Özlem Çetin

Antioxidant Activity and Biochemical Screening of two Glycyrrhiza L. Species

Aims: Glycyrrhiza L. is one of the most widely used plants in traditional medicine since antiquity. For the determining of the biochemical composition and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of two Glycyrrhiza species different parts. Study Design: In the current study, antioxidant activities, essential oils and fatty acid compositions of root and aerial parts of G. iconica and G. flavescens subsp. flavescens were examined. To measure antioxidant activities of methanol extracts, different chemical methods were carried out. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biology, Physiology and Biochemistry Research Laboratory (December 2011November 2012). Original Research Article Cakmak et al.; BJPR, 11(1): 1-11, 2016; Article no.BJPR.24363 2 Methodology: The antioxidant capacity tests were designed to evaluate the antioxidant activities of methanol extracts of Glycyrrhiza species tested. The extracts will be executed for their possible antioxidant activities by five different test systems namely total antioxidant capacity (phosphomolibdat assay), β-carotene/linoleic acid test system, free radical scavenging (DPPH), ferric and cupric ion reducing power (CUPRAC). Total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations of each extract were also determined by using both Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride. Results: The root of G. iconica showed the highest activity in all methods. The major components of essential oils from Glycyrrhiza species were 1-pentylcyclobutene, naphtalene, hexahydro farnesyl acetone, phytol, dimethylamine and n-hexadecanoic acid. In fatty acid profiles of these two taxa, the main fatty acids were palmitic and linoleic acids. Conclusion: Our results showed that studied parts of two Glycyrrhiza species can be used as an easily accessible source of natural antioxidants that could be important in pharmaceutical industry.

Taxonomic studies on the genus Rhabdosciadium (Apiaceae) with particular reference to Turkish species and their relationships with some closely related genera

The genus Rhabdosciadium Boiss. is represented by five species in the world. Three of these five species are naturally spread in Iran and the others are found in Turkey. Rhabdosciadium is represented with Rhabdosciadium microcalycinum Hand.-Mazz. and R. oligocarpum (Post ex Boiss.) Hedge & J.M.Lamond in Turkey. The comprehensive morphologic description of these two species’ samples collected from Elaziğ and Osmaniye is made. In addition, the fruit and pollens are examined by the electron microscope (SEM) and their diagnostic characteristics are evaluated. Using the Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) as the DNA finger printing method, the molecular relationship between both of the species are examined. Also, the molecular connection of the Rhabdosciadium Boiss. species with the Echinophora L., Myrrhoides Heister ex Fabr., Chaerophyllum L. and Anthriscus Pers. genera is studied and their phylogenetic relations are shown with the dendogram. In addition to this information their distribution map is given.

A new subspecies of Seseli gummiferum (Apiaceae) from Ilgaz Mountain National Park, northern Turkey

Abstract A new subspecies Seseli gummiferum Pall. ex Sm. subsp. ilgazense A.Duran, Ö.Çetin & M.Öztürk, subsp. nov. (Apiaceae) is described from Kastamonu province, Turkey. It was collected from the open Pinus sylvestris L. and Abies nordmanniana (Steven) É.Spach. mixed forest in the northern Anatolian region. An endemic apparently confined to the Ilgaz Mountain National Park, the new taxon is closely related to Seseli gummiferum subsp. gummiferum. Diagnostic morphological characters for closely similar taxa are discussed, and a key to the subspecies of Seseli gummiferum is presented. ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) region of the nuclear ribozomal DNA of closely related Seseli L. taxa and Pimpinella is used to constract phylogenetic tree by using BioEdit and Seaview Programme.

Karyological studies in some Glycyrrhiza (Fabaceae) taxa from Turkey

Chromosome number, size and morphology of five taxa of the genus Glycyrrhiza growing naturally in Turkey were investigated. Permanent slides were made by using the standard liquid nitrogen method. Karyotypes were determined using Image Analysis System (Bs200Pro). In addition, the karyotype asymmetry of each taxa was evaluated by different methods: TF%, AsK%, Rec and Syi, A1, A2, A, AI and Stebbins classification. Correlations between the karyotype asymmetries of the different taxa were calculated. Two different chromosome numbers were found in the studied taxa; 2n = 16 in Glycyrrhiza echinata, G. glabra, G. flavescens subsp. flavescens, G. flavescens subsp. antalyensis and 2n = 14 in G. asymmetrica. The karyological data were evaluated with the NTYSY software package and used to create a dendrogram. The results were compared with previous cytological data. Photos of the taxa in their natural environment are also presented.

Study of phylogenetic relationship of Turkish species of Klasea (Asteraceae) based on ISSR amplification.

Abstract Klasea is a taxonomically complex genus in which there are many problems, mostly with Klasea kotschyi and Klasea hakkiarica. It is challenging to differentiate the genera based on morphological characters alone. Revision studies performed on the basis of molecular data obtained from studies conducted in recent years have made the phylogenetic relationships and systematic positions of the taxa more apparent and reliable. In this study, Klasea, Serratula, Jurinea and Centaurea species native to Turkey, were collected from different localities of Anatolia and DNA was isolated from the collected samples. The data were analyzed ordination analyses including UPGMA and PCA using NTSYSpc 2.1. The infrageneric and intergeneric phylogenetic relationships between Klasea and other related genera were also characterized. The Klasea species were grouped into three clusters. It was determined that taxa Klasea kotschyi and Klasea hakkiarica are separate but closely related. Moreover, it was observed that the Klasea lasiocephala a separate group within the genera. Clearly the genera Klasea, Serratula, Jurinea and Centaurea are phylogenetically differentiated on the dendogram.

Karyological studies of Clinopodium L. (Sect. Pseudomelissa) and Micromeria Benth. s. str. (Lamiaceae) from Turkey

Abstract Using the squash method of preparation, somatic chromosome numbers were counted of Clinopodium cilicicum, C. congestum, C. dolichodontum, C. serpyllifolium subsp. barbatum, C. serpyllifolium subsp. brachycalyx, C. serpyllifolium subsp. giresunicum, C. serpyllifolium subsp. serpyllifolium, Micromeria cremnophila subsp. amana, M. cremnophila subsp. anatolica, M. cristata subsp. phrygia, M. cristata subsp. orientalis, M. elliptica, M. graeca subsp. graeca, M. juliana, M. myrtifolia, M. nervosa all of which grow naturally in Turkey. Chromosome numbers of 12 taxa are reported for the first time.