Canan Karamenderes

Antispasmodic effect of Achillea nobilis L. subsp. sipylea (O. Schwarz) Bässler on the rat isolated duodenum.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the antispasmodic effect of the total extract of Achillea nobilis L. subsp. sipylea (Schwarz) Bässler (Asteraceae) on rat duodenum. In the first part of experiments, cumulative dose-response curves for acetylcholine (Ach) were obtained and then dose-response curves are repeated after addition of atropine, papaverine and different doses of the extract. In the second part, cumulative dose-response curves to CaCl(2) were obtained in the absence and presence of verapamil and different doses of the extract. In the third part, papaverine and extract were applied to the tissues after contraction with K(+). The extract has exhibited an inhibitory effect on the dose-response curves induced by Ach and CaCl(2) on rat duodenum and significantly reduced the maximal response in a concentration-dependent manner. A similar effect was observed with papaverine but not with atropine on the dose-response curves obtained by ACh. Verapamil also reduced the maximal response in curves induced by CaCl(2). The present results demonstrate that total extract of A. nobilis subsp. sipylea exerts antispasmodic activity on rat duodenum.

Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra. extract exhibits antinociceptive activity in the mouse.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the antinociceptive activity of Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra. extract. The lyophilized extract was administered to male Swiss mice. Formalin paw test and tail flick tests were used for the evaluation of the antinociceptive activity. Plant extract (10, 25, 50 and 60 mg kg(-1), i.p.) (n = 16-24 for each group) or vehicle (n = 27) was administered 30 min before the subplantar formalin injection. In the tail flick test, mice were examined for latency to withdraw their tails from a noxious thermal stimulus using a tail flick meter (n = 8 for each group). The effects of the extract on sensorimotor performance was also assessed (n = 16-24 for each group). The extract caused a significant dose-related inhibition of the first phase (50, 60 mg kg(-1), i.p.) and second phase (10, 25, 50 and 60 mg kg(-1), i.p.) of formalin induced hindpaw licking. Additionally, the extract administration (50, 60 mg kg(-1), i.p.) increased the tail flick latencies. No significant change was observed in any of the treatment groups in the sensorimotor performance test. The observed antinociceptive activity of the extract may be due to its noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake blocking activity. Moreover, the probable antiinflammatory activity of the extract may play a role in the dose-related inhibition of the second phase of formalin paw test.

Composition of Essential Oils of Ten Centaurea L. Taxa from Turkey

Abstract Essential oils obtained by microdistillation from seven endemic Centaurea species [C. hierapolitana Boiss., C. cadmea Boiss., C. calolepis Boiss., C. cariensis Boiss. subsp. maculiceps (O. Schwarz) Wagenitz, C. cariensis Boiss. subsp. microlepis (Boiss.) Wagenitz, C. ensiformis P.H. Davis and C. reuterana Boiss. var. reuterana] and three widespread (C. cyanus L., C. depressa Bieb. and C. urvillei DC. subsp. urvillei) Centaurea L. (Asteraceae) taxa from Turkey were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) techniques. A total of 158 different compounds were identified. Significant and quantitative differences were observed among the species. Hexadecanoic acid (19.5–33.4%) was the main constituent of C. hierapolitana, C. cadmea, C. calolepis, C. reuterana var. reuterana, C. depressa and C. urvillei subsp. urvillei oils, while carvacrol (13.0–28.4%) was the major compound in, C. cariensis subsp. microlepis, C. cariensis subsp. maculiceps, C. ensiformis and C. cyanus oils.

Antiprotozoal and Antimicrobial Activities of Centaurea Species Growing in Turkey

Abstract Extracts obtained from different parts of 10 Centaurea L.. (Asteraceae) species [C. calolepis. Boiss., C. cariensis. Boiss subsp. maculiceps. (O. Schwarz) Wagenitz, C. cariensis. Boiss. subsp. microlepis. (Boiss.) Wagenitz, C. hierapolitana. Boiss., C. cadmea. Boiss., C. reuterana. Boiss. var. reuterana, C. cyanus. L., C. depressa. Bieb., C. urvillei. DC. subsp. urvillei., and C. ensiformis. P.H. Davis], most of them endemic in Turkey, were evaluated for in vitro. antiprotozoal activities (against Plasmodium falciparum. and Leishmania donovani.) and antimicrobial activities (against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Aspergillus fumigatus., and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.). The chloroform extract of C. hierapolitana. demonstrated activity against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum. clones with IC50 values of 7 and 7.3 µg/ml, respectively. The highest antileishmanial activities among the extracts were observed with the chloroform extract of C. hierapolitana. (IC50 = 8.7 µg/ml, IC90 = 17 µg/ml). Hexane extracts of C. depressa. and C. urvillei. subsp. urvillei. showed antifungal activity against Candida krusei. (IC50 = 15 and 45 µg/ml, respectively). Finally, the chloroform extract of C. urvillei. subsp. urvillei. had activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. with an IC50 value of 40 µg/ml.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF Centaurea cadmea

+90 232 3885258, e-mail: karamenderes@hotmail.com; 2) Ege University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, 35100 Bornova-Izmir-Turkey; 3) Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Gaza-Palestinian Authority-Israel; 4) University of Mississippi, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Center for Natural Products Research, MS 38677, USA; 5) University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, MS 38677, USA. Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 575-576, November-December, 2007. Original article submitted July 31, 2006.

Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory Activities and Acute Toxicity of Achillea nobilis. subsp. neilreichii. Extract in Mice and Rats

Abstract The ethanol extract of Achillea nobilis. L. subsp. neilreichii. (Kerner) Formanék (Asteraceae) flower heads was investigated for its antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and for acute toxicity in mice and rats. While the extract exhibited an antinociceptive effect during the late phase of the formalin test (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, i.p.) and an anti-inflammatory effect in the paw edema test (100 and 200 mg/kg, i.p.), it did not exert any significant antinociceptive effect in the tail-flick test. Furthermore, administration of 400 mg/kg extract increased the latency to hot-plate test at 60 and 90 min. No significant change was detected in sensory motor performance. The acute LC50 value of the extract was 4456 mg/kg (i.p.) in mice. The current results demonstrate that an ethanol extract of A. nobilis. L. subsp. neilreichii. exerts anti-inflammatory activity.