Taxonomic Study of the New Record Epilobium anatolicum Hausskn. subsp. anatolicum (Onagraceae) in Iraq

EpilobiumanatolicumHausskn. subsp. anatolicum is a new record from Onagraceae family in Iraq, present in Hasarost mountain (north-east of Erbil) in Rowanduz district (MRO). The identification of the plant specimens confirmed by the keys in the available references, Morphological description was done, and some distinguishing characters are given. Pollen grains characters have been studied such as shapes, colors, sizes, surface ornamentation and numbers.In addition, some features of the leaf and stem anatomy have been examined

Iridoids Isolation from a Phytochemical Study of the Medicinal Plant Teucrium parviflorum Collected in Iraqi Kurdistan

Herbal medicines are still widely practiced in Kurdistan Region-Iraq, especially by people living in villages on mountainous regions. Among plants belonging to the genus Teucrium (family Lamiaceae), which are commonly employed in the Kurdish traditional medicine, we have analyzed, for the first time, the methanol and aqueous methanol extracts of T. parviflorum aerial parts. The plant is mainly used by Kurds to treat jaundice, liver disorders and stomachache. We aimed to determine the phytochemical profile of the extracts and the structures of the main components, so to provide a scientific rationale for the ancient use of the plant in the ethno-pharmacological field. TLC analysis of the two extracts on silica gel and reversed phase TLC plates, using different visualization systems, indicated similar contents and the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids and sugars. The chlorophyll-free extracts exhibited weak/no antimicrobial activities against a panel of bacteria (MICs = 800–1600 µg/mL) and fungal strains (MICs ≥ 5 mg/mL). At the concentration of 600 µg/mL, the methanol extract showed moderate antiproliferative effects against A549 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines in the MTS assay. Moreover, both extracts exhibited a significant dose-dependent free radical scavenging action against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (EC50 = 62.11 and 44.25 μg/mL, respectively). In a phytochemical study, a high phenolic content (77.08 and 81.47 mg GAE/g dry extract, respectively) was found in both extracts by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay. Medium pressure liquid chromatographic (MPLC) separation of the methanol extract on a reversed phase cartridge eluted with a gradient of MeOH in H2O, afforded two bioactive iridoid glucosides, harpagide (1) and 8-O-acetylharpagide (2). The structures of 1 and 2 were established by spectral data, chemical reactions, and comparison with the literature. Interestingly, significant amounts of hepatotoxic furano neo-clerodane diterpenoids, commonly occurring in Teucrium species, were not detected in the extract. The wide range of biological activities reported in the literature for compounds 1 and 2 and the significant antiradical effects of the extracts give scientific support to the traditional use in Iraqi Kurdistan of T. parviflorum aerial parts for the preparation of herbal remedies

Phytochemical profile, Antioxidant, Enzyme inhibitory and acute toxicity activity of Astragalus bruguieri

 تم استخدام النباتات الطبية (أنواع استراغالوس) تقليديًا كمضاد للالتهابات ومضاد للأكسدة ومضاد لمرضى السكر. يبحث البحث الحالي في الكيمياء النباتية وبعض النشاط البيولوجي لمستخلص الميثانول لأجزاء مختلفة من Astragalus bruguieri Bioss.، وهو نبات طبي بري ينمو في جبل سفين، أربيل، العراق. تم تحليل المستخلصات الميثانولية للنبات A. bruguieri لمعرفة محتويات الفينول والفلافونويد والسابونين. تم تحليل نشاط مضادات الأكسدة في المختبر بواسطة مقايسات 2،2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) و2،2'azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS). علاوة على ذلك، تم فحص المستخلصات النباتية لمعرفة النشاط المثبط للإنزيم المختبري والسمية شبه الحادة في الجسم الحي. أظهرت النتائج أعلى محتوى إجمالي من الفينول (28.83، 20.62 مجم GAEs / جم) في الأوراق والجذور على التوالي. بينما وجد أعلى محتوى إجمالى من الفلافونويد (50.08، 44.01 مجم REs / جم) في الأجزاء الهوائية والأوراق على التوالي. كان إجمالي الصابونين أكثر انتشارًا (25.33، 23.18 مجم من مستخلص GAEs / جم) في الجذور والأجزاء الهوائية، على التوالي. أظهر قياس نشاط مضادات الأكسدة في المختبر بواسطة مقايسة (DPPH) أن الأوراق كجزء متفوق في هذا النشاط (42.19   mg مستخلص TEs / g)، بينما أشار تقييم مضادات الأكسدة بواسطة مقايسة (ABTS) إلى أن الجذور هي الجزء الأكثر نشاطًا (86.90   mg TEs / مستخلص ز). تم العثور على α-glucosidase وα-amylase لتكون 0.45-0.67 و1.2-1.8 مللي مول ACAEs / جم على التوالي. أشار اختبار السمية الفموية الحادة إلى سلامة جرعة 600 مجم / كجم لأجزاء مختلفة من A. bruguieri على الجرذان البيضاء دون حدوث خلل سلوكي أو الموت. تعتبر الدراسة الحالية أول تقرير عن A. bruguieri كمصدر جديد محتمل للمواد المتوافقة حيويًا للعديد من المنتجات الصناعية.The medicinal plants (Astragalus species) have been used traditionally as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and Anti-diabetics. The current research investigates the phytochemistry and some biological activity of methanol extract of different parts of Astragalus bruguieri Bioss., a wild medicinal plant grows on Safeen mountain, Erbil, Iraq. The methanol extracts of A. bruguieri were analyzed for total phenolic, flavonoid, and saponin contents. In-vitro antioxidant activity was analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. Furthermore, the plant extracts were examined for in-vitro enzyme inhibitory activity and in-vivo sub-acute toxicity. The results have shown the highest total phenolic (28.83, 20.62 mg GAEs/g extracts) contents, in the leave and root extracts, respectively. While the highest total Flavonoid (50.08, 44.01 mg REs/g) contents, were found in the extracts of aerial parts and leaves, respectively. The total saponin was higher (25.33, 23.18 mg GAEs/g extracts) in the roots and aerial parts, respectively. In-vitro antioxidant   measurement by (DPPH) assay showed leaves as superior part in this activity (42.19mg TEs/g extract), while antioxidant evaluation by (ABTS) assay indicated roots as the most active part (86.90mg TEs/g extract). The α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity were found as 0.45-0.67, and 1.2-1.8 mmol ACAEs/g, respectively. The oral acute toxicity test indicated the safety of 600mg/kg dosage of different parts of A. bruguieri on albino rats without behavioral abnormality or mortality. The current study is considered as the first report on the A. bruguieri as a possible new source of biocompatible material for many industrial products

Phytochemistry and Ethnopharmacology of Some Medicinal Plants Used in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The majority of Kurds inhabit a region that includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. This review shows that the traditional medicine is still used by Kurdish peoples and underlines the medicinal value of a great number of plants used locally. The medicinal uses include the treatment of a variety of diseases, ranging from simple stomach-ache to highly complicate male and female disorders; even sexual weakness and kidney stones are treated by plants. The majority of the plants that are used are for curing gastro-intestinal disorders and inflammation, followed by urinary tract disorders, skin burns, irritations and liver problems. In the last part of this paper, we also report the first results of our ongoing research project on the constituents of some uninvestigated Kurdish medicinal plants. The C-glycosylflavone embinin, the α-methylene acyl derivative 6-tuliposide A, and the iridoids aucubin and ajugol were isolated for the first time from Iris persica, Tulipa systole and Verbascum calvum, respectively. These plants are traditionally used against inflammation, pain, and skin burns

Molecular study of the genus Eryngium L. (Apiaceae) in Iraq

This study was conducted to investigate the complete sequences of nuclear ITS region, which determined five species of Eryngium L. Apiaceae in Iraq to inference phylogenetic relationships. Pycnocycla aucheriana was used as outgroups. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using ClastalW in MEGA6 version 7.0.4.1 with high supported (bootstrapping) value for each clade in a dendrogram. The phylogenetic trees showed Eryngium glomerutum as the basal lineage in a dendrogram. The sister clade to E. glomerutum was E. billardieri which form the second clade in phylogenetic trees. The third clade included only E. creticum which is considered as a sister clade to the E. campestre and E. thyrosoideum in the dendrogram. Finally, the monophylly of each clade was well supported, and phylogenetic relationships between Enyngium species was cleared based on DNA Sequencing character

A New Record of Helichrysum chionophilum Boiss. & Bal. (Asteraceae) in Iraq

            Helichrysum chionophilum Boiss. & Bal. is a new addition to the Asteraceae family in Iraq, from Qandil mountain (north-east of Erbil) within Rowanduz district (MRO). Identification and morphological study have been conducted, these clarified by graphs. In addition, some characters of the pollen grains have been studied such as shapes, colors, sizes, numbers and surface sculpture

Bio-Active Compounds from Teucrium Plants Used in the Traditional Medicine of Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Herbal medicine is still widely practiced in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, especially by people living in villages in mountainous regions. Seven taxa belonging to the genus Teucrium (family Lamiaceae) are commonly employed in the Kurdish traditional medicine, especially to treat jaundice, stomachache and abdominal problems. We report, in this paper, a comprehensive account about the chemical structures and bioactivities of most representative specialized metabolites isolated from these plants. These findings indicate that Teucrium plants used in the folk medicine of Iraqi Kurdistan are natural sources of specialized metabolites that are potentially beneficial to human health

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

Background Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC). Findings In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683–0·717]). Interpretation In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required. Funding British Journal of Surgery Society