Nurgun Erdemoglu

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity assessment of plants used as remedy in Turkish folk medicine

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts from seven plant species used in Turkish traditional medicine were evaluated for in vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities; Helleborus orientalis Lam. roots and herbs, Juglans regia L. leaves, Laurocerasus officinalis Roemer leaves, Nerium oleander L. dried and fresh flowers and leaves, Rhododendron ponticum L. leaves, Rubus hirtus Walds. et Kit aerial parts and Rubus sanctus Schreber aerial parts and roots. All the plant extracts, except the aqueous extract of Rubus hirtus, were shown to possess significant antinociceptive activity in varying degrees against p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal contractions in mice. However, only the ethanolic extracts of Helleborus orientalis roots, Juglans regia leaves, Laurocerasus officinalis leaves, Nerium oleander dried and fresh flowers, and Rhododendron ponticum leaves exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model in mice without inducing any gastric damage. Results of the present study confirmed the folkloric claim that all the selected materials to possess potent antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity.

Alkaloid profile and antimicrobial activity of Lupinus angustifolius L. alkaloid extract

Purpose of the present study was to evaluate alkaloid profile of the aerial parts of Lupinus angustifolius growing in Turkey by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fifteen alkaloids were identified by capillary GC-MS. 13α-Hydroxylupanine (50.78%) and lupanine (23.55%) were determined as the main alkaloids in the aerial parts of L. angustifolius. Ammodendrine, isoangustifoline, tetrahydrorhombifoline, angustifoline, α-isolupanine, 5,6-dehydrolupanine, 11,12-dehydrolupanine, 13α-acetoxylupanine, 13α-isovaleroyloxylupanine, 13α-valeroyloxylupanine, 13α-tigloyloxylupanine, 13α-cis-cinnamoyloxylupanine and 13α-cis-cinnamoyloxy-17-oxolupanine were identified as the minor alkaloids of the plant. Furthermore, antibacterial and antifungal activities of L. angustifolius alkaloid extract were tested against standard strains of the following bacteria; Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus as well as the fungi; Candida albicans and C. krusei. The alkaloid extract showed significant activity on B. subtilis, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa while it was weakly active on E. coli. On the other hand, the extract possessed moderate activity against C. albicans and C. krusei.

Bioassay-guided isolation of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive principles from a folk remedy, Rhododendron ponticum L. leaves

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Rhododendron ponticum L. (Ericaceae) is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and to alleviate rheumatic pain and against toothache in Turkish traditional medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of Rhododendron ponticum leaves using in vivo models, and isolation and chemical characterization of the biologically active constituents through bioassay-guided fractionation procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS Carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model was used for anti-inflammatory activity and p-benzoquinone induced abdominal contractions model for the antinociceptive activity assessment. RESULTS The ethylacetate fraction displayed marked anti-inflammatory (28.4-40.7% inhibition) and antinociceptive (50.7% inhibition) effects as compared to reference compounds. Through bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation procedures flavonol glycosides [a mixture of hyperoside and isoquercitrin (1) and quercitrin (2)] along with one flavanone glycoside [6-C-glycosylnaringenin (3)] were isolated as the active ingredients of ethylacetate extract against carrageenan-induced edema and p-benzoquinone-induced writhes and their structures were elucidated by spectral techniques. 1 and 2 also showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA)- induced mouse ear edema model. CONCLUSION Results of the present study supported the utilization of the plant in Turkish folk medicine and revealed that flavones are the major anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive principles of the leaves.

Antiviral activities in extracts of Turkish medicinal plants

A total of 16 ethanol extracts of Turkish medicinal plants were evaluated for antiviral activities against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Sindbis virus (SINV). Extracts of Galanthus elwesii and Rheum ribes showed the most potent anti-HSV activities, while six other extracts had weaker activities. Galanthus elwesii and Leucojum aestivum were the most potent anti-SINV extracts with four others showing weaker activities. In total, five extracts were active against both viruses, three were selective for HSV and one was selective for SINV. Evidence for an antiviral photosensitizer was obtained in two anti-HSV extracts, in which activity was either completely dependent on light, or was con-siderably enhanced by light. Thus, several Turkish medicinal plants appear to be promising sources of antiviral activities.

Estimation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antioxidant activities on Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh. ssp. minus.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh. ssp. minus (Asteraceae) leaves are used to alleviate rheumatic pain, against fever and sunstroke with externally application in Turkish folk medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antioxidant activities of aqueous and ethanol extracts prepared from the leaves of Arctium minus ssp. minus. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ethanolic and aqueous extracts from the leaves of Arctium minus ssp. minus were evaluated in mice for anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced hind paw edema model and for antinociceptive activity using p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal contractions test. Moreover, the antioxidant power of the extracts has been determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and flow injection analysis-luminol chemiluminescence (FIA-CL). In addition, the total phenolic content in both extracts was determined with spectrophotometric method. RESULTS Our results showed that only the ethanol extract exhibited a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity ranging between 11.1 and 23.6% at 200mg/kg dose as well as displayed a significant antinociceptive activity without inducing any gastric damage. Although, both extracts were shown to possess significant DPPH radical-scavenging activity, that of aqueous extract was found to have more pronounced activity. In FIA-CL system, the ethanol extract was shown to possess a significant scavenger activity against H(2)O(2) while the aqueous extract was much more potent antioxidant activity against HOCl-luminol CL than ethanol extract. CONCLUSION According to our results, it was concluded that Arctium minus ssp. minus contains potent natural antioxidants. In this study, in vivo experimental results have also supported the folk medicinal utilization of Arctium minus ssp. minus.

Antioxidant flavonoids from Tamus communis ssp. cretica

A new flavonoid, kaempferol-3,4′-di-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), and three known flavonoids (2–4) were isolated from the aerial parts of T. communis L. The structure of the new compound was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant antioxidant activity (IC50 187.151 ± 0.821 μM, and 92.079±0.513 μM, respectively), whereas compounds 3 and 4 showed moderate activity in DPPH free radical scavenging assays.

Bioactivity of Lignans from Taxus baccata.

Abstract Three lignan derivatives, (-)-taxiresinol (1), (-)-3′-demethylisolariciresinol-9′-hydroxyisopropylether (2) and (-)-3-demethylisolariciresinol (3), previously isolated from the heartwood of Taxus baccata L. (Taxaceae) were investigated for cytotoxicity against the Oncology Cell Line Panel (breast, colon, ovary, prostate, lung and a normal adult bovine aortic endothelial cell line) as well as for antimicrobial activities. Besides, a chloroform-soluble portion of the ethanol extract from the heartwood of T. baccata was also tested for antimicrobial activities. Compounds 1 - 3 did not demonstrate much cytotoxic potency according to the reference drug etoposide. With the exception of compound 2, the other two lignans (1 and 3) and the chloroform extract were shown to possess antifungal activity, whereas only the chloroform extract exhibited antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Effect of irrigation on the oil content and fatty acid composition of some sunflower seeds

The effect of irrigation on the seed yield, oil yield, and oil composition of sunflower in populations of Ekiz1 and VNIIMK 8931, a mixture of N2, N3, and N4 lines, and a synthetic variety obtained from these lines has been studied. The major fatty acid was found to be oleic acid, in addition to linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. Irrigation increased seed yield, oil yield, and oil content of all samples. In two of them, the synthetic variety and VNIIMK 8931, the increase was found to be statistically significant. In addition, irrigation of the samples did not increase significantly the amount of oleic and linoleic acids. On the contrary, the amount of linoleic acid in the mixture of N2, N3, and N4 lines and oleic acid in VNIIMK 8931 decreased statistically significantly.

LC-MS ANALYSIS OF DAIDZEIN IN THE TURKISH Genista SPECIES

In this research, total and free daidzein content in Genista species growing in Turkey were investigated using the LC-MS method. The highest amount of total and free daidzein in these species was found in Genista sessilifolia and G. lydia var. antiochia as 0.0056 and 0.0009%, respectively. Total and free daidzein content of the aerial parts of other Genista species varied from 0.0003 to 0.0044%, and from 0.0001 to 0.0008%, respectively.

GC-MS analysis and antimicrobial activity of alkaloid extract from Genista vuralii

In the present study, the alkaloid composition of the aerial parts of Genista vuralii A. Duran & H. Dural (Fabaceae) was investigated by capillary GC-MS. Ten quinolizidine alkaloids were identified by capillary GC-MS, namely, N-methylcytisine, cytisine, tetrahydrorhombifoline, 17-oxosparteine, 5,6-dehydrolupanine, lupanine, 17-oxolupanine, anagyrine, baptifoline, and 13α-tigloyloxylupanine. Among them, anagyrine (93.04%) was the most abundant alkaloid. Furthermore, antibacterial and antifungal activities of the alkaloid extract of G. vuralii were tested against standard strains of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus) as well as fungi (Candida albicans, Candida krusei). The alkaloid extract of G. vuralii presented good activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and C. krusei, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 62.5 μg/mL. The remaining MIC values were found to range between 125 and 500 μg/mL. To the best of our knowledge, the current work is the first to report the alkaloid profile and antimicrobial activity of G. vuralii L. growing in Turkey.