA) metabolic pathway plays an important role in this process by regulating tapetum function and pollen development. However, the interaction mechanism of GA with other hormones mediating anther development is still unclear. Herein, we collected and analyzed almond (Amygdalus communis L.) anthers at the meiosis, tetrad, 1-nucleus, and mature 2-nucleus stages. The growth rate per 1000 anthers exhibited a significant positive correlation with the total bioactive GA compound content, and the levels of all bioactive GA compounds were highest in the 1-nucleus pollen stage. GA3 treatment experiments indicated that exogenous GA3 increased the levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), trans-zeatin (tZ), and jasmonic acid (JA) and decreased the levels of salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA); moreover, GA3 improved pollen viability and quantities under cold conditions, whereas PP333 (paclobutrazol, an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis) was antagonistic with GA3 in controlling anther development. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR results showed that GA played an important role in anther development by regulating the expression of other phytohormone pathway genes, dehydration-responsive element-binding/C-repeat binding factor (DREB1/CBF)-mediated signaling genes, and anther development pathway genes. Our results reveal the novel finding that GA interacts with other hormones to balance anther development under normal- and low-temperature conditions in almond.

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES, ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PURITY OF OIL EXTRACT OF CHAMOMILE FLOWERS IN BITTER ALMOND OIL

The aim of the study was to obtain an oil extract with the participation of chamomile officinalis (Matrigaria Recutito) grown in the Tashkent region using bitter almond oil (Amygdalus communis L.). Its chromatographic and elemental analyzes have been carried out, its microbiological purity and physicochemical constants have been determined. For extraction, we used bitter almond oil obtained by cold pressing. Extraction of chamomile flowers in bitter almond oil was carried out by maceration in the ratio of raw material: solvent (1:10). Analysis of fatty acids in the fatty extract was carried out chromatographically. The fatty extract was found to contain 74.87% oleic acid, 16.97% linolenic acid and 7.62% of the total saturated acids. The elemental composition of the extract was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and found to contain 20 different elements. The physicochemical properties and microbiological purity of the obtained oil extract were studied

The Important Herbal Pair for the Treatment of COVID-19 and Its Possible Mechanisms

Background: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an unprecedented disaster for people around the world. Many studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicines(TCM) are indeed effective in treating COVID-19. However, it is a hard work to find the most effective combination laws among numerous herbs as well as its potential mechanisms. The purpose of this article is to explore the combination laws of traditional Chinses medicine(TCM) prescriptions and pick out the most important herbal pair for treating COVID-19 and analyze the active components and potential mechanisms. Methods: We first systematically sorted out the TCM prescriptions recommended by leading experts for treating COVID-19 and the specific herbs they contained in different stages of disease. Next, the association rule approach was employed to examine the distribution and combination laws among these TCM prescription, and then picked out the most important herbal pair. On this basis, we further investigated the active ingredients and potential targets in the selected herbal pair by a network pharmacology approach. Result: We obtained 32 association rules for herb combinations in the process of TCM treatment for COVID-19. It was found that the combination of Amygdalus Communis Vas(ACV) and Ephedra sinica Stapf (ESS) had the highest confidence degree and lift value as well as high support degree, which can be used in almost all stages of COVID-19, so ACV and ESS (AE) was selected as the most important herbal pair. There were 26 active ingredients and 44 potential targets, which may be relate to the herbal pair of AE against COVID-19. The main active ingredients of AE against COVID-19 are quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and the potential important targets are Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase 1 (MAPK)1, MAPK8, Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) p65 subunit (RELA) and so on. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) cluster demonstrated that IL-6 was the seed in the cluster, which plays an important role in connecting other nodes in the PPI network. The significant pathways mainly involved in tumor necrosis factor (TNF), Toll-like receptor (TLR), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor(NLRs). Conclusion: Amygdalus Communis Vas and Ephedra sinica Stapf was the most important herbal pair in the treatment of COVID-19. The main active ingredients of AE against COVID-19 were quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and the important targets were IL-6，MAPK1, MAPK8, IL-1β, RELA and so on. AE may have therapeutic effects against COVID-19 by affecting the pathological processes such as inflammatory and immune responses, cell apoptosis, hypoxia damage and other pathological processes through multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways.

Draft genome of Rosenbergiella nectarea strain 8N4T provides insights into the potential role of this species in its plant host

Background Rosenbergiella nectarea strain 8N4T, the type species of the genus Rosenbergiella, was isolated from Amygdalus communis (almond) floral nectar. Other strains of this species were isolated from the floral nectar of Citrus paradisi (grapefruit), Nicotiana glauca (tobacco tree) and from Asphodelus aestivus. R. nectarea strain 8N4T is a Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium in the family Enterobacteriaceae. Results Here we describe features of this organism, together with its genome sequence and annotation. The DNA GC content is 47.38%, the assembly size is 3,294,717 bp, and the total number of genes are 3,346. The genome discloses the possible role that this species may play in the plant. The genome contains both virulence genes, like pectin lyase and hemolysin, that may harm plant cells and genes that are predicted to produce volatile compounds that may impact the visitation rates by nectar consumers, such as pollinators and nectar thieves. Conclusions The genome of R. nectarea strain 8N4T reveals a mutualistic interaction with the plant host and a possible effect on plant pollination and fitness.

Ризики культивування субтропічних плодових культур у лісостеповій зоні України

На прикладі Полтавської обл., природно-кліматичні умови якої є типовими для фізико-географічної зони Лісостепу України, показано, що в окремі роки в зимовий період сукупна дія низьких від’ємних температур повітря та вітру може бути критичною з огляду на морозостійкість інтродукованих видів Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, Punica granatum L., Zizyphus jujuba Mill., Ficus carica L., Amygdalus communis L., Diospyros virginiana L.

Формування інтродукційних популяцій субтропічних плодових культур у Хорольському ботанічному саду

Зазначено, що формування інтродукційних популяцій Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, Punica granatum L., Zizyphus jujuba Mill., Ficus carica L., Amygdalus communis L., Diospyros virginiana L. у лісостеповій зоні України дає змогу створити біотичні системи субтропічних плодових культур, які характеризуються певною екологічною й генетичною структурою цих видів, де реалізуються гібридизаційні процеси.