Osman Üstün

Inhibitory effects of Turkish folk remedies on inflammatory cytokines: interleukin-1α, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor α.

In this study, in vitro inhibitory effects of 55 extracts or fractions obtained from 10 plant species on interleukin-1 (IL-1α, IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) biosynthesis were studied. The following plant materials from Turkish folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases which are thought to be inflammatory in nature e.g. rheumatism, fever, infections, edemas or related inflammatory diseases were selected as the subject of this study: Cistus laurifolius leaves, Clematis flammna flowering herbs, Crataegus orientalis roots, Daphne oleoides ssp. oleoides whole plant, Ecbalium elaterium roots, Rosa canina roots, Rubus discolor roots, Rubus hirtus roots, Sambucus ebulus flowers and leaves, Sambucus nigra flowers and leaves. All plants showed inhibitory activity against at least one of these models in various percentages depending upon the concentration, thus supporting the folkloric utilization. Daphne oleoides was found to be the most active plant against the test models.

Anti-ulcerogenic activity of some plants used as folk remedy in Turkey.

Five herbal remedies used as gastroprotective crude drugs in Turkey were assessed for anti-ulcerogenic activity using the EtOH-induced ulcerogenesis model in rat. The crude drugs investigated comprises fruits of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. (Elaeagnaceae), fresh fruits of Hibiscus esculentus L. (Malvaceae), fresh roots of Papaver rhoeas L. (Papaveraceae), leaves of Phlomis grandiflora H.S. Thomson (Lamiaceae) and fresh fruits of Rosa canina L. (Rosaceae). Extracts were prepared according to the traditional indications of use. Under our experimental conditions, all extracts exhibited statistically significant gastroprotective effect with better results for Phlomis grandiflora and Rosa canina (100%). At the concentration under study, both crude drugs were more effective than the reference compound misoprostol at 0.4 mg/kg. Even the weakest anti-ulcerogenic effect observed for Papaver rhoeas roots was found statistically potent (95.6%). Histopathological studies confirmed the results of the in vivo test.

In vivo gastroprotective effects of five Turkish folk remedies against ethanol-induced lesions

Through evaluation of the data accumulated in Data Bank of Turkish Folk Remedies (TUHIB), five plant remedies, which are used to treat stomach ache were selected to test for their anti-ulcerogenic potency. In order to confirm the claimed activities, either decoction or methanol extracts were prepared from the roots of Asphodelus aestivus and Cichorium intybus, herbs of Equisetum palustre and Viscum album ssp. album and fruits of Laurus nobilis, according to their folkloric application way and tested for their effects on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Pharmacological experiments clearly demonstrated that the relevant extracts of all the plants given orally showed significant stomach protection against this model of ulcerogenesis. Results were further evaluated by using histopathological techniques.

Appraisal on the wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils obtained from the cones and needles of Pinus species by in vivo and in vitro experimental models

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE According to ethnobotanical data, Pinus species have been used against rheumatic pain and for wound healing in Turkish folk medicine. Essential oils from the cones and needles of five different Pinus species (Pinus brutia Ten., Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus nigra Arn., Pinus pinea L. and Pinus sylvestris L.) were evaluated for their in vivo wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS In vivo wound healing activity of the ointments prepared from essential oils was evaluated by linear incision and circular excision experimental wound models subsequently histopathological analysis and hydroxyproline content. Furthermore, the essential oils were screened for anti-hyaluronidase activity. Additionally anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by using the method of Whittle, which is based on the inhibition of acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability. RESULTS The essential oils obtained from the cones of Pinus pinea and Pinus halepensis demonstrated the highest effects on the wound healing activity models. On the other hand, the rest of the essential oils did not show any significant wound healing and anti-inflammatory activities. CONCLUSION The experimental study revealed that essential oils obtained from the cones of Pinus pinea and Pinus halepensis display remarkable wound healing activity.

Study of the essential oil composition of Pinus sylvestris from Turkey

The needle oils of Pinus sylvestris L. were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The results showed some qualitative and quantitative variations. Forty-three components were identified in the oils of P. sylvestris. All the samples of essential oils contained α-pinene, camphene, and β-pinene as major constituents. Chemical variations of P. sylvestris samples were discussed.

In vitro cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant effect of selected coniferous tree species.

OBJECTIVE To explore cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant effect of six coniferous trees (Abies bornmulleriana, Picea pungens, Juniperus communis, Cedrus libani, Taxus baccata, and Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis). METHODS Acetone (Ace), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and ethanol (EtOH) extracts prepared from the needles and shoots of the six coniferous trees were screened for their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity at 100 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylendiamine (DMPD) radical scavenging, metal-chelation capacity, ferric-(FRAP) and phosphomolibdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. All of the assays were performed in ELISA microplate reader. Total phenol and flavonoid amounts in the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. RESULTS Among thirty-six extracts in total, the shoot-Ace extract of Cupressus sempervirens var. horizantalis exerted the highest inhibition against AChE [(54.84±2.51)%], while the needle-Ace extract of Cedrus libani was the most effective in inhibiting BChE [(67.54±0.30)%]. The highest DPPH radical scavenging effect, FRAP and PRAP was observed in the shoot-Ace and EtOAc extracts from Taxus baccata, whereas all the extracts showed a variable degree of scavenging effect against DPMD radical. The shoot-EtOAc extract of Cedrus libani had the highest metal-chelation capacity [(58.04±0.70)%]. The shoot extracts of Taxus baccata were determined to have the richest total phenol content, which may contribute to its marked antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS The conifer species screened in this study may contain cholinesterase-inhibiting and antioxidant properties, which might be useful against Alzheimers disease.

Analgesic Activity of Cistus laurifolius in Mice

The possible analgesic activity of Cistus laurifolius extracts has been evaluated by using tail flick and acetic acid-induced writhing tests in mice. The chloroform extract (500 mg/kg, i.p.) and the precipitated fraction (10, 30, 100 mg/kg, i.p.) obtained from C. laurifolius leaves showed significant analgesic activity on tail flick assay, while aqueous, ethanol and butanol extracts of the plant had no activity on the same test. Chloroform extract (500 mg/kg, i.p.) and precipitate fraction (30 mg/kg, i.p.) also inhibited number of writhings induced by acetic acid. These observations suggest that C. laurifolius leaves possess antinociceptive compound(s) which act through a central mechanism.

Fatty acid content of three Cistus species growing in Turkey

The seed oils of Cistus laurifolius, C. salviifolius, and C. creticus were investigated for their fatty acids by employing capillary GC and capillary GC-MS. The results of this study indicated that palmitic, linoleic, linolenic, oleic, stearic, and behenic acids were found in all of these three seed oils of Turkish origin. In addition, an important polyunsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid, was the major fatty acid in all of these oil samples.

Bioactivities of Ethanolic Extract and its Fractions of Cistus laurifolius L. (Cistaceae) and Salvia wiedemannii Boiss. (Lamiaceae) Species.

Background: Cistus laurifolius L. (Cistaceae) and Salvia wiedemannii Boiss. (Lamiaceae) have been used for treatment of some illnesses in Turkish folk medicine. In the present study, the ethanolic extract and its fractions obtained using re-extraction by hexane (Hx), chloroform (CHCl3), butanol, and remaining-water (r-H2O) of C. laurifolius were screened for their in vitro bioactivities. Materials and Methods: Activities were determined against both standard and the isolated strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, as well as yeasts such as Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis by microdilution method. Also, antiviral activity of C. laurifolius and S. wiedemannii extracts were tested on herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and parainfluenza-3 (PI-3) using Madin-Darby bovine kidney and vero cell lines. Results: Tested extracts of C. laurifolius (minimum inhibitory concentration 32 μg/mL) exerted a strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria of E. coli, P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae, and A. baumannii. Conclusion: The Hx extract of C. laurifolius (cytopathogenic effect of 32–8 μg/mL) had antiviral activity on PI-3. Also, the r-H2O, CHCl3, and ethanol extracts (16–<0.25 μg/mL) of S. wiedemannii had significant antiviral activity on HSV-1, same as control.

Appraisal of in vitro neuroprotective effects of Turkish Pinus L. species and pycnogenol and essential oil analyses

Pycnogenol, the French maritime pine bark extract, has been popular recently for its various health effects including memory enhancement. Therefore, we aimed to determine neuroprotective effect of the acetone, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts and essential oils of the shoots and needles of P. brutia Ten., P. halepensis M.Bieb.,P. nigra Link, P. pinea L., and P. sylvestris L., which are the Pinus species growing in Turkey, and pycnogenol by in vitro experiments using enzyme inhibition and antioxidant assays. Inhibitory activity of the extracts, essential oils, and pycnogenol was assessed against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), connected to Alzheimers disease. Since neurodegeneration is associated with oxidative damage caused by free radicals and metal accumulation, antioxidant activity of the extracts, essential oils, and pycnogenol was measured using the methods; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and N,N-dimethyl-pphenylendiamine (DMPD) radical scavenging activity as well as ferric ion-chelation capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) tests. Chemical compositions of the essential oils were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Accordingly, the best AChE inhibition was caused by the shoot essential oil of P. halepensis (83.91±3.95%), while the needle ethanol extract displayed a high profile of BChE inhibition (82.47±5.57%) at 200μg/mL. AChE and BChE inhibitions by pycnogenol were 63.33±0.22% and 83.67±0.22%, respectively. The extracts and essential oils exerted moderate activity in antioxidant tests. However, many of them displayed similar or greater activity ferric ion-chelation capacity (26.49±4.47% –67.77±3.33%) than that of pycnogenol (29.14±2.00%). Our findings revealed that the Turkish pine species and pycnogenol possess neuroprotective effects by the in vitromethods applied herein.