Fevzi Özgökçe

Ethnobotanical Aspects of Some Taxa in East Anatolia, Turkey

This paper presents a list of some medicinal plants distributed in the East Anatolia region. The list was prepared during an ethnobotanical survey of the region from 1995 to 2002. East Anatolia has a rich flora due to its variable climate and its many ecological zones. This diversity in flora provides a rich source of medicinal plants that has been long utilized by Anatolian cultures; and hence, accounts for the remarkable accumulation of medicinal folk knowledge for the region. This paper provides information about 71 useful plants grown in the region, 20 of which are reported for the first time. In addition to the scientific names, vernacular names and medicinal uses are given for each plant.Abstract1995-2002 yillan arasi Doğu Anadolu Bölgesinde gerçekle§tirilen etnobotanik taramalar sonucu, bölgede yayili§ gösteren bazi tibbi bitkiler bu çah§mada liste halinde verilmi§tir. Deği§ik ekolojik durumlar, farkh iklimsel tipler ve vejetasyon geçmi§inden dolayi Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi zengin bir floraya sahiptir. Farkh kültürlere ve zengin floraya sahip bölgede Halk hekimliği ile ilgili veriler çok fazladir. Bundan dolayi Anadolu tibbi bitkilerin kullanimi bakimindan önemli bir merkez olmu§tur. Bu ara§tirmada bölgede yeti§en deği§ik amaçlarla kullamlan 71 faydah bitki hakkmda bilgi verilmektedir. Kaydedilen verilerden 20∝i ilk kez sunulmaktadir. Çali§mayi olu§turan bitkilerin tümü ara§tirma bölgesinden toplanip te§his edilmi§, yöresel isimleri ve tibbi kullammlan verilmektedir.

Triterpene glycosides from Astragalus icmadophilus

Six cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides were isolated from Astragalus icmadophilus along with two known cycloartane-type glycosides, five known oleanane-type triterpene glycosides and one known flavonol glycoside. The structures of the six compounds were established as 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-3-acetoxy-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxy cycloartane, 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-3,4-diacetoxy-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-3-acetoxy-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane, 3-O-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24alpha-tetrahydroxy-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane, 3-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta,6alpha,16beta,24alpha-tetrahydroxy-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane by the extensive use of 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESIMS and HRMS analysis. The first four compounds are cyclocanthogenin and cycloastragenol glycosides, whereas the last two are based on cyclocephalogenin as aglycone, more unusual in the plant kingdom, so far reported only from Astragalus spp.

Cycloartane glycosides from Astragalus aureus

Eight cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides (1-8) were isolated from Astragalus aureus Willd along with ten known cycloartane-type glycosides (9-18). Their structures were established by the extensive use of 1D and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESIMS and HRMS analyses. Compounds 1-5 are cyclocanthogenin glycosides, whereas compounds 6-8 are based on cyclocephalogenin as aglycon, more unusual in the plant kingdom, so far reported only from Astragalus spp. Moreover, for the first time monoglycosides of cyclocanthogenin (5) and cyclocephalogenin (7, 8) are reported. All of the compounds tested for their cytotoxic activities against a number of cancer cell lines. Among the compounds, only 8 exhibited activity versus human breast cancer (MCF7) at 45 μM concentration.

Saponins from Astragalus hareftae (NAB.) SIRJ.

Four cycloartane- (hareftosides A-D) and oleanane-type triterpenoids (hareftoside E) were isolated from Astragalus hareftae along with fifteen known compounds. Structures of the compounds were established as 3,6-di-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3,6,24-tri-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,24(S),25-pentahydroxycycloartane, 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),25(S)-epoxycycloartane, 16-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane, 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-soyasapogenol B by the extensive use of 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESI-MS and HR-MS analyses.

Dye plants of east anatolia region (Turkey)

Dye plants that are commonly used by the regional people of East Anatolia were studied. The following information was collected: local name of plants, the part of plants containing dye, obtained color, dying substances, and extraction of colors. As a result of area investigations carried out between 1994 and 2000, 50 taxa (used for dying wool yarns in the region) belonging to 38 genera and 26 families were determined from collected specimensBy using the dying plants and mediator substances, 15 different colors and tones can be obtained. The main colors are yellow, green, olive green, black, red, blue, dark blue, brown, gray, beige, orange, khaki, mustard, purple, and smoke. The colors and their many different tones were observed on kilims and carpets that are woven in the East Anatolia region of TurkeyRésuméBu çalişmada çok zengin bir floraya sahip olan Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi’nde halkin yaygin olarak yün boyamada kullandiği boya bitkileri, bu bitkilerin yöresel isimleri, boya elde edilen bitki kismi ve elde edilen renk, boyar maddeler ve renklerin elde edilme şekli araştirilmiştir1994–2000 yillari arasinda gerçekleştirilen araştirma sonunda bölgede boya eldesinde kullamlan 26 familyaya ait 38 cins ve bu cinslere ait 50 takson tespit edilmicstir. Bu taksonlannfarkh mordanlar kullandmasi ile 15 ayn renk ile tonlannm eldesi kaydedildi. Bunlar sari renk ve tonlari, yeşil ve tonlaroi, kahverengi ve tonlari, kirmizi ve tonlari, gri ve tonlari, bej ve tonlari, mavi ve tonlari, zeytin yeşili, turuncu, haki ve hardal renkleri, siyah, mor, lacivert ve füme renkleri’dir.

Analysis of taxonomic and geographic patterns of Turkish Veronica orientalis using nuclear and plastid DNA and morphological data

Veronica orientalis and related species form one of the taxonomically most challenging subgroups within the genus Veronica. Hybridization and polyploidization on the one hand and convergent character evolution on the other have made delimitation of species difficult. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms and plastid DNA markers were used in conjunction with 54 morphological characters to study relationships among 35 accessions of V. orientalis Mill. as well as other closely related species of Veronica occurring in Turkey and adjacent areas of Georgia and Armenia. In addition, ploidy levels were estimated for 15 accessions using flow cytometry. Diploid to hexaploid individuals were detected in V. orientalis. Analysis of DNA markers demonstrated the non-monophyly of V. orientalis, especially with regard to V. fuhsii and V. multifida from Eastern Turkey, but nuclear and plastid DNA markers are largely incongruent. Neither demonstrates a clear biogeographic pattern. The morphological analysis reveals the distinction of V. orientalis subsp. carduchorum, which is weakly retrieved in some molecular analyses and some clustering according to geography. V. multifida is not monophyletic likely due to parallel evolution of pinnatifid leaves east and west of the Anatolian diagonal.

Prospective neurobiological effects of the aerial and root extracts and some pure compounds of randomly selected Scorzonera species

Abstract Context: Scorzonera L. species (Asteraceae) are edible and as medicinal plants are used for various purposed in folk medicine. Objective: The methanol extracts of the aerial parts and roots from 27 Scorzonera taxa were investigated for their possible neurobiological effects. Materials and methods: Inhibitory potential of the Scorzonera species was tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and tyrosinase (TYRO) at 100 µg mL−1 using ELISA microtiter assay. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested with radical scavenging activity, metal-chelation capacity, ferric- (FRAP), and phosphomolibdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. Chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, rutin, and scorzotomentosin-4-O-β-glucoside were also screened in the same manner. Total phenol and flavonoid quantification in the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. Results: The aerial parts of Scorzonera pisidica (40.25 ± 0.74%) and chlorogenic acid (46.97 ± 0.82%) displayed the highest TYRO inhibition, while the remaining samples showed only trivial inhibition against cholinesterases (2.08 ± 1.35%–25.32 ± 1.37%). The same extract of S. pisidica was revealed to be the most potent in scavenging of all three radicals and FRAP assay. Discussion and conclusion: Out of 27 taxa, S. pisidica, in particular, may deserve further investigation for its neuroprotective potential.

RAPID AND COMPREHENSIVE SEPARATION FOR THE PHENOLIC CONSTITUENTS OF QUERCUS BRANTII ACORNS BY RP-HPLC-DAD

Quercus brantii Lindley (Fagaceae) is a common oak region of South and East Anatolia. For many civilizations, acorns of Quercus species have been considered as food as well as used in folk-medicine. Phenolic composition of the acorns of Q. brantii was studied by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a diode array detector. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study regarding a comprehensive separation and identification of the phenolic constituents of Q. brantii acorns. Rapid separation and identification were performed by the reverse phase HPLC-DAD. Identification of the phenolics was also confirmed by UPLC-MS and when necessary structural characterization was accomplished by NMR and FT-IR techniques. As a result, the phenolic composition of the acorns of Q. brantii were realized as gallic acid, methyl gallate, epi-catechin, p-coumaric acid, ellagic acid, rutin and quercetin in the respective elution order of the RP-HPLC chromatogram.

Phytochemical Analysis of Podospermum and Scorzonera n-Hexane Extracts and the HPLC Quantitation of Triterpenes

Previously tested n-hexane extracts of the Scorzonera latifolia showed promising bioactivity in vivo. Because triterpenes could account for this activity, n-hexane extracts were analyzed by HPLC to identify and quantify the triterpenes as the most abundant constituents. Other Scorzonera and Podospermum species, potentially containing triterpenic aglycones, were included in the study. An HPLC method for simultaneous determination of triterpene aglycones was therefore developed for analysis of Podospermum and Scorzonera species. n-Hexane extracts of root and aerial parts of S. latifolia, ten other Scorzonera species and two Podospermum species were studied to compare the content of triterpenes. HPLC was used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of α-amyrin, lupeol, lupeol acetate, taraxasteryl acetate, 3-β-hydroxy-fern-7-en-6-one acetate, urs-12-en-11-one-3-acetyl, 3-β-hydroxy-fern-8-en-7-one acetate, and olean-12-en-11-one-3-acetyl. Limits of detection and quantification were determined for each compound. HPLC fingerprinting of n-hexane extracts of Podospermum and Scorzonera species revealed relatively large amounts of triterpenes in a majority of investigated taxa. Lupeol, lupeol acetate, and taraxasteryl acetate were found in a majority of the species, except S. acuminata. The presence of α-amyrin, 3β-hydroxy-fern-7-en-6-one-acetate, urs-12-en-11-one-3-acetyl, 3β-hydroxy-fern-8-en-7-one-acetate, and olean-12-en-11-one-3-acetyl was detected in varying amounts. The triterpene content could correlate with the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of Scorzonera, which was previously observed and Scorzonera species that have been determined to contain triterpenes in large amounts and have not yet been tested for their analgesic activity should be tested for their potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential. The presented HPLC method can be used for analysis of triterpene aglycones, for example dedicated to chemosystematic studies of the Scorzonerinae.

Antioxidant properties of Ferulago angulata and its hepatoprotective effect against N-nitrosodimethylamine-induced oxidative stress in rats

Abstract Context: Ferulago angulata (Schlecht.) Boiss. (Apiaceae) (FASB) is used to treat liver diseases and has been used both as food and therapeutics by many cultures for thousands of years because of the natural antioxidant compounds. Objective: This study determines antioxidant properties of FASB flowers, the levels of minerals and vitamins, and also, evaluates the hepatoprotective effect of flowers against N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) induced on liver tissue by assessing antioxidant enzymes and histopathological parameters in Wistar albino rats. Materials and methods: In the study, the rats were divided into six groups of ten. Control, untreated animals were given 0.9% NaCl. Rats were intraperitoneally given NDMA (10 mg/kg) for the first 7 days. FASB methanol extract (150 and 300 mg/kg) was administered orally for 21 days. Results: α-Tocopherol, retinol, ascorbic acid, total antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid contents of FASB were 0.70 ± 0.13, 0.29 ± 0.03 μg/g, 139.32 ± 7.06 μg/100 g, 171.61 ± 6.05 mM ascorbic acid/g, 90.47 ± 4.11 mg GA/g and 37.39 ± 2.85 mg QE/g. DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was obtained IC50 67.34 ± 4.14 and 64.87 ± 4.68 μg/mL, respectively. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the study indicated that FASB flowers contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, total antioxidant activity, phenolics and flavonoids. Due to the positive effect on significant changes in antioxidant enzymes of liver tissue and histopathological examination, it is thought that the plant could be used as a hepatoprotective.