Anethum graveolens L. (dill seeds) are important medicinal and functional foods in Europe and central and south Asia, often used as a seasoning in daily diets. Anethum graveolens L. seeds (AGS) are used to treat indigestion and have shown physiological activities such as those against hypoglycemia and gastroesophageal disease. This study explored the protective effects of AGS extract on mucosal damages and inflammation in reflux esophagitis rats. AGS inhibited cellular inflammation including NO production and the expression of inflammatory proteins (iNOS and COX2 etc.), cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and nuclear transfer factor related to NF-κB signaling caused by LPS stimulation in vitro. Furthermore, reflux esophagitis-induced rats were used to observe the anti-inflammatory effect of AGS. Tissue staining and inflammation-related protein expression of rats with acute reflux esophagitis indicated that AGS improved this inflammatory response, such as COX-2 and TNF-α in mucosa. In conclusion, AGS have good physiological activity and the possibility of being used as a medicinal food and a functional resource for the prevention and therapy of gastroesophageal diseases.

Continuous cropping of tobacco can lead to the occurrence of deterioration of soil microbial ecosystems, exacerbation of viral pests, and reduction of qual

To explore the effects of crop rotation and continuous cropping on the microbial community in tobacco-planting soil at different stages and to clarify whether continuous cropping-induced microbial community imbalance can be alleviated by precise fertilization, providing a basis for improving tobacco yields and mitigating diseases. An experiment was set up in Wangqing County, Jilin Province, with two treatments: 1-year maize-tobacco rotation (R) and 2-year tobacco continuous cropping (C). Soil samples were collected at the cluster, peak, and maturity stages. Soil nutrients were measured and high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the rhizosphere microbial community structure. Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were dominant in the cluster stage. Continuous-cropping soil had a higher C. viruginosa abundance, and its microbial community was mainly driven by pH, whereas crop-rotation soil was affected by nutrients. During the peak period, the rotation soil had a higher abundance of actinomycetes and fibrinobacteria. At maturity, the rotation soil had higher actinomycetes and floatycomycetes abundances. Crop rotation increased Acidobacteria and decreased Bacteroidetes. Continuous cropping and crop rotation significantly affected the soil microbial community structure in tobaccoplanting rhizosphere soils. The differences in the distribution of different bacteria reflect their adaptability to soil nutrients and pH, providing a scientific basis for optimizing tobacco planting patterns.