Ayşe Baldemir

Synthesis and characterization of green tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) extract and its major components-based nanoflowers: a new strategy to enhance antimicrobial activity

In this study, for the first time, a novel organic–inorganic nanobio-antimicrobial agent called “nanoflowers” (Nfs) from Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze extracts and its main components were produced and the increase in the antimicrobial activity of the Nfs was elucidated. While the green tea (GT) extract (obtained in ethanol and water) and its main components (caffeine, catechin) were involved as organic components in the formation of the Nfs, copper(II) ions (Cu2+) were the inorganic component. The structures of the Nfs were examined with several techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The structural examination demonstrated that the presence of Cu–O and Cu–N bonds in Nfs can be an indication of the Nfs formation. Antimicrobial activities of the free GT extracts, caffeine (cf), catechin (ct) and their Nfs were systematically studied against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) with broth microdilution and short time-kill assay. The peroxidase-mimicking activity depending on a Fenton-like reaction mechanism of the Nfs was measured against guaiacol in the presence of H2O2. In addition, total phenol contents of free GT extracts and their Nfs were calculated by Folin Ciocalteu method. Our results demonstrated that plant extract based Nfs technology is promising and may find potential applications in various scientific and technical fields.

First microsatellite markers for Scaligeria lazica Boiss. (Apiaceae) by next-generation sequencing: population structure and genetic diversity analysis

ABSTRACT The Apiaceae family includes a few agronomic and medicinal species, one of which is Scaligeria lazica Boiss. In this study, the genetic diversity of S. lazica was analyzed based on novel simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A total of 15.17G clean Illumina data set was obtained and dinucleotide repeats were the most abundant repeats in S. lazica. Of the tested 150 SSR primer pairs, 139 ones produced amplification and 84 ones were polymorphic. Forty polymorphic SSR loci were used in genetic diversity analysis of 40 S. lazica accessions from four locations. A total of 264 alleles were amplified with an average of 6.6 alleles per locus. The polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.60, while the observed homozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) values were 0.47 and 0.66, respectively. According to cluster and structure analysis, all accessions were grouped into four different clusters according to their collection sites. The SSR markers developed in this study can be tested for other Scaligeria species due to their high transferability and can be used for genetic studies in genus Scaligeria DC.

Essential Oil Composition of Scaligeria napiformis Native to Turkey

Apiaceae is one of the greatest and agriculturally important families of the angiosperms [1]. The species of this family are rich sources of essential oils. They may contain essential oils originating in any organ including fruits, leaves, roots, or whole plant [2]. At the present time, essential oils or their constituents are becoming increasingly popular complementary medicines and natural therapeutics, and are used in the food conservation and flavouring industry because of their antioxidant and antimicrobial agents [3]. A literature survey has shown that there are some reports on various activities and chemical composition of the essential oils of different Scaligeria species belonging to the Apiaceae family [3–7]. The present study of S. napiformis Grande was carried out to determine its volatile oil composition for the first time. The genus Scaligeria DC. is represented in Turkey by seven species, of which two are endemic. In the Aegean and Antalya Regions of Turkey, S. napiformis is known as “turpanasonu.” It is called “kaplumbagaboncugu, kazayak, and peynircicegi” in Mugla Province. It has four different taxonomic synonyms: Bunium creticum Miller, B. napiforme Willd. Ex Sprengel, B. creticum d Urv., and S. cretica (d Urv.) Vis. (Davis) [8–10]. The aerial parts of S. napiformis were collected in July 2013 from Mugla (Koycegiz) and Antalya (Akseki). Voucher specimens are kept at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University in Kayseri, Turkey. In this study, the aerial parts of S. napiformis were hydrodistilled for 3 h using a Clevenger apparatus to obtain the essential oil [11]. The GC-MS analysis was carried out on an Agilent 5975 GC-MSD system. Innowax FSC column (60 m 0.25 mm, 0.25 m film thickness) was used with helium as carrier gas (0.8 mL/min). The GC oven temperature was kept at 60 C for 10 min and programmed to 220 C at a rate of 4 C/min, and kept constant at 220 C for 10 min and then programmed to 240 C at a rate of 1 C/min. The split ratio was adjusted at 40:1. The injector temperature was set at 250 C. Mass spectra were recorded at 70 eV. Mass range was from m/z 35 to 450. The GC analysis was carried out using an Agilent 6890N GC system. The FID detector temperature was 300 C. To obtain the same elution order with GC-MS, simultaneous auto-injection was done on a duplicate of the same column applying the same operational conditions. The relative percentage amounts of the separated compounds were calculated from the FID chromatograms. Identification of the essential oil components was carried out by comparison of their relative retention times with those of authentic samples or by comparison of their relative retention index (RRI) with a series of n-alkanes. Computer matching against commercial (Wiley GC/MS Library, MassFinder 3 Library) [12, 13] and in-house “Baser Library of Essential Oil Constituents” built up by genuine compounds and components of known oils, as well as MS literature data [14, 15], was used for the identification. The analysis results are given in Table 1. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation of aerial parts of S. napiformis collected from locality A and B yielded 0.1%. These components are (E)-farnesene (A – 22.2%, B – 7.4%), germacrene D (A – 19.7%, B – 32.7%), spathulenol (A – 2%, B – 10.6%), -zingiberene (A – 5%), ar-curcumene (A – 4.8%), eudesma-4(15),7-dien-4 -ol (A – 4.5%, B – 3.3%), salvial-4(14)-en-1-one (A – 2.2%, B – 3.3%), -bisabolene (A – 3.3%), and -sesquiphellandrene (A – 3.3%).

Pollen morphology of Scaligeria DC. (Apiaceae) in Turkey

In this study, the pollen morphology of all Scaligeria DC. species distributed in Turkey were studied with light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time. The aim is to contribute to knowledge of the variation among seven Scaligeria species, which have taxonomic problems, based on pollen morphological characteristics by population analysis. The pollen is radially symmetrical, isopolar, and tricolporate in all examined species. Pollen grains are prolate and subprolate with the polar axes ranging from 18.4 to 37 μm and the equatorial axes from 9.8 to 30 μm. Their polar shapes are triangular, triangular to subcircular, circular to subcircular, or triangular to subtriangular. Several types of exine ornamentations have been observed on pollen by scanning electron microscopy. Numerical analysis showed that pore structure, the ratio of P/E, and ornamentation in the polar and equatorial views are most valuable variables for separating the Scaligeria species. All S. lazica taxa were grouped together and S. capillifolia and S. tripartita were the external taxa due to cluster and PCA analysis.

Momordica charantia L. (Kudret narı) meyvelerinin toplam fenolik madde içerikleri ve antioksidan kapasitelerinin değerlendirilmesi

Bu calismada, Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) bitkisinin ulkemizin farkli yerlerinden toplanmis 13 farkli genotipine ait ham ve olgun meyveler kullanilmistir. Genotipler, saflastirmak icin iki yil sureyle arazide kendileme calismalarina devam edilerek F3 kademesine getirilmistir. Farkli genotiplerin ham ve olgun meyvelerinin pulp kisimlari ayrilarak, bu kisimlardan Sokslet ekstraksiyonu ile %70’lik metanol ekstreleri hazirlanmistir. Ekstrelerin 2,2-difenil-1-pikrihidrazil (DPPH • ) radikali supurucu etkileri ve toplam fenolik madde icerikleri tespit edilmistir. Sonucta M. charantia meyveleri icin 3, 8 ve 9 nolu genotiplerin umitvar olduklari tespit edilmistir.

Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activities of Helianthemum canum l. baumg. from Turkey

In the current study, antioxidant, antibacterial activities, and the phenolic compositions of extracts from Helianthemum canum L. Baumg. (Apiaceae) aerial parts were investigated for the first time. The H. canum was extracted with 70% methanol (HCMeOH) and water (HCW). Both extracts were determined by total phenolic contents (3 mg/ml), flavonoids (1.5 mg/ml), flavonols (1.5 mg/ml), qualitative–quantitative compositions, iron (II) chelation activities (0.1 – 5 mg/ml), free radical scavenging activities (DPPH•: 0.01 – 0.6 mg/ml and ABTS+•: 0.125 – 0.5 mg/ml) and the effect upon inhibition of β‐carotene/linoleic acid co‐oxidation (1 mg/ml). The peroxidation level was also determined using the thiobarbituric acid method (0.01 – 1.5 mg/ml). The results of the activity tests given as IC50 values were estimated from non‐linear algorithm and compared with standards. Antibacterial activities of extracts and standards were evaluated against Gram‐negative and ‐positive ten standard strains using disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The MIC results (312.5 – 2500 μg/ml) against tested microorganisms varied from 625 to 2500 μg/ml. In HPLC analysis, 3,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid was found as the main substance in both extracts. These results showed that HCMeOH was richer in phenolic compounds (284.13 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g extract) from HCW (244.55 ± 0.35 mg GAE/g extract). In conclusion, H. canum extracts showed in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Gilaburu (Viburnum opulus L.) fruit extract alleviates testis and sperm damages induced by taxane-based chemotherapeutics

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the possible protective effects of gilaburu (Viburnum opulus L., Glb) fruit extract on testis and sperm damages induced by docetaxel (DTX) and paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapeutics in rats. Sixty adult male Wistar albino rats were divided into 6 equal groups, 10 animals each. The groups were created as control (weekly i.p. saline injection), Glb (weekly i.p. saline injection and daily oral 100mg/kg Glb), DTX (weekly i.p. injection of 5mg/kg DTX), PTX (weekly i.p. injection of 4mg/kg PTX), DTX+Glb (weekly i.p. injection of 5mg/kg DTX and daily oral 100mg/kg Glb) and PTX+Glb (weekly i.p. injection of 4mg/kg PTX and daily oral 100mg/kg Glb). Following 10-week chronic application, spermatological, biochemical, histopathological, cytopathological and immunohistochemical examinations were performed. DTX and PTX caused significant decreases in absolute and relative weights of all reproductive organs, testosterone level, sperm motility, concentration, Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic immunopositive cell scores of testes and spermatozoa as well as catalase activity in epididymal tissue, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities of testicular and epididymal tissues when compared with the control group. Both drugs also significantly increased abnormal sperm rate, testicular and epididymal malondialdehyde level, Bax pro-apoptotic immunopositive cell scores of testes and spermatozoa, and caused remarkable testicular histological and cytological damages. However, Glb consumption mitigated the PTX-induced decreases in absolute weights of epididimis, seminal vesicles, ventral prostate and both taxanes-induced disturbances in sperm characteristics, imbalances in oxidant/antioxidant system, increments in germ cell apoptosis and testicular histo-and cyto-pathological damages. It was concluded that long-term Glb consumption alleviates the taxanes-induced damages in reproductive system of male rats.

Antioxidant Capacity and Metal Content of Physalis Peruviana L. Fruit Sold in Markets

1 Ayşe Eken1, Burcu Ünlü-Endirlik1, Ayşe Baldemir2, Selen İlgün2, Buğra Soykut3, Onur Erdem3, Cemal Akay3 1Erciyes University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Kayseri, 2Erciyes University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Botanic, Kayseri, 3Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Ankara, Turkey Antioksidan Aktivite ve Metal İçerik / Antioxidant Activity and Metal Content Antioxidant Capacity and Metal Content of Physalis peruviana L. Fruit Sold in Markets