Merve Goksin Karaaslan

Chemical composition, antimicrobial, insecticidal, phytotoxic and antioxidant activities of Mediterranean Pinus brutia and Pinus pinea resin essential oils.

Essential oils of the resins of Pinus brutia and Pinus pinea were evaluated for their biological potential. Essential oils were characterized using GC-MS and GC/FID. in vitro antimicrobial, phytotoxic, antioxidant, and insecticidal activities were carried out using the direct contact and the fumigant assays, respectively. The chemical profile of the essential oils of the resins of P. pinea and P. brutia included mainly α-pinene (21.39% and 25.40%), β-pinene (9.68% and 9.69%), and caryophyllene (9.12% and 4.81%). The essential oils of P. pinea and P. brutia exerted notable antimicrobial activities on Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus subtilis, insecticidal activities on Ephestia kuehniella eggs, phytotoxic activities on Lactuca sativa, Lepidium sativum, and Portulaca oleracea, as well as antioxidant potential. Indications of the biological activities of the essential oils suggest their use in the formulation of ecofriendly and biocompatible pharmaceuticals.

Protective Effect of Infliximab on Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Damage in Rat Kidney

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of infliximab on ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury of the rat kidney. Methods: Twenty-eight male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated, I/R, I/R with infliximab administered before ischemia [I/R + infliximab (bi)], and I/R with infliximab administered before reperfusion [I/R + infliximab (br)]. After a right nephrectomy to produce damage, the left renal vessels were occluded for 60 min, followed by 24-h reperfusion in rats. Changes in the rat kidney were observed by measuring the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and by evaluating hematoxylin–eosin (H&E)-stained and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) sections. Results: The MDA and MPO levels in the I/R group were significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.05), and the SOD and GSH levels in the I/R + infliximab (bi) and I/R + infliximab (br) groups were significantly higher than in the I/R group (p < 0.05). However, histological examination revealed that the I/R + infliximab (bi) group and the I/R + infliximab (br) group had significantly fewer tubular changes and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration than the I/R group. Conclusion: These results show that infliximab may protect against I/R injury in the rat I/R model.

Chlorogenic Acid Containing Bioinspired Polyurethanes: Biodegradable Medical Adhesive Materials

Highly adhesive bioinspired polyurethanes (PUs) based on the chlorogenic acid (CLA) were prepared from 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate) (MCI) and polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG 200). The polyurethanes exhibited the lowest glass transition temperature (Tg), improved thermal stability and good adhesive properties. The highest adhesion strength was found as 373.3 ± 47.5 kPa for 10% CLA containing PUs. The polyurethanes were observed to be biodegradable and were in the range of 19–24% for 8 weeks as depending on chlorogenic acid containing of PUs. As a result, prepared biocompatible-adhesive bioinspired polyurethanes are good candidates for medical applications as a tissue adhesive material. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from Cupressus sempervirens L. horizontalis Resin in Conjunction with its Biological Assessment

Abstract Essential oil from the crude oleoresin of C. sempervirens L. was hydro-distillated and analysed by GC and GC-MS. The significant fraction of the essential oil constituted both monoterpene hydrocarbons (46.03 %) and oxygenated monoterpenes (17.27 %). The major components were mainly α-pinene (35.60 %), followed by trans-pinocarveol (5.22 %), α-phellandrene-8-ol (4.56 %), β-pinene (3.06 %), D-limonene (2.83 %), borneol (2.34 %) and camphene (2.15 %). Antibacterial assays indicated the moderate level effectiveness on all tested gram positive and negative bacteria. The most sensitive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 95923) followed by Micrococcus luteus (NRLL B-4375). Insecticidal activity of the essential oil exposure (48 h) on Ephestia kuehniella eggs showed 20.83 % mortality at 100 μL L-1 air concentration. In the antioxidant assays, essential oil revealed a moderate level of the radical scavenging effect against DPPH and total phenolic content. Reducing power of the essential oil appeared to higher when compared to DPPH scavenging activity. Total phenolic content of the essential oil seemed to be well correlated with the assays of the DPPH and reducing power.

The protective effect of melatonin in lungs of newborn rats exposed to maternal nicotine.

Abstract We investigated possible healing effects of melatonin (MEL) on biochemical and histological changes in the lungs of rat offspring caused by exposure to nicotine (NT) in utero. Pregnant rats were divided randomly into five groups. The SP group was treated with physiological saline. The EA group was treated with ethyl alcohol. The MEL group was treated with MEL. The NT group was treated with NT. The NT + MEL group was treated with NT and MEL. At the end of the study, the biochemistry and histopathology of lung tissue of the offspring were examined. Reduced alveolar development and increased numbers of alveolar macrophages and mast cells were observed in the NT group compared to the SP, EA and MEL groups. We also found increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and decreased total glutathione (GSH) levels in the NT group. Application of MEL ameliorated the histological and biochemical damage caused by NT. The number of alveoli was greater in the NT + MEL group than in the NT group. Also, the increased numbers of alveolar macrophages and mast cells resulting from exposure to NT were decreased following MEL treatment. We found that MEL caused a significant decrease in the level of MDA. Maternal exposure to NT caused significant structural and biochemical changes in the lungs of the offspring and administration of MEL ameliorated the changes.

Cytotoxicity, Radical Scavenging, Antioxidant Properties and Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Satureja cilicica P.H. Davis from Turkey

Herbs may be the alternative main source of drugs and folk medicines. Many natural compounds, a wide spectrum of biological activities, were isolated from herbs. Especially, the active metabolites of essential oils extracted from herbs are useful in treating various diseases with no or less toxicity (1). Moreover, essential oils are proven to the great importance in several fields such as food pharmacology and pharmaceutics (2).