Acaricidal activity of Foeniculum vulgare against Rhipicephalus annulatus is mainly dependent on its constituent from trans-anethone

Globally, the economic losses due to hard ticks infestation and the control of the associated diseases have been calculated at USD $13.9-18.7 billion per year. The economic impact is related to its direct damage to the skins, blood loss, anemia, severe immunological reactions and indirect losses that related to the effects of hemoparasites, cost of treatment for clinical cases and expenses incurred in the control of ticks. The current study evaluated the acaricidal activities of fennel Foeniculum vulgare essential oil and its main components; trans-anethole and fenchone; against R. annulatus. GC-MS analysis revealed that this oil contained 16 components representing 99.9% of the total identified compounds with E-anethole being the predominant component(64.29%), followed by fenchone (9.94%). The fennel oil and trans-anethole showed significant acaricidal activities. The LC50 of the fennel oil was attained at concentrations of 12.96% for adult ticks and 1.75% for tick larvae meanwhile the LC50 of trans-anethole was reached at concentrations of 2.36% for adult tick and 0.56% for tick larvae. On the contrary, fenchone showed no any significant adulticidal activities and its LC50 attained at a concentration of 9.11% for tick larvae. Regarding repellence activities, trans-anethole achieved 100% repellency at the concentration of 10% while fennel showed 86% repellency at the same concentration. Fenchone showed no repellency effect. Treatment of larvae with fennel, trans-anethole, and fenchone LC50 concentrations significantly inhibited the acetylcholinesterase activity. Meanwhile, glutathione s-transferase activity was significantly decreased in fennel treated larvae but no significant effect was found in the larvae of trans-anethole and fenchone groups. These results indicate that the acaricide effect of fennel oil may attributed to its high content of trans-anethole. This was supported by potent adulticidal, larvicidal, and repellency effects of trans-anethole against Rhipeciphalus annulatus tick and therefore it could be included in the list of acaricide of plant origin

In vitro production protocol of Vaccinium uliginosum L. (bog bilberry) growing in the Turkish flora

WOS: 000408334500007This novel approach was designed to increase the production capacity of Vaccinium uliginosum L. via direct organogenesis. Lateral buds containing one or two leaves were initially cultured in McCown woody plant medium (WPM), Anderson's rhododendron medium, and Murashige and Skoog basal media, each supplemented with zeatin/indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and zeatin/naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (1.0/0.1 mg L-1). WPM containing the zeatin/IBA combination was the most effective as the basal medium. Various plant growth regulators (PGRs) were then investigated for the best shoot multiplication, and zeatin was found to be most favorable PGR in all cases. The highest shoot length and shoot number at 40.02 mm and 3.73-fold were obtained from the medium supplemented with 2.0/0.1/0.2 mg L-1 zeatin/IBA/gibberellic acid. Rooting capability was also studied by using WPM with IBA, indole-3-acetic acid, and NAA (0.25-1.0 mg L-1) with or without activated charcoal (AC). It was found that 0.5/1.0 mg L-1 IBA/AC gave the highest rooting percentage at 18%. Rooted plantlets transplanted into peat: perlite (2:1) substrates were subsequently acclimatized under climate chamber conditions.KTU-BAP (Scientific Research Committee of Karadeniz Technical University) [KTU-BAP-2009.111.004.5]; Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology [0360.TGSD.2011]The authors deeply appreciate the financial support of KTU-BAP (the Scientific Research Committee of Karadeniz Technical University) and the Ministry of Science, Industry, and Technology for projects KTU-BAP-2009.111.004.5 and 0360.TGSD.2011, respectively

In vitro seed germination, plantlet growth, tuberization, and synthetic seed production of Serapias vomeracea (Burm. f.) Briq.

WOS: 000390711200004Orchids are considered recalcitrant plants in in vitro propagation. Due to the lack of appropriate micropropagation techniques for mass production and damage to their ecological distribution posed by local gatherers, these species are threatened with extinction, including Serapias vomeracea (Burm. f.) Briq. In this research, we put forward a complete micropropagation method covering in vitro micropropagation, synthetic seed formation, germination in soil, and acclimatization to ambient conditions. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of successful synthetic seed formation and germination of S. vomeracea. Initially, seeds were germinated in different culture media and also media supplemented with different concentrations of plant growth regulators. Effects of plant growth regulators on tuber formation, glucomannan contents, and different growth parameters were evaluated throughout the study. The best germination rate (84.03%) was achieved on Orchimax including activated charcoal medium and supplemented with 2.0 mg/L 6-benzyladenine. The longest shoot elongation amongst plantlets was observed on the same medium supplemented with 0.25 mg/L thidiazuron, whereas 2.0 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid favored leaf formation. Higher indole-3-butyric acid concentrations were found to be more effective in the formation and elongation of roots. Orchimax medium supplemented with zeatin (2.0 mg/L) was superior to the others in terms of tuber formation and glucomannan content therein. Adaptation of seedlings to soil conditions and germination abilities of synthetic seeds were also studied and seedlings were successfully acclimatized and adapted to soil conditions.Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Republic of TurkeyMinistry of Science, Industry & Technology - Turkey [00102.TGSD.2009]The authors are grateful to the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Republic of Turkey, for supporting the project (No. 00102.TGSD.2009) under the framework of Techno-Entrepreneurship

Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Potential of Crataegus Fruits Grown in Tunisia as Determined by DPPH, FRAP, and β-Carotene/Linoleic Acid Assay

Crataegus fruit is one of most important fruits in Tunisian flora. Some fruits of this genus are edible. This study was undertaken in order to examine the benefits of these fruits in human health and their composition of antioxidants including total polyphenol, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins content, and total anthocyanins. The antioxidative properties of the ultrasonic methanolic extract were assessed by different in vitro methods such as the FRAP, DPPH, and β-carotene/linoleic acid assay. We concluded that peel fraction of red fruits possessed relatively high antioxidant activity and might be a rich source of natural antioxidants in comparison with the pulp and seed fruit extract. The results also showed that hawthorn yellow fruit presents lower amounts of phenolic content, absence of anthocyanins, and less antioxidant capacity. Most of peel and seed fractions were stronger than the pulp fractions in antioxidant activity based on their DPPH IC50, FRAP values, and results of β-carotene/linoleic acid. The total phenolic compounds contents were also highly correlated with the DPPH method and the FRAP assay

In vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiviral activities of the essential oil and various extracts from Thymus nummularis M. Bieb.

WOS: 000379195200007This study is designed to determine the in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiviral activities of hexane, chloroform, water extracts and essential oils of Thymus nummularis M. Bieb. Chemical composition of essential oil was determined by employing GC-MS and GC-FID analyses; thymol being the main component in 58 %. The oil and extracts were screened for their possible antioxidant activities by two complementary test systems, namely DPPH free radical scavenging and Carotene color bleaching test a spectrophotometric method. The highest free radical scavenging activity was observed in the essential oil (IC50: 2.3 mu g/ml) whilst, in beta-Carotene color bleaching test, chloroform extract showed superiority, with an inhibition rate at 79.95 %. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the extracts were also evaluated and among which the essential oil exerted better activity against all microorganisms tested except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nevertheless, none was effective against test viruses, namely HSV and Influenza

Antioxidant phenolic constituents, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of Stachys annua L. from both natural resources and micropropagated plantlets

UCAR, Evren ONAY/0000-0003-1152-4881; Ucar, Evren Onay/0000-0003-1152-4881WOS: 000407987700007An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed to produce Stachys annua plantlets and the extracts obtained from both micropropagated and naturally growing individuals were evaluated for their possible antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Mean number of shoot (4.5 +/- 0.54 per explant) and node number (4.56 +/- 0.5 per explant) as well as biomass yield based on fresh (0.29 +/- 0.02 gm per explant) and dry weight (0.029 +/- 0.003 gm per explant) were found to be the highest on MS medium with 6-BA, whilst the highest mean shoot length (36.65 +/- 1.58 mm) was obtained from MS medium containing 2iP. Hexane extracts from both sources showed activity against Staphylococcus aureus whilst methanol extracts of micropropagated plantlets exerted activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In antioxidant activity assays, the best antioxidant activity was up to IC50 9.41 mg/mL in DPPH and 1409.5 (mg/100 gm trolox equivalent) was found in FRAP. Extracts from natural plantlets showed higher cytotoxic activity micropropagated ones, with IC50 of 0.099 mu g/mL and IC(50)of 0.211 mu g/mL on HeLa cells, respectively. Total phenolics ranged from 87.47 to 605.12 in micropropagated samples while 771.46 (mg/100 gm gallic acid equivalent) in natural resources.KTU-BAP (The Scientific Research Commitee of Karadeniz Technical University) [KTU-BAP.1064. 2216]The authors deeply appreciate the financial support of KTU-BAP (The Scientific Research Commitee of Karadeniz Technical University) for the project KTU-BAP.1064. 2216 Research FellowshipProgramme For ForeignCitizens(TUBITAK) is acknowledged for funding author A. H. Laghari for post doctorate studies in Karadeniz Technical University

The in vitro antioxidative properties of the essential oils and methanol extracts of Satureja spicigera (K. Koch.) Boiss. and Satureja cuneifolia ten

This study was dcsigııed to examine the in vitro antioxidant activities of the essential oil and methanol extracts of Satııreja Jpicigera and S. cımeifo/ia from Turkish flora. GC and GC/MS analysis of the essential oils resulted in the identification of 40 and 29 compounds, representing the 99.4% and 99.5% of the oils, respectively. Major constituents of tlıe oils werc carvacrol (42.5% and 67.1%), y-terpinene (21.5'Yo and 15.2%) and p-cymcne (20.9% and 6.7%), respectively. Mctlıanol extracts were alsa obtaincd froın the aerial parts of the plants. The saınples were subjccted to a screening for their possible antioxidant activitics by using 2,2-diphcnyl - l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and [l-carotcnc-linoleic acid assays. ln general, samplcs obtained from S.·cııııeifolia exerted greater antioxidant activities than did those obtained froın S. spicigera . In the DPPH test system, free radical-scavenging activity of S. spicigera oil was detennined to be 127 ± 1 .63 rıg/ml, whcrcas 1C50 value of S. cwıeifo/ia was 89. 1 ± 2.29 rıg/ml. in the p-carotene-linoleic acid test system, antioxidant activities of the oil wcrc 81.7 ± 1.14% ancl 93.7 ± J .83%, respectively. Antioxiclant activities of the synthetic antioxiclant, BHT, ascorbic acid, curcumin and cı.-tocopherol were also determinecl in parallel experiments. © 2005 Elsevier Ltcl. All rights reservccl