Yield and Composition of the Essential Oil of the Opopanax Genus in Turkey.

The genus Opopanax W. Koch (Apiaceae) is represented by four species in Turkey. The composition of the essential oil of Opopanax genus members (Apiaceae) growing in Turkey was investigated in this study. GC-MS was used to analyze the composition of Opopanax essential oil samples that were taken from their natural environments. The Clevenger apparatus was used to hydrodistill the plant's aerial parts, and the yields were determined to be between 0.2% v/w (for O. siifolius) and 0.4% (for O. hispidus, O. chironium, and O. persicus). The results and the chemical data provided some information and clues on the chemotaxonomy of the genus Opopanax. In this study, γ-elemene, butanoic acid octyl ester, and cylopropane were the main compounds identified in the essential oils of O. chironium, O. hispidus, and O. persicus. In particular, hexynyl n-valerate was most abundant in the essential oil of O. chironium, cyclopropane in that of O. hispidus, γ-elemene in that of O. persicus, and n-hexadecanoic acid/palmitic acid in that of O. siifolius. In a chemotaxonomic approach, the essential oil analysis of the Opopanax species revealed that these species conformed in a cluster analysis with their morphological classification. The constituents of the essential oils of all examined in the genus Opopanax were determined in this study, which is the most thorough one to date. This study provides new information about the composition of the essential oils of the investigated species.

Promnesic, Anxiolytic and Antioxidant Effects of Glaucosciadium cordifolium (Boiss.) Burtt & Davis Essential Oil in a Zebrafish Model of Cognitive Impairment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Glaucosciadium cordifolium essential oil (GCEO, 25 and 150 µL/L) on anxiety and learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine (SCOP) in zebrafish. The chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS, and the results showed that the highest content was limonene followed by α- and ß-pinene, p-cymene and α-phellandrene. The dementia model was induced by SCOP (100 µM), whereas GCEO and galantamine (GAL, 1 mg/L) were delivered to the SCOP-induced model. It was found that GCEO significantly improved memory impairment and anxiety-like response induced by SCOP through the Y-maze, novel object recognition (NOR) test, and novel tank diving tests (NTT). Biochemical analyses showed that GCEO reduced SCOP-induced oxidative damage. Additionally, the cholinergic system activity was improved in the SCOP-induced model by decreasing the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity following the exposure to GCEO. It was clear that as a mixture, GCEO displays positive action in improving memory impairment through restoring cholinergic dysfunction and brain antioxidant status.

Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. Essential Oil Improved Brain Function via Cholinergic Modulation and Antioxidant Effects in the Scopolamine-Induced Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Model.

Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. is a medicinal plant that displays antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and neuroprotective properties. The effect of A. purpurascens essential oil (APO) on memory impairments and brain oxidative stress in zebrafish (Danio rerio) treated with scopolamine (Sco), as well as the underlying mechanism involved, were investigated in this study. Exposure to Sco (100 µM) resulted in anxiety in zebrafish, as assessed by the novel tank diving test (NTT), whereas spatial memory and novelty response dysfunctions, as evidenced by the Y-maze test and novel object recognition test (NOR), were noticed. When zebrafish were given Sco and simultaneously given APO (25 and 150 µL/L, once daily for 13 days), the deficits were averted. An increase in brain antioxidant enzymes, a reduction of lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation were linked to this impact. Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly reduced in the brains of APO-treated zebrafish. The main detected components in the APO composition were ß-phellandrene (33.80%), sabinene (6.80%), α-pinene (5.30%), germacrene-D (4.50%), α-phellandrene (4.20%), and p-cymene (3.80%) based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) investigations. Our findings show that APO's beneficial effect in a zebrafish model of Sco-induced memory impairment is mediated through multiple mechanisms, including the restoration of cholinergic system function and the improvement of the brain antioxidant state. As a result, APO could be employed as a potential source of bioactive molecules with useful biological properties and medicinal uses.

Palyno-morphological characterization of selected allergenic taxa of family Poaceae from Islamabad-Pakistan using microscopic techniques.

Statistics around the world show an increased risk of high allergies associated with plants. The role of allergenic pollen is now well known. The most serious allergenic diseases are asthma and rhinitis, which affect 5-30% of the population of industrialized countries. This work focuses on the exploration of allergenic grass species of Islamabad, Pakistan and use microscopic techniques to correctly identify them. This study contains 11 species of grasses which showed variations in pollen morphological features. The dominant pollen shape was prolate, prolate-spheroidal and sub oblate. The largest polar diameter was calculated for Echinochloa crus-galli (56.00 µm) while the largest equatorial diameter was found in Cenchrus ciliaris (45.00 µm). Exine ornamentation varied from Gemmate-verrucate, Scabrate-reugulate, Verrucate-reticulate, Gemmate-Scabrate, Fine-Gemmate, Gemmate-rugulate, Gemmate-reticulate, Gemmate-scabrate, Scabrate-verrucate, and Scabrate. Maximum exine thickness was found in Eleusine indica (4.90 µm) while in C. ciliaris (1.50 µm) the minimum thickness of exine was measured. In E. crus-galli (1.54 µm), the largest P to E value was measured and the smallest value was noticed in Setaria verticillata (0.86 µm). The study was performed with an aim to identify the allergenic plant species in Islamabad-Pakistan using pollen morphological studies. This study provides significant information, to arrange the pollen types within their defined classes and to discuss various pollen features for developing an allergenic pollen atlas.

Evaluation of antiamnesic activity of Salvia multicaulis essential oil on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats: in vivo and in silico approaches.

Plants of genus Salvia have been used in folk medicine for wound healing, in the alleviation of stomach, liver, and rheumatism pains, as antioxidant, cognitive-enhancer, sedative and antiseptic, stimulant and tonic agents. The present study aimed to evaluate whether Salvia multicaulis essential oil (1% and 3%) administered for 21 days attenuates cognitive deficits and exhibits anxiolytic and antidepressant-profile in the scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6): (1) control, (2) scopolamine (Sco, 0.7 mg/kg) (3, 4) S. multicaulis essential oil treatment groups (SEO, 1% and 3%), (5) diazepam (DIAZ, 1.5 mg/kg) and (6) tramadol (TRM, 10 mg/kg). To establish an animal model of amnesia, Sco (0.7 mg/kg), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, was injected into male Wistar rats. Y-maze (memory), radial arm-maze (memory), elevated plus-maze (anxiety), and forced swimming (depression) tests were employed. Molecular interactions of chemical compounds from the essential oil with the GABAA receptor was explored via molecular docking experiments. Using behavioral tests, we demonstrated that inhalation of S. multicaulis essential oil exerts significant antiamnesic activity as well as anxiolytic-antidepressant-like effects in the Sco-treated rats. Our data revealed that S. multicaulis oil could act as a promising phytopharmaceutical agent for improving dementia-related abnormalities.

Chemical composition and biological activities of leaf and fruit essential oils from Eucalyptus camaldulensis.

The chemical composition of the essential oils from the leaves and fruit of Eucalyptus camaldulensis grown in Mersin, Turkey was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The biological activities (antibacterial and antifungal) were examined using the agar well diffusion method. The main leaf oil constituents were p-cymene (42.1%), eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) (14.1%), α-pinene (12.7%) and α-terpinol (10.7%). The main constituents of the fruit oil were eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) (34.5%), p-cymene (30.0%), α-terpinol (15.1%) and α-pinene (9.0%). Our results showed that both types of oils are rich in terms of monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes. The leaf and fruit essential oils of E. camaldulensis significantly inhibited the growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Streptococcus sp.) bacteria (p<0.05). The oils also showed fungicidal activity against Candida tropicalis and C. globrata. Leaf essential oils showed more activity than fruit essential oils, probably due to the higher p-cymene concentration in leaves.

Advanced Structure-activity Relationships Applied to Mentha spicata L. Subsp. spicata Essential Oil Compounds as AChE and NMDA Ligands, in Comparison with Donepezil, Galantamine and Memantine - New Approach in Brain Disorders Pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) therapy is based on several natural and synthetic compounds that act as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) ligands that have limited efficiency in relieving AD symptoms. Recent studies show that inhibitors isolated from Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata are promising for AD therapy. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify novel and more potent phytopharmaceutical compounds for AD treatment by taking into account the compounds from Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata essential oil. METHOD: We generated structure-activity relationship (SAR) models that predict the biological activities of 14 Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata compounds on AChE and NMDA by comparing their molecular features with those of the three conventional ligands: donepezil, galantamine and memantine. RESULTS: The most relevant descriptors for predicting the biological activities of considered compounds are solvent accessible area and their subdivided, hydrophobicity, energy of frontier molecular orbitals and counts of the aromatic ring and rotatable bounds. 1,8-cineole, the main compound from Mentha spicata L. subsp. spicata essential oil, resulted to be similar with memantine and dissimilar with donepezil in respect to hidrophobicity (logP1,8-cineole=2.95, logPmemantine=2.81, logPdonepezil=4.11), the energy of LUMO (eLUMO1,8-cineole=3.01 eV, eLUMOmemantine=3.35 eV, eLUMOdonepezil=-0.35 eV) and the solvent accessible surface areas over all hydrophobic (SA_H1,8-cineole= 350 Å2, SA_Hmemantine= 358 Å2, SA_Hdonepezil= 655 Å2) or polar atoms (SA_P1,8-cineole= 4 Å2, SA_Pmemantine=10 Å2, SA_Pdonepezil=44.62 Å2). CONCLUSION: Our results point towards 1,8-cineole as a good candidate for NMDA antagonism, with a weaker AChE inhibitory effect. Our results may be useful in establishing new therapeutic strategies for neurological disorders.

Anthriscus nemorosa essential oil inhalation prevents memory impairment, anxiety and depression in scopolamine-treated rats.

Anthriscus nemorosa (Bieb.) Sprengel is used for medicinal purposes in traditional medicine around the world, including Turkey. Ethnobotanical studies suggest that Anthriscus essential oil could improve memory in Alzheimer's disease. The current study was hypothesized to investigate the beneficial effects of inhaled Anthriscus nemorosa essential oil on memory, anxiety and depression in scopolamine-treated rats. Anthriscus nemorosa essential oil was administered by inhalation in the doses of 1% and 3% for 21 continuous days and scopolamine (0.7mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 30min before the behavioral testing. Y-maze and radial arm-maze tests were used for assessing memory processes. Also, the anxiety and depressive responses were studied by elevated plus-maze and forced swimming tests. As expected, the scopolamine alone-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease the percentage of the spontaneous alternation in Y-maze test, increase the number of working and reference memory errors in radial arm-maze test, decrease of the exploratory activity, the percentage of the time spent and the number of entries in the open arm within elevated plus-maze test and decrease of swimming time and increase of immobility time within forced swimming test. However, dual scopolamine and Anthriscus nemorosa essential oil-treated rats showed significant improvement of memory formation and exhibited anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in scopolamine-treated rats. These results suggest that Anthriscus nemorosa essential oil inhalation can prevent scopolamine-induced memory impairment, anxiety and depression.

The Effects of Inhaled Pimpinella peregrina Essential Oil on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment, Anxiety, and Depression in Laboratory Rats.

In the present study, we identified the effects of inhaled Pimpinella peregrina essential oil (1 and 3 %, for 21 continuous days) on scopolamine-induced memory impairment, anxiety, and depression in laboratory rats. Y-maze and radial arm-maze tests were used for assessing memory processes. Also, the anxiety and depressive responses were studied by means of the elevated plus-maze and forced swimming tests. The scopolamine alone-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of the spontaneous alternation percentage in Y-maze test, increase of the number of working and reference memory errors in radial arm-maze test, along with decrease of the exploratory activity, the percentage of the time spent and the number of entries in the open arm within elevated plus-maze test and decrease of swimming time and increase of immobility time within forced swimming test. Inhalation of the P. peregrina essential oil significantly improved memory formation and exhibited anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in scopolamine-treated rats. Our results suggest that the P. peregrina essential oil inhalation ameliorates scopolamine-induced memory impairment, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, studies on the P. peregrina essential oil may open a new therapeutic window for the prevention of neurological abnormalities closely related to Alzheimer's disease.

Antiamnesic and Antioxidants Effects of Ferulago angulata Essential Oil Against Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Laboratory Rats.

Ferulago angulata (Apiaceae) is a shrub indigenous to western Iran, Turkey and Iraq. In traditional medicine, F. angulata is recommended for treating digestive pains, hemorrhoids, snake bite, ulcers and as sedative. In the present study, the effects of inhaled F. angulata essential oil (1 and 3%, daily, for 21 days) on spatial memory performance were assessed in scopolamine-treated rats. Scopolamine-induced memory impairments were observed, as measured by the Y-maze and radial arm-maze tasks. Decreased activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase along with increase of acetylcholinesterase activity and decrease of total content of reduced glutathione were observed in the rat hippocampal homogenates of scopolamine-treated animals as compared with control. Production of protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde significantly increased in the rat hippocampal homogenates of scopolamine-treated animals as compared with control, as a consequence of impaired antioxidant enzymes activities. Additionally, in scopolamine-treated rats exposure to F. angulata essential oil significantly improved memory formation and decreased oxidative stress, suggesting memory-enhancing and antioxidant effects. Therefore, our results suggest that multiple exposures to F. angulata essential oil ameliorate scopolamine-induced spatial memory impairment by attenuation of the oxidative stress in the rat hippocampus.

The essential oils of the aerial parts of two Hypericum taxa (Hypericum triquetrifolium and Hypericum aviculariifolium subsp. depilatum var. depilatum (Clusiaceae)) from Turkey.

In this study, essential oil compositions of two Hypericum L. taxa (Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra. and Hypericum aviculariifolium Jaub. et Spach subsp. depilatum var. depilatum (Freyn et Bornm.) Robson) naturally grown in Turkey were determined using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of plants. A total of 45 compounds were identified in the essential oils of H. triquetrifolium; 1-hexanal (18.8%), 3-methylnonane (12.5%) and α-pinene (12.3%). In this study, 41 components were identified in H. aviculariifolium subsp. depilatum var. depilatum oil; α-pinene (52.1%), germacrene D (8.5%) and ß-pinene (3.6%) were the predominant constituents. The essential oil analysis showed that monoterpene concentrations were higher than that of the sesquiterpenes in both oils. The results were discussed in the meaning of the usefulness of these plants and their chemicals as natural products and potential usage in chemotaxonomy.

Composition of the volatile oils of two Anthemis L. taxa from Turkey.

The essential oils of water-distilled aerial parts of Anthemis pseudocotula and Anthemis cretica subsp. pontica (Asteraceae) were analysed by GC-MS. As a result thirty-five and forty compounds were identified representing 93.1% and 89.0% of the oils, respectively. The main compounds of A. pseudocotula were 1,8-cineole (39.40%), camphor (9.36%), artemisiaketone (5.68%), filifolene (5.15%), and a-terpineol (4.69%), whereas beta-caryophyllene (20.26%), azulene (14.98%), spathulenol (6.03%), and germacrene D (5.82%) were the major constituents of A. cretica subsp. pontica.

Fatty acid and tocochromanol patterns of some Salvia L. species.

In the course of our investigations of new sources of higher plant lipids, seed fatty acid compositions and the tocochromanol contents of Salvia bracteata, S. euphratica var. euphratica, S. aucherii var. canascens, S. cryptantha, S. staminea, S. limbata, S. virgata, S. hypargeia, S. halophylla, S. syriaca and S. cilicica were investigated using GLC and HPLC systems. Some of the species are endemic to Turkey. All the Salvia sp. showed the same pattern of fatty acids. Linoleic, linolenic and oleic acid were found as the abundant components. Tocochromanol derivatives of the seed oil showed differences between Salvia species. gamma-Tocopherol was the abundant component in most of the seed oils except of S. cilicica. The total tocopherol contents of the seed oils were determined to be more than the total of tocotrienols.