A. H. Mericli

Constituents from the Leaves of Crataegus davisii Browicz

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Diagnostics, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria University of Food Technology, Department of Microbiology, 26 Maritza Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria University of Food Technology, Department of Essential Oils, 26 Maritza Boulevard, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Kurt Kitzing GmbH, Hinterm Alten Schloss 21, D-86757 Wallerstein, Germany SHIMADZU Germany, Department of GC and GC/MS, Albert-Hahn-Strasse 6-10, D-47269 Duisburg, Germany

Eremophilane derivatives and other constituents from Mexican Senecio species

Abstract The investigation of six Mexican Senecio species gave seven unreported furoeremophilanes, 15 related eremophilanolides and two cadinene derivatives. The structures were elucidated by high field NMR techniques.

Neue pyron-derivate aus Helichrysum-arten

Abstract The investigation of five further Helichrysum species afforded in addition to known compounds nine α-pyrone derivatives all also being phloroglucinol derivatives. Furthermore, a new toxol derivative has been isolated. The structures were elucidated by extensive NMR studies and by some chemical transformations. The chemotaxonomic situation is discussed briefly.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium bovei

Abstract Heliotropium bovei was shown to contain lasiocarpine, europine, 5′-acetyllasiocarpine and a new alkaloid 7-acetyleuropine. Lasiocarpine N -oxide and 5′-acetyllasiocarpine N -oxide are also present in this plant species. These structures were established from spectral and chemical studies including 2D NMR. Europine showed both antifungal and insect antifeedant activity, while 7-acetyleuropine was inactive.

Antithrombotic effects of ethanol extract of Crataegus orientalis in the carrageenan-induced mice tail thrombosis model.

INTRODUCTION Crataegus species (common name is Hawthorn) are medicinal plants, which have flavonoids, triterpene acids, proanthocyanidins, and organic acids as main constituents, used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. One of the main causes of multiple cardiovascular diseases is intravascular thrombosis and current agents, which are used for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis, have some side effects. Therefore, new antithrombotic and thrombolytic agents are still needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS Antithrombotic function of ethanol extract of Crataegus orientalis (COE) leaves was investigated in carrageenan-induced mice tail thrombosis model. Mice were injected with 40 μl (1%) carrageenan (Type I) dissolved in physiological saline by intraplantar administration in the right hind paw. After carrageenan injection, the extract was administered at the doses of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg. Heparin was used as a positive control (10 and 100 IU). The length of tail-thrombosis was measured at 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION 100mg/kg COE and 10IU heparin were not significant when compared to control groups at the time interval (24-72 h) that results was obtained. At 24th hour, both 200 and 300 mg/kg of COE showed a significant antithrombotic activity (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). However, 200 mg/kg COE lost its significance and there was a decrease in the significance values of 300 mg/kg COE (p<0.05) at 48 and 72 h. From these results, it was concluded that COE significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced mice tail thrombosis in vivo.

Flavonoids of Crataegus Microphylla

Crataegus microphylla C. Koch is one of the 17 species of Crataegus growing in Turkey [H.P.T. Ammon and R. Kaul (1994). Dtsch. Apoth. Ztg., 134, 2433, 2521, 2631.]. This report is part of a series on the chemical investigations of Crataegus species from Turkey. Nine flavonoids have been isolated from the leaves and flowers of C. microphylla C. Koch. The amounts of the flavonoids from the leaves and flowers of the plant were determined.

Evaluation of Turkish seaweeds for antiprotozoal, antimycobacterial and cytotoxic activities

As part of our continuing research on seaweeds, crude MeOH extracts of two green, three brown and six red algae collected from Marmara, Black, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas were screened. Four parasitic protozoa, i.e. Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani and the tubercle bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis were used as test organisms for the in vitro assays. The selective toxicity of the extracts was also determined against mammalian L6 cells. All seaweed extracts were active against T. brucei rhodesiense; the Dasya pedicellata extract was the most potent (IC50 value 0.37 µg/mL). The same extract also weakly inhibited the growth of T. cruzi (IC50 62.02 µg/mL). All seaweed extracts also showed leishmanicidal activity (IC50 values 16.76–69.98 µg/mL). The majority of the extracts also exhibited antiplasmodial potential and the most potent extracts were those from D. pedicellata (IC50 0.38 µg/mL), Codium bursa (IC50 1.38 µg/mL) and Caulerpa rasemosa (IC50 3.12 µg/mL). One brown and two red algal extracts showed some weak activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MIC values 125–256 µg/mL). Except for the extract of Dasya pedicellata, none of the extracts displayed any cytotoxicity. This is the second study investigating the antiprotozoal activities of Turkish marine algae and identifies Dasya pedicellata, an understudied algal species, as a candidate for further studies. Copyright

Diterpenoid alkaloids from Aconitum orientale

Abstract Four new diterpenoid alkaloids demethyllappaconitine; 7,11,14-trihydroxy-2,13-dioxohetisane, 6,13,15-trihydroxyhetisane and N -deethyldelphatine, were isolated from Aconitum orientale , in addition to the previously known compounds, lappaconitine, lycoctonine and browniine. The structures of the new and the known alkaloids were established from spectral data.

An alkaloid and lignans from Haplophyllum telephioides

Abstract Haplophyllum telephioides yielded a new alkaloid, 7-hydroxy-9-methoxyflindersine and a new lignan 4-acetyldiphyllin, in addition to haplomyrtin, diphyllin and vanillic acid. The structures were established from spectral data.

Effects of Crataegus microphylla on vascular dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Vascular dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether chronic in vivo treatment of Crataegus microphylla (CM) extract in diabetic rats induced with streptozotocin (STZ, intraperitoneal, 65 mg/kg) preserves vascular function and to evaluate whether the reduction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), proinflammatory cytokines, and lipid peroxidation mediates its mechanisms of action. Starting at 4 weeks of diabetes, CM extract (100 mg/kg) was administrated to diabetic rats for 4 weeks. In aortic rings, relaxation to acetylcholine and vasoreactivity to noradrenaline were impaired, whereas aortic iNOS expression and plasma tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), total nitrite–nitrate, and malondialdehite levels were increased in diabetic rats compared with controls. Chronic CM treatment significantly corrected all the above abnormalities in diabetic rats. In comparison, pretreatment of the aorta of diabetic rats with N‐[3(aminomethyl) benzyl]‐acetamidine, dihydrochloride (10–5 M), a selective inhibitor of iNOS, produced a similar recovery in vascular reactivity. These results suggest that chronic in vivo treatment of CM preserves endothelium‐dependent relaxation and vascular contraction in STZ‐induced diabetes, possibly by reducing iNOS expression in the aorta and by decreasing plasma levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6 and by preventing lipid peroxidation. Copyright