Background The genus Zingiber of the Zingiberaceae is distributed in tropical, subtropical, and in Far East Asia. This genus contains about 100-150 species, with many species valued as important agricultural, medicinal and horticultural resources. However, genomic resources and suitable molecular markers for species identification are currently sparse. Results We conducted comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses on Zingiber species. The Zingiber chloroplast genome (size range 162,507-163,711 bp) possess typical quadripartite structures that consist of a large single copy (LSC, 86,986-88,200 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 15,498-15,891 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 29,765-29,934 bp). The genomes contain 113 unique genes, including 79 protein coding genes, 30 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes. The genome structures, gene contents, amino acid frequencies, codon usage patterns, RNA editing sites, simple sequence repeats and long repeats are conservative in the genomes of Zingiber. The analysis of sequence divergence indicates that the following genes undergo positive selection (ccsA, ndhA, ndhB, petD, psbA, psbB, psbC, rbcL, rpl12, rpl20, rpl23, rpl33, rpoC2, rps7, rps12 and ycf3). Eight highly variable regions are identified including seven intergenic regions (petA-pabJ, rbcL-accD, rpl32-trnL-UAG, rps16-trnQ-UUG, trnC-GCA-psbM, psbC-trnS-UGA and ndhF-rpl32) and one genic regions (ycf1). The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sect. Zingiber was sister to sect. Cryptanthium rather than sect. Pleuranthesis. Conclusions This study reports 14 complete chloroplast genomes of Zingiber species. Overall, this study provided a solid backbone phylogeny of Zingiber. The polymorphisms we have uncovered in the sequencing of the genome offer a rare possibility (for Zingiber) of the generation of DNA markers. These results provide a foundation for future studies that seek to understand the molecular evolutionary dynamics or individual population variation in the genus Zingiber.

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Antibiotic resistance is one of the critical issues, describing a significant social health complication globally. Hence, the discovery of novel antibiotics has acquired an increased attention particularly against drug-resistant pathogens. Natural products have served as potent therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria since the glorious age of antibiotics of the mid 20th century. This review outlines the various mechanistic candidates for dealing with multi-drug resistant pathogens and explores the terrestrial phytochemicals isolated from plants, lichens, insects, animals, fungi, bacteria, mushrooms, and minerals with reported antimicrobial activity, either alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. Moreover, newly established tools are presented, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, bacteriophages, nanoparticles, and bacteriocins, supporting the progress of effective antibiotics to address the emergence of antibiotic-resistant infectious bacteria. Therefore, the current article may uncover promising drug candidates that can be used in drug discovery in the future.

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The use of synthetic insecticides has been a solution to reduce mosquito-borne disease transmission for decades. Currently, no single intervention is sufficient to reduce the global disease burden caused by mosquitoes. Problems associated with extensive usage of synthetic compounds have increased substantially which makes mosquito-borne disease elimination and prevention more difficult over the years. Thus, it is crucial that much safer and effective mosquito control strategies are developed. Natural compounds from plants have been efficiently used to fight insect pests for a long time. Plant-based bioinsecticides are now considered a much safer and less toxic alternative to synthetic compounds. Here, we discuss candidate plant-based compounds that show larvicidal, adulticidal, and repellent properties. Our discussion also includes their mode of action and potential impact in mosquito disease transmission and circumvention of resistance. This review improves our knowledge on plant-based bioinsecticides and the potential for the development of state-of-the-art mosquito control strategies.

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A comprehensive compilation is provided of the medicinal plants of the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (formerly Burma). This contribution, containing 123 families, 367 genera, and 472 species, was compiled from earlier treatments, monographs, books, and pamphlets, with some medicinal uses and preparations translated from Burmese to English. The entry for each species includes the Latin binomial, author(s), common Myanmar and English names, range, medicinal uses and preparations, and additional notes. Of the 472 species, 63 or 13% of them have been assessed for conservation status and are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN 2017). Two species are listed as Extinct in the Wild, four as Threatened (two Endangered, two Vulnerable), two as Near Threatened, 48 Least Concerned, and seven Data Deficient. Botanic gardens worldwide hold 444 species (94%) within their living collections, while 28 species (6%) are not found any botanic garden. Preserving the traditional knowledge of Myanmar healers contributes to Target 13 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.

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Plants of the genus Zingiber (Family Zingiberaceae) are widely used throughout the world as food and medicinal plants. They represent very popular herbal remedies in various traditional healing systems; in particular, rhizome of Zingiber spp. plants has a long history of ethnobotanical uses because of a plethora of curative properties. Antimicrobial activity of rhizome essential oil has been extensively confirmed in vitro and attributed to its chemical components, mainly consisting of monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene and β-sesquiphellandrene. In addition, gingerols have been identified as the major active components in the fresh rhizome, whereas shogaols, dehydrated gingerol derivatives, are the predominant pungent constituents in dried rhizome. Zingiber spp. may thus represent a promising and innovative source of natural alternatives to chemical food preservatives. This approach would meet the increasing concern of consumers aware of the potential health risks associated with the conventional antimicrobial agents in food. This narrative review aims at providing a literature overview on Zingiber spp. plants, their cultivation, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents and biological activities.

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