A new variety of Plocama calabrica (Rubiaceae) from Denizli (Turkey) onfirmed by morphological and molecular ISSR markers

Plocama calabrica (L.f.) M.Backlund & Thulin var. alba Göktürk, O.D.Düţen, B.Gürcan & U. Sarpkaya variety nova is described from South-West Anatolia. The new variety grows on limestone slopes between Akpýnar and Yaylapýnar villages in the Çameli district in Denizli. It is closely related to P. calabrica var. calabrica, and can be readily distinguished by morphological and molecular characters from the related variety. Taxonomic comments such as descriptive and diagnostic characters, distribution and ecology, phenology and proposed conservation status for this new variety are given in the current study. Morphological affinities and the inter-simple-sequence repeat (ISSR)-PCR based phylogenetic relationships between the new and the related variety are also discusse

A morphological investigation of Colchicum L. (Liliaceae) species in the Mediterranean region in Turkey

The morphological features of Colchicum L. species were studied based on samples collected from the Mediterranean region in Turkey between 2000 and 2004. Typifications, synonym lists, descriptions, ecology, and phytogeography are provided for all Colchicum species and relationships to similar species are discussed. New features were determined that were not previously given in descriptions of Colchicum species in the Flora of Turkey, and useful identification keys (for both flowering material and leafing-fruiting material) were prepared for all Colchicum species in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. © TÜBİTAK

Phenolic contents, antioxidant properties phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of muscari parviflorum desf.

Oxidative stress can be the result of normal metabolic activity or environmental factors. Geophytes, especially the Muscari Mill. species are very important in the plant groups. Many kinds of flavonoids have been identified in Muscari Mill plants. Flavonoids have many functions in the biochemistry, physiology and ecology of plants. In this study we determined that phenolic contents of the ethanolic extracts higher than the methanolic extracts. The phenolic contents of the extracts as follows: Bulb ethanolic extracts (MBE) (52.23 ± 1.32%) > Bulb methanolic extracts (MBM) (19.47 ± 2.56%) and leaf ethanolic extracts (MLE) (31.68 ± 0.92%) > leaf methanolic extracts (MLM) (26.73 ± 1.08%). The absorbance of the Muscari parviflorum Desf. plant extracts at 470 nm were evaluated using A-carotene-linoleic acid assay to determine the antioxidant activity. MBE showed the highest antioxidant activity with 76.8 ± 1.51% and MLM showed the lowest antioxidant activity with 60 ± 1.32% respectively. These values are higher than the controls (methanol - 48 ± 1.31%; ethanol - 31 ± 2.12%). The free radical scavenging activities of the extracts were determined as follows: MLE (61.16 ± 1. 42%), MLM (29.08 ± 0.42%), MBE (44.80 ± 0.81%), MBM (31.50 ± 0.74%) respectively. Results show that, Muscari parviflorum has the antioxidant activity

In vitro cytotoxic activities of Cyclamen L. (Primulaceae) ethanol extracts from Turkey

We have evaluated the cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extracts of tubers and leaves of eight Cyclamen L. taxa (C. alpinum Dammann ex Spreng., C. cilicicum Boiss. & Heldr., C. coum Mill. subsp. coum, C. graecum subsp. anatolicum Ietsw., C. hederifolium Aiton, C. mirabile Hildebr., C. persicum Mill., and C. pseudibericum Hildebr.) collected from Turkey by using brine shrimp (Artemia salina L.) lethality test and the LC50 values of the extracts were also determined. The strongest cytotoxic activities were obtained by ethanolic tuber extracts. LC50 values were calculated by EPA Probit Analysis Program (version 1.5). The extracts of eight taxa showed moderate cytotoxicity against brine shrimp (LC50 between 2.93 and 533.22 μg/mL). The extracts of C. graecum subsp. anatolicum and C. persicum showed significant cytotoxicity with LC50 values of 2.93 and 3.60 μg/mL, respectively while the extract of C. pseudibericum had LC50 at 533.22 μg/ml. It could be seen among eight tested plant taxa that C. graecum subsp. anatolicum had the most cytotoxicity. © 2016 PSP

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of medicinal plant species Ornithogalum alpigenum stapf. from Turkey

In this study, examination of the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties inherent in leaves and bulbs of geophytic, endemic species, Ornithogalum alpigenum Stapf. were carried out. Of all the extracts derived from the leaves and bulbs of this plant with various solvents, the acetone bulb extract was most inhibitory to the growth of with inhibition zone diameter of 12 ± 2 mm Candida albicans ATCC 10239. It was determined that the extracts of Ornithogalum Leaf-ethanol (OLE) (11 ± 2 mm diameter) and OTA (8 ± 2 mm diameter) were effective on Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, OTB (9 ± 1 mm diameter) and OTA (10 ± 2 mm diameter) was effective on Bacillus cereus RSKK 86. We studied that the total antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of the extractions obtained from O. alpigenum Stapf. Total antioxidant activity of the extract from O. alpigenum Stapf. was determined using β-carotenelinoleic acid model system and was found the highest antioxidant activity of 88.12 ± 0.9% in methanol bulb extracts. Free radical scavenging activity of the extracts using the free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was also determined. The overall results showed that some solutions have values (90.9% > 90.5% > 90.4% > 88.4%) very close to those of Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) (90.0%). The leaf extracts were more potent with respect to free radical scavenging activity. © 2010 Academic Journals

Total Phenolics, Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Activity Studies of Ethanolic Extracts Arisarum vulgare O.Targ.Tozz. and Dracunculus vulgaris Schott.

The present study reports the antioxidant, total phenolics, antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of Arisarum vulgare and Dracunculus vulgaris of aerial and under ground ethanol extracts.  The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene linoleic acid assays. Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to detect total phenolic contents in the extract. In vitro cytotoxic activity was determined by the Brine shrimp lethality test. Antibacterial activity was investigated with the microdilution method. As a result, under ground parts of the extract showed higher antioxidant activity than aerial parts of the extract. Total phenolics ranged from 14.5±2.02 to 53.4±2.01 mg GAE/g, and the antioxidant activity according to the β-carotene/linoleic acid assay ranged from 70.76±1.08 % to 85.43±1.05 and according to the DPPH assay IC50 values ranged from 0.089±1.02 to 1.095±1.07mg/ml. The A. vulgare under ground extract was tested against 2 and showed a good antibacterial activity at a concentration of <50 mg/mL Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for the bacteria S.aureus. The results of the cytotoxic activities showed a very high activity of the extracts, D.vulgaris under ground extract  (LC50 = 10.6 µg/mL)