Mangroves, unique tree and shrub species inhabiting coastal saline environments, exhibit distinctive ecological and morpho-physiological traits, including forming pure intertidal stands and possessing specialized mechanisms for salt excretion and aerial root respiration. These species produce valuable antioxidants, such as phenols and tannins, with significant pharmacological, ecological, and toxicological implications. This study aimed to develop a highly efficient DNA extraction protocol for mangrove leaves rich in salt and tannins. The commonly used CTAB extraction protocol and a commercial DNA extraction kit were modified to enhance DNA purity and yield. The antioxidant capacity of the samples was assessed using various protocols. The results demonstrated that the modified commercial kit outperformed other methods in extracting DNA from mangrove leaves, effectively overcoming challenges associated with high salt and phenolic compounds that could impede next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Furthermore, the findings revealed an inverse relationship between tannin concentration and DNA extraction yield. This study offers a valuable resource for DNA extraction protocols from tannin-rich plant materials. In conclusion, the modified commercial kit represents the most efficient and effective approach for extracting DNA from tannin-rich mangrove leaves.

Lepidopterism caused by caterpillar contact is considered a public health problem around the world. The local and systemic responses of this pathology include short- and long-term inflammatory events. Although the proteolytic activity of the venoms from caterpillars is strongly associated with an inflammatory response in humans and murine models, fast and acute symptoms such as a burning sensation, itching, and pain should be related to the presence of low-weight hydrophilic molecules which easily influence cell metabolism. This investigation reports on the ¹H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) profiling of the venom from the larva of Hylesia continua, a caterpillar linked to frequent cases of lepidopterism in the northern highlands of Puebla, Mexico. According to one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) NMR data, the venom of H. continua contained 19 compounds with proven pain-inducing activity (i.e., acetic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, succinic acid, 2-hydroxyglutaric acid, ethanol, and glutamate), inflammatory activity (i.e., cadaverine, putrescine, and acetoin), as well as natural immunosuppressive activity (i.e., O-phosphocholine and urocanic acid). The levels of the 19 compounds were calculated using quantitative-NMR (qNMR) and extensively discussed on the basis of their toxic properties which partially explain typical symptoms of lepidopterism caused by the larvae of H. continua. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation reporting a complex mixture of small molecules with inflammatory properties dissolved in the venom of a lepidopteran larva.