Alkaloid profiling and antimicrobial activities of Papaver glaucum and P. decaisnei.

OBJECTIVE: Papaver decaisnei Hochst. & Steud. Ex Elkan and Papaver glaucum Boiss. & Hausskn. growing wild in Northern Iraq have been historically used for medicinal purposes. In this study, both species were evaluated for their alkaloid content and antimicrobial activities. RESULTS: Alkaloids were extracted and isolated by preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Identification was carried out by comparing spectral data (UV and 1H-NMR) and TLC Rf values with those of authentic samples. Two alkaloids, proapaorphine-type mecambrine and aporphine-type roemerine were isolated from P. decaisnei. Two benzylisoquinoline type alkaloids papaverine (major alkaloid) and palaudine as well as aporphine-type N-methylasimilobine have been obtained in P. glaucum. Both P. glaucum and P. decaisnei extracts revealed strong antimicrobial activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212. Collectively these results indicate that P. glaucum and P. decaisnei are promising sources of alkaloids that could further be investigated for medicinal purposes.

Variation of alkaloid contents and antimicrobial activities of Papaver rhoeas L. growing in Turkey and northern Cyprus.

CONTEXT: Papaver rhoeas L. (Papaveraceae) corn poppy, widely distributed in Turkey, is used to make a cough syrup for children, as a tea for disturbed sleep, for pain relief and as a sedative in folk medicine. OBJECTIVE: Samples of P. rhoeas collected from eight different locations in Turkey and three from northern Cyprus were investigated for their alkaloid content and screened for their antimicrobial activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From the aerial parts of P. rhoeas samples, alkaloids were isolated by column and preparative thin-layer chromatography. The alkaloids were identified by comparing their spectral data (UV, IR and 1H-NMR) and TLC Rf values with those of authentic samples. The antimicrobial study was carried out by microbroth dilution technique against six strains of bacteria and three strains of fungi. RESULTS: Twelve different alkaloids belonging to proaporphine (mecambrine), aporphine (roemerine), promorphinan (salutaridine), protopine (coulteropine and protopine) and rhoeadine (epiglaucamine, glaucamine, glaudine, isorhoeadine, isorhoeagenine, rhoeadine and rhoeagenine) groups were isolated. The most significant activity was observed with the alkaloid extract of P8 against Staphylococcus aureus with a MIC value of 1.22 µg/mL and against Candida albicans with a MIC value of 2.4 µg/mL. DISCUSSION: The results indicate that P. rhoeas samples (P8 and P9), which contain roemerine as their major alkaloid, were the most active extracts.

Flavonoids of Artemisia araratica.

Artemisia araratica Krasch. is one of the 22 species growing in J. Cullen. In Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davis (Ed.), Vol. 5, University Press, Edinburgh (1975). In this report we have isolated seven flavonoids from the aerial parts of A. araratica.

Traditional medicine in Sakarya province (Turkey) and antimicrobial activities of selected species.

Traditional medicine in North-West of Turkey (Sakarya province) were studied during a 2 months field study by interviewing local informants from several villages. Plant species used to treat infections were tested for antimicrobial activity. Information was collected for 46 plant species from 30 families and for 5 animal species. Twenty four of the plant species were cultivated. Most used families were Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae and the most used plants were Artemisia absinthium, Equisetum telmateia, Lavandula stoechas, Melissa officinalis, Tussilago farfara and Urtica dioica. A total of 139 medicinal uses were obtained. Plants are used mainly for infectious diseases (18%), for neurological and psychological disorders (13.7%), cardiovascular disorders (13%), skin disorders (12.2%) and respiratory disorders (10.1%). Extracts were tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 65538, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 4352, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 1539, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus mirabilis and Candida albicans ATCC 10231, using microbroth dilution technique according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). This research showed that Arum maculatum, Datura stramonium, Geranium asphodeloides and Equisetum telmateia petroleum ether extracts had MIC values of 39.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml, 78.1 microg/ml and 39.1 microg/ml, respectively against Staphylococcus epidermidis. Datura stramonium petroleum ether extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli and Trachystemon orientalis ethanol extract had a MIC value of 39.1 microg/ml against Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial activity of Arum maculatum, Equisetum telmateia, Geranium asphodeloides, Plantago intermedia, Senecio vulgaris and Trachystemon orientalis has been reported here for the first time.