Antimicrobial activities, pollen diversity and physicochemical properties of natural honey from Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey

Background: Honey, a natural sweetener, is produced from the nectar of many plants. The pollen diversity, physicochemical properties, and antimicrobial activities were analyzed in honey samples from Mardin (Southeastern Anatolia). Methods: The melissopalynological method was used to identify and enumerate the pollen granules. Analytical methods and agar well diffusion assays were employed for the determination of some quality parameters and the antimicrobial potential of honey samples, respectively. Results: The pollen composition consisted of 27 taxa belonging to 13 families. The origins of all honey were determined as the multifloral sources. The most predominant taxa were mainly Hedysarum sp., Carduus sp., Melissa officinalis, Gossypium hirsitum, Paliurus spina-christi, Salix sp. and Pimpinella anisum. The secondary pollen taxa were Hedysarum sp., Trifolium sp., Astragalus sp., Salix sp., Paliurus spina-christi, Asphodeline sp., Centaurea sp., Carduus sp., Zea mays and Cistus sp., respectively. Asphodeline sp. as a secondary pollen taxon in a honey sample could be considered as the first report. The pH, total acidity, brix, refractive index, electrical conductivity, moisture and L, a, b values of the samples varied from 3.75 to 4.28, 30 to 42, 67.3 to 85.70, 1.45 to 1.50, 12.40 to 31.61, 0.24 to 0.90, 47.81 to 57.59, -0.94 to 4.31, 20.37 to 31.28, respectively. Antimicrobial activities of the honey specimens were also effective on five bacterial species and two yeast species. Conclusions: Honey samples from Southeastern Anatolia revealed a good diversity of pollen granules. The rich multiflora of honey increases not only its nutritional quality as well as antimicrobial potential on various clinically important microorganisms.

Essential Oil Constituents of Tanacetum cilicicum: Antimicrobial and Phytotoxic Activities

Aerial parts of Tanacetum cilicicum were hydrodistillated for 3 h using Clevenger. Essential oil (EO) yield was 0.4% (v/w). According to the GC/MS analyses, EO of T. cilicicum consisted of monoterpenes [ -pinene (2.95 ± 0.19%), sabinene (2.32 ± 0.11%), and limonene (3.17 ± 0.25)], oxygenated monoterpenes [eucalyptol (5.08 ± 0.32%), camphor (3.53 ± 0.27%), linalool (7.01 ± 0.32%), -terpineol (3.13 ± 0.23%), and borneol (4.21 ± 0.17%)], and sesquiterpenes [sesquisabinene hydrate (6.88 ± 0.41%), nerolidol (4.90 ± 0.33%), -muurolol (4.57% ± 0.35), spathulanol (2.98 ± 0.12%), juniper camphor (2.68 ± 0.19%), (-)-caryophyllene oxide (2.64 ± 0.19%), 8-hydroxylinalool (2.62 ± 0.15%), and Δ-cadinene (2.48 ± 0.16%)]. In the antimicrobial assay, MIC/MBC values of the EO were the most significant on B. subtilis (0.39/0.78 L/mL) and B. cereus (0.78/1.56 L/mL). The most prominent phytotoxic activities of the EO were observed on L. sativa, L. sativum, and P. oleracea. The results of the present study indicated that EO of T. cilicicum includes various medicinally and industrially crucial phytoconstituents that could be in use for industrial applications. The finding of this study is the first report on this species from the East Mediterranean region

Medicinal plants in traumatic brain injury: Neuroprotective mechanisms revisited

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most prevalent health problem affecting all age groups, and leads to many secondary problems in other organs especially kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and heart function. In this review, the search terms were TBI, fluid percussion injury, cold injury, weight drop impact acceleration injury, lateral fluid percussion, cortical impact injury, and blast injury. Studies with Actaea racemosa, Artemisia annua, Aframomum melegueta, Carthamus tinctorius, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Crocus sativus, Cnidium monnieri, Curcuma longa, Gastrodia elata, Malva sylvestris, Da Chuanxiong Formula, Erigeron breviscapus, Panax ginseng, Salvia tomentosa, Satureja khuzistanica, Nigella sativa, Drynaria fortune, Dracaena cochinchinensis, Polygonum cuspidatum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rheum tanguticum, Centella asiatica, and Curcuma zedoaria show a significant decrease in neuronal injury by different mechanisms such as increasing superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, suppressing nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB), interleukin 1 (IL‐1), glial fibrillary acidic protein, and IL‐6 expression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of medicinal plants in central nervous system pathologies by reviewing the available literature

3-Acetoxyaminoquinazolin-4(3H)-ones as aziridinating agents for alkenes : stereochemistry and mechanism

Yields of aziridines from aziridinations of some alkenes using 3-acetoxyaminoquinoazolinones are greatly increased in the presence of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS). It is concluded that the enhanced yields in these aziridinations are the result of scavenging of acetic acid which is produced in acetoxylation of N-aminoquinazolinones by lead tetra-acetate, as well as in the aziridination step, thus prolonging the lifetime aziridinating agent (QNHOAc).;The effect of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) on the competitive reactions of 5-H and 5-Me 3-acetoxyaminoquinazolinones with methyl and tert-butyl acrylate is interpreted as supporting a change in transition state geometry from one where (Q)C=O/(ester)C=O overlap is replaced by (Q)C=N+H/(ester)C=O overlap (Q=quinazolinone). Aziridination of methyl- and tert-butyl acrylate using 2-trifluoromethyl-substituted 5-H and 5-Me 3-acetoxyaminoquinazolinones takes place through the transition state involving (Q)C=N(ester)C=O overlap even in the absence of TFA.;Aziridination of a range of -substituted-styrenes using enantiopure 3-acetoxyaminoquinazolinones has been carried out. diastereoselectivity for -methylstyrene, -chloromethylstyrene, -dichloromethylstyrene increases from 5:1 to 10:1 to 20:1 respectively. This increase is rationalised using Frontier Orbital Theory.;The absence of two of the four possible diastereoisomers from the aziridination of a racemic ester-substituted allylic alcohol with a racemic 3-acetoxyaminoquinazolinone was confirmed by independent synthesis of the absent diastereoisomers. Diastereoselectivity in this reaction is attributed to the effects of hydrogen bonding in the transition state between the -hydroxy in the alkene and the N-acetoxyamino group in the quinazolinone and this conclusion is supported by modelling studies. Aziridination of the analogous phenyl-substituted allylic alcohol with the same racemic 3-acetoxyaminoquinazolinone has also been investigated

Alkaliphilic Micro-Organisms and Habitats

This review article summarizes the current status of the biodiversity of alkaliphilic microorganisms in various environments and outlines aspects of their biotechnological potential. The article distinguishes thalassohaline versus athalassohaline hypersaline environments, high calcium versus low calcium (soda lakes and deserts) alkaline environments, and alkalophilic versus alkalitolerant organisms. Biotechnological applications include: enzymes, pharmaceutical compounds, food, degradation of macromolecules, and microbially enhanced oil recovery

Spectroscopic characterization of oxime ligands and their complexes

New imine-oxime ligands H3L1-H3L3 have been obtained from reactions of the Schiff base ligands H2B1-H2B3 with monochloroglyoxime. Mononuclear copper(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), vanadyl(IV) and zinc(II) complexes of the imine-oxime ligands H3L1-H3L3 have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared and electronic spectra, magnetic moment and molar conductance data. The molar conductance data show that the complexes are non-electrolytes. When the imine-oxime ligands react with the metal salts in a 2:1 ratio, they behave as dibasic bidentate ligands towards one metal ion. The nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes are diamagnetic. The 1H(13C)-nmr spectra of all ligands and nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes of the ligands H3L1-H3L3 have been recorded. Mass spectra of the imine-oxime ligands and their nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes were recorded. Some of the ligands and metal complexes have antibacterial activity

Chemical Composition, Antibacterial and Insecticidal Activities of the Essential Oil from the Pistacia terebinthusL. Spp. Palaestina (Boiss.) (Anacardiaceae)

WOS: 000337612900010Essential oil (EO) was hydrodistillated using a Clevenger-type apparatus and chemically determined using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The analysis of the EO from the leaves of the Pistacia terebinthus has indicated that -pinene (19.97%), sabinene (15.43%), -pinene (8.57%) and terpinen-4-ol (9.65%) are the major compounds of the oil in concern. In the antibacterial disc diffusion assay, EO revealed a broad spectrum activity on the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when compared with the standard antibiotics. Likewise, in the insecticidal assay, significant activity was observed on two important pest insects, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Tribolium castaneum. A 100% mortality was found at 160L/L air dose for T.castaneum at 48-h and A.obtectus at 72-h exposure periods, respectively. Practical Applications Various parts of the Pistacia terebinthusL. belonging to the Anacardiaceae family are edible and contribute significant benefits with invaluable potentialities to the Mediterranean life. Leaves of this tree are consumed as either fresh or cooked. The biological potential of the essential oil (EO) from the leaves of P. terebinthusL. grown in the Eastern Mediterranean region has not been assessed so far. The present assays indicated that the EO of P.terebinthus contains bioactive compounds against bacteria and pest insects suggesting its potential use in food processing and preservation.Scientific Research Project (Osmaniye Korkut Ata University-BAP, Osmaniye, Turkey)Osmaniye Korkut Ata UniversityThis study was supported in part by the Scientific Research Project (Osmaniye Korkut Ata University-BAP, Osmaniye, Turkey). Authors would like to express their many thanks to Assoc. Prof. Abdurrahman Ayvaz for supplying the insect cultures and providing a place for the insecticidal assay in the Biology Department of Science and Arts Faculty, Erciyes University (Kayseri, Turkey)

Chemical composition, antibacterial and insecticidal activities of the essential oil from the Pistacia terebinthus L. Spp. palaestina (Boiss.) (Anacardiaceae)

Essential oil (EO) was hydrodistillated using a Clevenger-type apparatus and chemically determined using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry. The analysis of the EO from the leaves of the Pistacia terebinthus has indicated that ?-pinene (19.97%), sabinene (15.43%), ß-pinene (8.57%) and terpinen-4-ol (9.65%) are the major compounds of the oil in concern. In the antibacterial disc diffusion assay, EO revealed a broad spectrum activity on the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when compared with the standard antibiotics. Likewise, in the insecticidal assay, significant activity was observed on two important pest insects, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Tribolium castaneum. A 100% mortality was found at 160µL/L air dose for T.castaneum at 48-h and A.obtectus at 72-h exposure periods, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc