Background : Ginseng root rot is a devastating disease caused by the fungus, Ilyonectria mors-panacis that generally attacks younger roots (-2 years), leading to defects in root quality, ginsenoside accumulation and also life cycle of the plant. Hence, there is an indispensable need to develop strategies resulting in tolerance against ginseng root rot. The protective role of silicon during pathogen infestation is well documented in other plant systems and a previous study demonstrated that silica nanoparticles are absorbed and accumulated more than the bulk silica in maize. However, the role of silica in ginseng-root rot pathosystem is unknown. Methods and Results : In the present study, we evaluated the effect of silica nanoparticles (N-SiO2) in Panax ginseng during I. mors-panacis infection. Long term analysis (30 dpi) revealed a striking 50% reduction in disease severity index upon 1 mM and 2 mM treatment of N-SiO2. However, N-SiO2 did not have any direct antifungal activity against I. mors-panacis. Candidate genes and metabolites based approach revealed jasmonic acid (JA) mediated sterol accumulation and incresed ginsenside biosyntesis as the key transcriptional reprogramming events orchestrated by N-SiO2 during the fungal infection. Conclusion : In a nut shell, N-SiO2 administration induces transcriptional reprogramming in ginseng roots, leading to increased phytosterol and ginsenosides synthesis resulting in enhanced tolerance against I. mors-panacis.

Background : Anemarrhena asphodeloides has efficacy such as anti-fungal, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, Anti-UV etc. Metal nanoparticles are used for photo imaging, cancer resection and drug delivery etc in medical field. Therefore A. asphodeloides nanoparticles will be expected better efficacy for therapeutic properties in medical field. Methods and Results : The water extract of A. asphodeloides mediated the synthesis of Aa-AgNPs and Aa-AuNPs. Their characterized by several physicochemical techniques such as UV-Vis spectrophotometry, FE-TEM, EDX spectroscopy, SAED pattern, DLS size analysis, XRD analysis, and FTIR analysis. Both Aa-Ag/AuNPs were evaluated for cytotoxicity towards 3T3-L1, A549, HT29 and MCF7. Aa-AgNPs and Aa-Au NPs were found to be spherical, face-centered cubic nanocrystals with hydrodynamic diameter of 190 and 258 ㎚. In vitro cytotoxic analysis revealed that up to 50 ㎍/㎖-1 concentration Aa-Au NPs did not exhibit any toxicity on 3T3-L1, HT29 and MCF7 cell lines, while being specifically cytotoxic to A549 cell line. On the contrary, Aa-Ag NPs displayed a significantly higher toxicity in all cell lines specially MCF7 cell line. ROS generation was not affected by Aa-Au NPs, but Aa-AgNPs has a higher potential to induce oxidative stress in A549 cells than HT29 and MCF7 cells. Aa-Au NPs have the potential for anticancer agent during lung cancer treatment. Aa-AgNPs is also exhibited to inhibit cell migration by induce oxidatie stress. Conclusion : The Aa-Au/AgNPs might have the anticancer potential and might be effective in the lung cancer therapy, however further evaluation is must needed.