Leaf epidermal micromorphology of the genus Hypericum (hypericaceae) from Iran

Foliar micromorphological characters of 17 species of Hypericum L. belonging to five sections, Androsaemum (Duhamel) Godron, Hypericum, Hirtella Stef. (including 2 subsections: Platyadenum N. Robson et Stenadenum N. Robson), Taeniocarpum Jaub. et Spach. and Drosanthe (Spach) Endl. were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on the current result three types of epidermal cell shape (irregular polygonal, roughly regular rectangular and irregular elliptical); four types of papilla (triangular, with striate wall, finger and star shapes); two main types and three subtypes of epicuticular wax; seven type classes of outer stomatal and peristomatal rims/stomata ledge aperture; three types of wax distribution on the stomata rims/pore/epidermal cell and three types of inner stomatal rims variations (smooth, sinuolate and sinuolate-erose) were identified. The result revealed that leaf micromorphological evidences of Hypericum are taxonomically informative and can be used for separating different sections and species

Plant species in Oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) understory and their relationship with physical and chemical properties of soil in different altitude classes in the Arghvan valley protected area, Iran

The present survey was carried out in Oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) woodlands of Arghvan valley protected area, in Ilam province, western Iran. The main aim of this study was to survey the understory vegetation of oak in different classes of altitude (1400-1600, 1600-1800 and >1800 m) in the southern aspects, and their relationship with physical and chemical properties of soil. Four transects, with an interval of 200 m were selected from the lowest to the highest points of hillside. 25 individual oak trees were selected on and out of the transects as a plot center. The plot area was obtained using Whittaker’s nested plots and species / area curve. In order to find the relationship between soil properties and vegetation, and also to determine the most effective factors on the distribution of vegetation, multivariate procedures, i.e., Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used. Based on these analyses three groups were obtained. These groups exactly coordinated with our sample plots in altitudinal classes and had different soil and vegetation characteristics. The most important factors in the lowland group were pH, SP, OC, N,P and K, and those in the highland group were altitude, BD and stone percentage. The midland group was intermediate to these two groups, although its conditions were more similar to the highland group. The results also indicated a decrease in Shannon-Weiner and Margalef’s indices from lowland toward the highland

Pollen morphology of the genus Potentilla (Rosaceae) in Iran

The pollen morphology of 28 species of the genus Potentilla (Rosaceae) and four related genera from Iran was examined using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pollen grains are radially symmetrical, isopolar to subisopolar, trizonocolpate and colporate. The shape of pollen grains in all the studied taxa varies from prolate-spheroidal to subprolate and prolate. The outline of the pollen grains is elliptical in equatorial view and triangular-circular in polar view. The size of the pollen grains is small to medium. Our results showed two main types of exine sculpturing. Among the studied pollen grain characters, shape and size are helpful evidences for separating different sections, while the exine sculpturing type provides limited taxonomic value

Floristic study of Dalab woodlands, north-east of Ilam province, west Iran

Abstract The present survey deals with the floristic study of Dalab Woodlands, located in Manesht and Ghelarang protected area, western Iran. It covers an area of 4335 ha. In total, 224 vascular plant species belonging to 46 families and 156 genera were identified. The largest families are Asteraceae (29 species), Fabaceae (23 species), Poaceae (22 species), and Apiaceae (18 species). Astragalus (13 species), Centaurea (9 species), Onosma (6 species), Bromus (5 species) and Amygdalus (3 species) are the most diverse genera of the region. The life form spectrum includes: hemichryptophytes (36.6 %), therophytes (33 %), cryptophytes (13.8 %), chamaephytes (8.9 %) and phanerophytes (7.6 %). From the chorological point of view, the largest proportion of the flora belongs to the Irano-Turanian (68.7 %) elements. About 22.32 % of the Dalab Woodlands species are endemic to Iran and six rare species including Alrawia bellii, Arum giganteum, Cousinia cylindracea, Echinops kotschyi, Thymbra spicata and Zeugandra iranica are also identified in this region

Leaf indumentum types in Potentilla [Rosaceae] and related genera in Iran

Indumentum types of the leaves in 31 species of Potentilla L. (Rosaceae) and four related genera, especially Tylosperma Botsch., Schistophyllidium (Juz. ex Fed.) Ikonn., Drymocallis Fourr. ex Rydb., and Sibbaldia L. from Iran were investigated. Indumentum ultrastructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM observation revealed three type classes based on leaf indumentum: 1) straight (appressed-erect); 2) straight-erect and crispate, and 3) crispate-floccose. The straight hair character (I type class) is widely distributed among all genera sampled and six sections of Potentilla. In contrast the crispate-floccose indumentum (III type class) is confined to all examined species of sections Speciosae and Pensylvanicae. While some sections especially Rectae (straight and straight-crispate hairs) and Terminales (straight-crispate and floccose-crispate) posses two indumentum type classes. The present survey shows that indumentum types are of systematic importance and may form good key characters for identification purposes

Sumatriptan protects against myocardial ischaemia�reperfusion injury by inhibition of inflammation in rat model

Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of death on a global scale, placing major socio-economic burdens on health systems worldwide. Myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced tissue injury is associated with alteration in activity of inflammatory system and nitric oxide pathway. Sumatriptan, which is mainly used to relieve migraine headache, has recently been shown to exert anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we aimed to assess the possible cardioprotective effect of sumatriptan in a rat model of I/R injury. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 30-min ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery and 120-min reperfusion. Animals were randomly divided into five groups: (1) Sham (2) I/R (3) I/R treated with sumatriptan (0.3 mg/kg i.p.) 20 min after induction of I/R rats, (4) GR127935 (a selective antagonist of 5-HT1B/D serotonin receptors; 0.3 mg/kg) 20 min after induction of I/R, and (5) GR127935 (0.3 mg/kg) 15 min before administration of sumatriptan. Post-infarct treatment with sumatriptan increased left ventricular function, which was damaged in I/R animal�s heart. Sumatriptan (0.3 mg/kg) decreased lipid peroxidation, CK-MB and lactate dehydrogenase levels; tumor necrosis factor concentration; and Nf-ҡB� protein production. Treatment with sumatriptan significantly increased the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression consequences nitric oxide metabolites� level in I/R rats. Also, injection of sumatriptan remarkably decreased myocardial tissue injury assessed by histopathological study. These findings suggest that sumatriptan may attenuate I/R injury via modulating the inflammatory responses and endothelial NOS activity. But therapeutic index of sumatriptan is narrow according to the result of this study. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG