Determination of the antioxidant properties of ethanol and water extracts from different parts of Teucrium parviflorum Schreber

This study was designed to examine in vitro antioxidant of extracts of Teucrium parviflorum Schreber. The plants were extracted successively in ethanol and water using soxhlet-apparatus. They were screened for possible antioxidant activity using the ABTS• (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulphonic acid)) radical scavenging capacity, DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging capacity, superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity, reducing power and metal chelating activities. These various antioxidant activities were compared with standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and α- tocopherol. The extracts of T. parviflorum showed strong antioxidant activity and effective antioxidant assay. This antioxidant property depends on concentration and increase with increased amount of sample. In addition, total phenolic compounds in the extracts of T. parviflorum were determined as pyrocatecol equivalents. The results obtained in the present study indicated that T. parviflorum is a potential source of natural antioxidant.Keywords: Teucrium parviflorum, antioxidant activity, medicinal plants, extract, flower, leaves

Animal-fungal interactions 2: First report of mycophagy by the Eastern European Hedgehog, Erinaceus concolor Martin, 1837 (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae)

Mycophagy (fungivory) performs numerous important ecosystem functions for fungi, plants, and animals. Fungi serve as food for diverse mammals, ranging from bears, Ursus spp., to shrews, Sorex spp. However, among the many mammals reported to eat fungi, hedgehogs and other insectivores have been poorly studied. Based on microscopic examination of a fecal sample collected from an Eastern European Hedgehog (Erinaceus concolor) near Ula-MuÄŸla, Turkey, we provide the first confirmed evidence of mycophagy by hedgehogs and review the literature on hedgehog mycophagy

Investigation of antioxidant effects of rosmarinic acid on liver, lung and kidney in rats: a biochemical and histopathological study

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effects of rosmarinic acid in rats exposed to hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Materials and methods: Thirty-two rats were randomly classified into four groups of 8 rats each: laparotomy without medication, rosmarinic acid (dose of 50 mg/kg via oral gavage) followed by laparotomy, laparotomy followed by hepatic I/R, and hepatic I/R with rosmarinic acid. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alaninę aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde levels and total oxidant activity and total antioxidant capacity levels of the liver, lung, and kidney were assessed. The histopathologic assessment was also performed. Results: Rosmarinic acid significantly reduced liver function test parameters and decreased oxidative stress and abnormal histopathologic findings in the liver. The oxidative stress in the lung significantly increased in the I/R group but significantly decreased in the I/R + rosmarinic acid group due to the addition of rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid led to no reduction in oxidative stress in kidney following hepatic I/R injury. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups regarding histopathologic changes in kidney and lung sections. Conclusions: Rosmarinic acid has antioxidant properties and is an effective hepatoprotective agent. However, although rosmarinic acid provides useful effects in the lung by increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative stress after I/R injury, it does not ameliorate histopathologic changes. These findings suggest that rosmarinic acid is likely to provide favourable outcomes in the treatment of hepatic I/R injury

Turkish truffles 2: eight new records from Anatolia

Eight truffle taxa are identified as new records for Turkey: two representing Ascomycota (Tuber ferrugineum, Tuber puberulum) and six representing Basidiomycota (Hymenogaster rehsteineri, Hysterangium calcareum, Leucophleps aculeatispora, Melanogaster macrosporus, Sclerogaster compactus, Sclerogaster hysterangioides). We also report new localities within Turkey for Tuber borchii and Melanogaster ambiguus

Results on light dark matter particles with a low-threshold CRESST-II detector

The CRESST-II experiment uses cryogenic detectors to search for nuclear recoil events induced by the elastic scattering of dark matter particles in CaWO$_4$ crystals. Given the low energy threshold of our detectors in combination with light target nuclei, low mass dark matter particles can be probed with high sensitivity. In this letter we present the results from data of a single detector module corresponding to 52 kg live days. A blind analysis is carried out. With an energy threshold for nuclear recoils of 307 eV we substantially enhance the sensitivity for light dark matter. Thereby, we extend the reach of direct dark matter experiments to the sub-region and demonstrate that the energy threshold is the key parameter in the search for low mass dark matter particles.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure