Effects of six levels of nitrogenous fertilizers (urea) on yield and total alkaloids content in different Organs of Physalis alkekengi were investigated. All experiments were performed at Medicinal Plants Research Station a branch of Yazd Province Research Center for Natural Resources and Animal Husbandry.Experiments were designed as a completely randomized blocks. Six levels of urea fertilizer namely, 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg/ha with three replicates were applied to the soil.Upto a certain level, there was a positive correlation between the amount of Napplied and the plants yield (leaves, stems and roots). The correlation between urea application and plants canopy and height was also positive.Whereas the highest plant yield was obtained with 150 kg urea/ha the maximum plant height was achieved with the application of 100 kg urea/ha. Any increase in the amount of N-fertilizer beyond 150 kg/ha had an adverse effect on plant yields.The total alkaloids content in leaves, fruits and roots were determined by yanevan method.Increasing the amount of urea resulted in an increase in total alkaloid content of leaves, fruits and roots.Application of urea at a rate of 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha caused the highest increase in total alkaloids. Since there was no significant difference (a= 0.01) among the means of alkaloids produced in these treatments, it was concluded that the highest alkaloids will be obtained by application of urea at a rate of 150 kg/ha.Increasing the amount of urea did not affect the rate of root expansion significantly. However, root depth decreased in response to urea application. The highest root depth was obtained in control (no urea) plants. This is in agreement that N-Fertilizers will mostly increase the amount of shoot rather than root system.

Hyoscyamus reticulatus is an important medicinal plant belonging to Solanaceae family. This herb has antispasmodic, antichlorogenic and analgesic characteristics due to tropane alkaloids such as hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Mechanical vibration is one of abiotic stresses which could affect on growth and development of plant cells. In this research, effect of high-frequency mechanical vibration were studied on some growth parameters, total phenolic and alkaloid contents and free radical scavenging activity using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in H. reticulatus calli. Mechanical vibrations were applied at 0, 50, 100 and 150 Hz for 15, 30 and 45 min on the H. reticulatus calli. Response of callus tissue was different on growth, antioxidant activity, phenolic and alkaloid content in various times, and optimum time was observed for 30 min. Mechanical vibration at 50 and 100 Hz increased significantly growth, protein, proline, phenolic and alkaloid contents, and the highest content of these parameters were observed at 50 Hz for 30 min. Carbohydrate content decreased significantly, and the lowest content was identified at 100 Hz for 45 min. Mechanical vibration also decreased lipid peroxidation, and increased radical scavenging activity with decrease of IC50 content especially especially at 50 Hz in 30 min. It seems that mechanical vibration at a proper frequency and time could be a tool for induction of growth and secondary metabolite in plant cells.

Solanaceous plant, Datura innoxia, has valuable tropane alkaloids pharmaceutical effects. In this study, seed zygotic embryos were cultured in vitro and plantlets were produced and explants with single internodes and two auxiliary buds from the produced plantlets were cultured in B5 medium with different concentrations of IAA (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 mg/L), NAA (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 mg/L) and BA (0.5, 1, 1.5 mg/L) to investigate the effects of the growth regulators on callus production, organogenesis and total alkaloid contents. Concentrations of the last two hormones were used reciprocally. Total alkaloid concentrations of calli were identified by UV spectrophotometer at 258 nm and callus total alkaloid contents and were compared with the content of plantlets. Results showed that, in the presence of both NAA and BA, explants formed callus and increase of NAA concentrations, in turn, increased callus weights and total alkaloid contents as well. IAA had no significant effect on callus and organ induction. Comparison of total alkaloid contents of calli with shoots and roots of Datura innoxia plantlets in hormone free B5 medium, showed that the alkaloid contents of calli were lower than differentiated tissues in hormone free B5 medium, but the use of NAA and BA hormones caused an increase in alkaloid contents of calli as compared with in vitro cultured organs.

Background: One of the most common visceral cancers among men in the world is prostate cancer. Screening for early detection has a positive effect on patients’ survival time. Measurement of serum level of total PSA and free PSA is abundantly used for screening and diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, no study has been done to determine the relation between serum level of total PSA and free PSA/total PSA ratio with malignancy degree on biopsy samples. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of serum level of total PSA and free PSA/total PSA ratio, with malignancy degree.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study done in Alzahra Hospital during 2012-2013. We selected 85 patients with prostate cancer whose disease was detected in the pathology ward. Serum level of total PSA and free PSA were measured, and the degree of malignancy was determined by pathology ward based on the Gleason scoring system. All data was recorded in the questionnaire and entered into the computer and analyzed by SPSS software.Findings: The results of this study showed that there is 38% correlation between Gleason score and free PSA/total PSA ratio. Based on the Pearson correlation, this relation was statistically significant (P=0.037). Moreover, there is a 37% relation between serum level of total PSA and the Gleason score; this relation was statistically significant (P<0.001).Conclusion: Prostate cancer is usually detected late and biopsy is rarely accepted by patients. Moreover, serum level of total PSA and total PSA/free PSA ratio has a relation with degree of malignancy. Therefore, serum level of PSA can help patients and physicians in early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.

The black henbane )Hyoscyamus Niger L. ) is an important medicinal plant containing alkaloids, which play a very significant role in the pharmaceutical industry. The increase in production of these secondary metabolites is often achieved using specific compounds called elicitors or stimulants. Chitosan is one of the stimulants involved in the production of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids. Based on this, a factorial experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with two factors including chitosan at four levels (150, 100, 50, 0 μM) and in three time periods (24, 48, and 72 hours) with three replications. After suspension of callus in different concentrations of chitosan at various time intervals, they were removed from the medium and examined. The studied traits included total alkaloid, total phenol, and total flavonoids, which were measured using a spectrophotometer. According to the variance analysis results, the simple and interaction effects of both the time and chitosan treatments were significant. The highest total alkaloid content was obtained in the treatment containing 100 mg/L chitosan at 48 hours. The highest phenol content was extracted at the rate of 0. 074 mg in the concentration of 100 mg of chitosan in 72 hours. The highest flavonoid content was 0. 095 mg in the treatment containing 100 mg/L chitosan at 72 hours. According to these results and previous findings of other researchers, chitosan is an effective stimulant for increasing secondary metabolites in plants.