Nilgün Öztürk

Turkey is one of the most important centers of diversity for the genus Achillea L. in the world. Keeping in mind the immense medicinal importance of phenols, in this study, three species growing in Turkey, A. coarctata Poir. (AC), A. kotschyi Boiss. subsp. kotschyi (AK) and A. lycaonica Boiss. & Heldr. (AL) were evaluated for their phenolic compositions, total phenolic contents (TPC), antioxidant properties, wound healing potencies on NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Comprehensive LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that AK was distinctively rich in chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, apigenin, hesperidin, rutin, kaempferol and luteolin (2890.6, 987.3, 797.0, 422.5, 188.1, 159.4 and 121.2 µg analyte/g extract, respectively). The findings exhibited a strong correlation between TPC and both free radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Among studied species, the highest TPC (148.00 mg GAE/g extract) and TAC (2.080 UAE), the strongest radical scavenging (EC₅₀ = 32.63 μg/mL), the most prominent wound healing and most abundant cytotoxic activities were observed with AK. The results suggested that AK is a valuable source of flavonoids and chlorogenic acid with important antioxidant, wound healing and cytotoxic activities. These findings warrant further studies to assess the potential of AK as a bioactive source that could be exploited in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries.

This article presents a newly developed capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) using dynamic coating with hydroxyethylcellulose methodology for the separation of fourteen standard DNA fragments and determination of RAPD-PCR products after a PCR purification clean-up procedure for certain Salvia (sage) species. The developed CGE was successfully applied to the RAPD products of ten different Turkish Salvia (sage) species (Salvia bracteata, S. candidissima, S. ceratophylla, S. dichroantha (endemic), S. forskahlei, S. fruticosa, S. sclarea, S. tomentosa, S. verticillata, and S. viridis). These medicinal plants exhibit a wide range of Turkish flora. The CGE results were compared with those by the slab gel electrophoresis (SGE). The present study offers an alternative CGE method to SGE for the effective separation and evaluation of RAPD-PCR products. This CGE has certain advantages to SGE on the viewpoint of requiring smaller amount of sample and solvent, higher resolution and speed, easier automation, higher sensitivity, and online detection. DNA analysis in Salvia species can help further understanding of their biological functions. In this study, a phylogenetic relationship was analysed by SGE. S. fruticosa and S. dichroantha are genetically the most distant species, and S. bracteata and S. fruticosa are the the most similar species.

The infusions and extracts obtained from leaves with flowers, fruit peel, and seed from hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Family Rosaceae) were subjected to evaluation as potential sources of antioxidant phytochemicals on the basis of their total content of phenolics, levels of phenolic acids, and in vitro antiradical activity. Total phenolic content of extracts was determined using the modified Folin–Ciocalteau method. Antioxidant activity was determined for phenolic extracts by a method involving the use of the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Phenolic acids containing extracts and infusions from hawthorn leaves, fruit peel, and seeds were obtained using different polarity solvents and separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, which enabled improved separation by the use of a C₁₈ column, an acidic mobile phase, and gradient elusion. The highest total phenolic content (343.54 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g) and the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity as the inhibition percentage (60.36%) were obtained in ethyl acetate extract from hawthorn leaves with flower. Also, the highest phenolic acid content was measured in the extracts of hawthorn leaves with flowers: protocathechuic (108–128 mg/100 g), p-hydroxy benzoic (141–468 mg/100 g), caffeic (137–3,580 mg/100 g), chlorogenic (925–4,637 mg/100 g), ferulic (3,363–3,462 mg/100 g), vanillic (214 mg/100 g), and syringic (126 mg/100 g) acids. The results indicate that hawthorn is a promising plant because of its high antioxidant activity.

This study was designed to investigate possible antidepressant-like effects of the extract prepared from the flowers of Hypericum montbretti Spach. (Guttiferae, Clusiaceae). Phytochemical constituents of the methanolic extract were analysed by HPLC method. The main flavonoid component was detected as rutin, and another highly concentrated phenolic compound was quercitrin. Antidepressant activity of the extract was examined by tail suspension and modified forced swimming tests, whereas the motor coordination of the animals was tested by the Rota-Rod apparatus. Reboxetine at a dose of 20 mg kg⁻¹ was used as a reference drug. Dose-dependent antidepressant activity was observed in both tests following the administration of extract at 100 and 250 mg kg⁻¹ doses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the antidepressant activity of H. montbretti extract. Additionally, the results of this work support previous papers reporting the antidepressant activity of rutin.

This study was designed to determine the polyphenolic contents of the extracts and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Hypericum origanifolium Willd. and H. montbretii Spach. (Guttiferae (Hypericaceae)), The possible composition activity relationship was investigated and the results were compared with that of H. perforatum L. Methanol, ethyl acetate, and water were used as solvents to produce extracts from flowers and leaves of the plants. The determination of phenolic acids in the Hypericum species was achieved by using a modified Reverse phase-High pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method adopting an internal standard. It was observed that chlorogenic and caffeic acids were higher in all extracts. The highest values were found in ethyl acetate extracts for total phenolic content as gallic acid and for the flavonoids and flavonols as rutin equivalents (all measurements are mg/g), respectively. Hypericum extracts were evaluated for their radical scavenging activity by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and their oxidative stability by the Rancimat method. Results were compared with Butyllated hidroxy toluene (BHT), a synthetic antioxidant, and with a reference plant, H. perforatum. A good correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenol content in the extracts was observed. In an antioxidant activity assay, the leaf extracts of H. origanifolium were found to be two or three times more active than those of BHT, H. perforatum, and H. montbretii leaves and flowers. In an antiradical activity assay, leaves and flowers of H. montbretii and leaves of H. origanifolium were the most active at the tested concentrations, exhibiting an activity comparable to that of the positive control BHT, but all of the extracts, with the exception of the leaves of H. montbretii, showed activity weaker than the leaves and flowers of H. perforatum, the reference plant.

The determination of certain phenolic acids employing a gradient HPLC method is described, in this study. The analysis was performed by using a gradient program with the two solvents system (A: methanol:water:formic acid (10∶88∶2 v/v); B: methanol:water:formic acid (90:8:2 v/v)). The flow rate of 1 mL · min⁻¹, injection volume of 10 µL was used and signals were detected at 280 nm. Propylparaben was a suitable compound as an internal standard for this system. The method was validated and highly repeatable (between RSD values of 0.35–1.65) and linear results were obtained. The LOD and LOQ values of the phenolic acids are in the range of (2.58×10⁻⁶−9.69×10⁻⁶ M) and (7.83×10⁻⁶−2.93×10⁻⁵ M), respectively. The applicability of the method was tested by using some plant source materials, and the phenolic acid contents were successfully determined via well‐defined peaks. Therefore, the progressed method is suggested for the quantification of phenolic acids in food industry and laboratories.

Wound healing properties of Gentian (Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra) extract and its main constituents, gentiopicroside, sweroside and swertiamarine (compounds 1 - 3, respectively) were evaluated by comparison with dexpanthenol on cultured chicken embryonic fibroblasts. The extract was also analyzed by HPLC to quantify its constituents. Chicken embryonic fibroblasts from fertilized eggs were incubated with the plant extract and its constituents, compounds 1 - 3. Using microscopy, mitotic ability, morphological changes and collagen production in the cultured fibroblasts were evaluated as parameters. Wound healing activity of Gentian seems to be mainly due to the increase in the stimulation of collagen production and the mitotic activity by compounds 2 and 3, respectively (p < 0.005 in all cases). All three compounds also exhibited cytoprotective effects, which may cause a synergism in terms of wound healing activity of Gentian. The findings demonstrated the wound healing activity of Gentian, which has previously been based only on ethnomedical data. DMEM:Dulbecco-modified Eagle's Medium DMSO:Dimethyl sulfoxide FCS:Fetal calf serum GE:Extract of G. lutea ssp. symphyandra PBS:Phosphate buffered saline

A methanolic extact of Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra roots has been investigated for its possible effects on the central nervous system of mice. At doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg (i.p.), the methanol extract of Gentiana roots caused a significant increase in the swimming endurance test and exhibited slight analgesic activity, but no lethality in mice suggesting some activity on the central nervous system. However, there was no indication of sedation or muscular fatigue at the doses employed. HPLC analysis showed that three secoiridoid compounds, gentiopicroside, swertiamarine and sweroside were present and may have been responsible for the CNS effects of the methanol extract of Gentiana lutea ssp. symphyandra roots. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.