Do Vermicompost Applications Improve Growth Performance, Pharmaceutically Important Alkaloids, Phenolic Content, Free Radical Scavenging Potency and Defense Enzyme Activities in Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum L.)?

Leucojum aestivum L. contains galanthamine and lycorine, which are two pharmaceutically valuable alkaloids. Vermicompost (VC), an organic waste product created by earthworms enhances soil quality and can improve the medicinal quality of the plant that is crucial to the pharmaceutical industry. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of four different VC concentrations (5 %, 10 %, 25 %, and 50 %) on L. aestivum growth parameters, alkaloid levels (galanthamine and lycorine), total phenol-flavonoid content, free radical scavenging potential, and defense enzyme activities (SOD and CAT) compared to control (no VC). The width, length, and fresh weight of the leaves were improved by 10 % VC treatment. The highest total phenolic content was found in the bulbs and leaves treated with 50 % VC. HPLC-DAD analysis of alkaloids showed that 10 % and 50 % VC treatments contained the most galanthamine in the bulb and leaf extracts, respectively. The application of 25 % VC was the most efficient in terms of lycorine content in both extracts. CAT activity was elevated at 10 %, 25 %, and 50 % VC. Based on the growth performance and galanthamine content of the bulbs and leaves, it can be concluded that a 10 % VC application was the most effective in the cultivation of L. aestivum.

Phenolic Content, Antibacterial and Antioxidant Potential of Several Edible Agaricomycetes Mushrooms Sold in Public Bazaar in Bolu, Turkey.

Edible mushrooms are important natural foods that have been used since ancient times due to their delicious taste, high nutritional value, and various biological activities. In this study, antibacterial (against 10 different human pathogens) and antioxidant potentials (free radical scavenging activity and total phenol-flavonoid content) of 13 different wild-growing and the most popular edible mushrooms (Lactarius salmonicolor, L. deliciosus, L. volemus, L. piperatus, Boletus edulis, Marasmius oreades, Agaricus campestris, Tricholoma terreum, Hydnum repandum, Coprinus comatus, Ramaria sp., Cantharellus cibarius, and Pleurotus ostreatus) sold in a public bazaar in Bolu-Turkey were evaluated. Strong antibacterial capacities were observed with all tested Lactarius species, as well as M. oreades, A. campestris, T. terreum, H. repandum, and Ramaria sp. Significant antibacterial potentials of T. terreum and C. comatus against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus vulgaris were observed for the first time. H. repandum strongly inhibited all tested Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes). It was remarkable to reveal strong growth inhibition of M. oreades against S. aureus (29.33 ± 1.11 mm) for the first time. The highest total phenolic content was revealed with L. delicious (193.42 ± 0.77 mg GAE/g dw and 198 ± 0.79 mg TAE/g dw), while L. salmonicolor had the highest total flavonoid content (358.33 ± 15.27 mg CE/g dw). B. edulis demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity with the lowest IC50 value (4.48 ± 0.04 µg/mL). Moreover, L. deliciosus and M. oreades also had high antioxidant potential with the lowest IC50 values (4.76 ± 0.01 µg/mL and 4.77 ± 0.02 µg/mL, respectively). Total phenolic contents of tested mushrooms were highly correlated with their antioxidant capacities. L. delicious is the most well-known and the most delicious mushroom sold in Bolu's public bazaar. The obtained results for this mushroom were notable in terms of the greatest total phenol-flavonoid content and strong antioxidant capability. The antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of L. deliciosus, M. oreades, H. repandum, A. campestris, and B. edulis, as well as their antibacterial activity, were quite outstanding, and our findings demonstrated the importance of these mushrooms as nutraceutical products.

Cardioprotective effects of Viscum album L. subsp. album (European misletoe) leaf extracts in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Viscum album L. (European mistletoe) is a hemiparasitic plant belonging to Loranthaceae family and has been used in Turkish traditional medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders and heart diseases such as hypertension, tachycardia and angina pectoris. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study investigated the cardioprotective effects of V. album leaf extracts in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lyophilized aqueous (AVa) and methanolic (MVa) extracts of V. album were prepared from dried leaf. The isolated hearts were perfused with V. album extracts prior to and during 35min of ischemia induced by coronary artery occlusion. After 120min of coronary reperfusion, infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining. RESULTS: Both AVa and MVa extracts reduced the extent of infarction compared with untreated control hearts, but protective effect of MVa had more potential in low concentration; infarct size as proportion of ischemic risk zone: AVa 17.5±1.5%; Mva 20.3±2.5%, both P<0.01 versus control 38.1±1.4%. This protective effect was comparable to infarct limitation induced by ischemic preconditioning (21.5±2.4%). Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis with L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester completely abrogated the protection afforded by both extracts. ATP-sensitive K+ channel blockade by glibenclamide abrogated the protection afforded by MVa while attenuating, but not abolishing, the protective action of Ava. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided the first experimental evidence that V. album leaf extracts can mediate nitric oxide-dependent cardioprotection against myocardial injury produced by ischemia/reperfusion insult. With this study, popular usage of V. album extracts in Turkish folk medicine as a remedy for cardiac diseases was justified.

EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTITUMOR, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES AND PHENOLIC CONSTITUENTS OF FIELD-GROWN AND IN VITRO-GROWN LYSIMACHIA VULGARIS L.

BACKGROUND: Lysimachia vulgaris L. (Yellow loosestrife) is a medicinal plant in the family Myrsinaceae. It has been used in the treatment of fever, ulcer, diarrhea and wounds in folk medicine. It has also analgesic, expectorant, astringent and anti-inflammatory activities. Two different sources of the plant (field-grown and in vitro-grown) were used to evaluate the biological activities (antibacterial, antitumor and antioxidant) of L. vulgaris. In vitro-grown plant materials were collected from L. vulgaris plants that were previously regenerated in our laboratory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant materials were extracted with water, ethanol and acetone. For antibacterial test, disc diffusion method and 10 different pathogenic bacteria were used. Antioxidant activity was indicated by using DPPH method. The total phenol amount by using Folin-Ciocaltaeu method and the total flavonoid amount by using aluminum chloride (AlCl3) colorimetric method were determined. RESULTS: Generally, yellow loosestrife extracts demonstrated antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes). Strong antitumor activity of yellow loosestrife was observed via potato disc diffusion bioassay. Nine different phenolics were also determined and compared by using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). CONCLUSION: Future investigations should be focused on fractionation of the extracts to identify active components for biological activity.

THE EFFECTS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS ON PHENOLIC COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT METABOLISM IN CALLUS CULTURE OF COMMON DAISY.

BACKGROUND: Exogenous pretreatment of oxidative stress on callus cultures of Bellis perennis L. (common daisy) induced catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total phenolic, total flavonoid, total protein and selected commercial phenolic compounds production and accumulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The callus culture obtained from B. perennis pedicel explants was incubated on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) containing 10 mM H2O2 or 0 mM H2O2 (for control group) for 10 hours. Twenty phenolic compounds (apigenin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, genistein, kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, procyanidin-C1, quercetin, rutin hydrate, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, salicylic acid, sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, hesperedin, naringenin, rosmarinic acid and isorhamnetin) were detected by LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis in methanolic extracts of 10 mM H2O2 and control treatments. RESULTS: A predominant phenolic compound was chlorogenic acid followed by rutin hydrate, caffeic acid, luteoline, isorhamnetin, quercetin, myricetin, apigenin, p-coumaric acid and kaempferol. No gallic acid, genistein, procyanidin-C1, vanillic acid, sinapic acid, hesperidin and naringenin were detected in H2O2 treatment and control groups of B. perennis. The total phenolic contents estimated were in the order of H2O2 treatment (285.36 µg/g dw) and control (220.79 µg/g dw) groups. The biosynthesis and accumulation of kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin and isorhamnetin were only determined in H2O2 treatment callus materials. The H2O2 pretreatment clearly showed in a raise in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities. Finally, a significant positive correlation between phenolic accumulation and comprehensive activities of CAT, SOD, total phenolic, total flavonoid and proline was accessible. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that using H2O2 as an elicitor or a stimulant plays a significant enhancement role in special phenolic molecules biosynthesis and activation of antioxidant metabolism on callus cultures of B. perennis.

Antibacterial and antitumour activities of some plants grown in Turkey.

Screening of antibacterial and antitumour activities of 33 different extracts prepared with three types of solvents (water, ethanol and methanol) was conducted. The extracts were obtained from 11 different plant species grown in Turkey: Eryngium campestre L., Alchemilla mollis (Buser) Rothm., Dorycnium pentaphyllum Scop., Coronilla varia L., Onobrychis oxyodonta Boiss., Fritillaria pontica Wahlenb., Asarum europaeum L., Rhinanthus angustifolius C. C. Gmelin, Doronicum orientale Hoffm., Campanula glomerata L. and Campanula olympica Boiss. Antibacterial activity against six bacteria was evaluated: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis by using disc diffusion and well diffusion methods. S. aureus and S. epidermidis were most sensitive to the methanolic extract from A. europaeum. S. pyogenes was vulnerable to all used extracts of D. orientale. In addition, ethanolic or methanolic extracts of E. campestre, A. mollis, D. pentaphyllum, C. varia, R. angustifolius, C. glomerata and C. olympica displayed strong antibacterial activity against at least one of the tested gram-negative bacteria. The methanolic extract from R. angustifolius showed a broad-spectrum activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Antitumour activity was evaluated with Agrobacterium-tumefaciens-induced potato disc tumour assay. Best antitumour activity was obtained with the aqueous extract from A. europaeum and methanolic extract from E. campestre (100% and 86% tumour inhibition, respectively).

Efficient plant regeneration of yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris L.), a medicinal plant.

Lysimachia vulgaris L. (yellow loosestrife) is a medicinal plant that has been used in the treatment of fever, ulcer, diarrhea and wounds in traditional medicine. A reliable in vitro culture protocol for yellow loosestrife was established. Explants (leaf lamina, stem internode and root segments) were cultured on Murashige and Skoog minimal organics (MSMO) medium supplemented with various plant growth regulator combinations. Of the tested combinations, those involving benzyladenine (BA) with either indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were the most effective for all used explants in shoot production. Best shoot proliferation was obtained from leaf lamina explant cultured on media containing 0.5 mg/l BA and 0.1, 0.5 or 1 mg/l IBA, from stem internode explant cultured on media containing 1 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l IBA or 0.01 mg/l thidiazuron (TDZ) and 0.5 mg/l IAA, and from root explant cultured on media containing 0.5 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l IAA. Regenerated shoots were rooted on MSMO medium containing different concentrations of IAA, IBA, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). IBA was determined as the most effective auxin for rooting. Most shoots developed roots on medium with 0.5 mg/l IBA.

In vitro antibacterial and antitumor activities of some medicinal plant extracts, growing in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate antibacterial and antitumor activities of 51 different extracts prepared with 3 types of solvents (water, ethanol and methanol) of 16 different plant species (Ajuga reptans (A. reptans) L., Phlomis pungens (P. pungens) Willd., Marrubium astracanicum (M. astracanicum) Jacq., Nepeta nuda (N. nuda) L., Stachys annua (S. annua) L., Genista lydia (G. lydia) Boiss., Nuphar lutea (N. lutea) L., Nymphaea alba (N. alba) L., Vinca minor (V. minor) L., Stellaria media (S. media) L., Capsella bursa-pastoris (C. bursa-pastoris) L., Galium spurium (G. spurium) L., Onosma heterophyllum (O. heterophyllum) Griseb., Reseda luteola (R. luteola) L., Viburnum lantana (V. lantana) L. and Mercurialis annua (M. annua) L.) grown in Turkey was conducted. METHODS: Antibacterial activity was evaluated with 10 bacteria including Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), Escheria coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens), Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris), Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacea), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) by using disc diffusion method. Antitumor activity was evaluated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (A. tumefaciens)-induced potato disc tumor assay. RESULTS: Best antibacterial activity was obtained with ethanolic extract of P. pungens against S. pyogenes. Ethanolic and methanolic extract of N. alba and ethanolic extract of G. lydia also showed strong antibacterial activities. Results indicated that alcoholic extracts especially ethanolic extracts exhibited strong antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Best antitumor activity was obtained with methanolic extracts of N. alba and V. lantana (100% tumor inhibition). Ethanolic extract of N. alba, alcoholic extracts of N. lutea, A. reptans and V. minor flowers, methanolic extracts of G. lydia and O. heterophyllum and ethanolic extract of V. lantana and aqueous extract of V. minor leaves exhibited strong tumor inhibitions. CONCLUSIONS: In near future works, identification of active components can be studied for plant extracts having strong bioactivity.

The evaluation of topical administration of Bellis perennis fraction on circular excision wound healing in Wistar albino rats.

CONTEXT: Bellis perennis L. (Asteraceae) has been used traditionally in the treatment of bruises, broken bones, and wounds by European people. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the wound healing activity of B. perennis flowers in Wistar albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dried B. perennis flowers were extracted with ethanol, then fractioned with n-butanol and an oinment was prepared. Twelve male adult Wistar rats were used. Six wounds were created for each animal by using circular excision wound model. The first two wounds were treated topically with HOTBp (hydrophilic ointment treatment containing n-butanol fraction). The second two wounds were control group and not treated with anything. The third two wounds were treated only with HOT (hydrophilic ointment treatment without n-butanol fraction). Treatments were applied once a day and lasted for 30 days. Wound samples were excised on days 5(th), 10(th) and 30(th). The percentage of wound healing was calculated by Walker's formula after measurement of the wound area and the tissue samples were examined histopathologically. RESULTS: The percentages of wound closure (HOTBp: 100%; HOT: 85% and control: 87%) and histopathological observations showed that there were statistically significant differences between HOTBp, HOT and control groups (p < 0.05) at 30(th) day. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Topically administered ointment prepared from the n-butanol fraction of B. perennis flowers has a wound healing potential without scar formation in circular excision wound model in rats. Thus, traditional usage of wound healing activity of B. perennis was scientifically verified for the first time.

Effects of European mistletoe (Viscum album L. subsp. album) extracts on activity rhythms of the Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Antitumor drugs may have some significant nervous system side-effects such as disrupted sleep, eating and drinking patterns. European Mistletoe has been investigated for many decades for its potential use against cancer. To test the hypothesis that the non-antineoplastic effects of mistletoe might be mediated by the actions on the circadian timing system, we have applied mistletoe extracts and vehicle and have measured locomotor activity, feeding and drinking rhythms under constant darkness. Four groups (vehicle, 20 mg kg(-1) ip injection, 40 mg kg(-1) ip injection and 6 g kg(-1) oral administration) were performed for both heat-treated and freeze-dried extracts. None of the administrations changed the locomotor activity, feeding and drinking rhythms in the groups except for 40 mg kg(-1) freeze-dried injected group. The locomotor activity levels decreased in 40 mg kg(-1) freeze-dried extract injected group. These results suggest that, side-effects of mistletoe on circadian timing system of the Syrian hamster depend on the dose and the preparation method of the extract.

Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.): recent advances in research.

Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.) is a medicinal plant readily found in roadsides, meadows and pasture lands and has been used to treat pulmonary problems, inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhoea and migraine headaches. Although it has been used medicinally since ancient times, the popularity of common mullein has been increasing commercially for the past few years. Today, the dried leaves and flowers, swallow capsules, alcohol extracts and the flower oil of this plant can easily be found in health stores in the United States. The use of common mullein extracts in folk medicine begun recently to be supported by an increasing number of research studies. This paper thoroughly reviews all the scientific research related to Verbascum thapsus L. including plant tissue cultures and the biological properties of this plant.

Biological activity of common mullein, a medicinal plant.

Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus L., Scrophulariaceae) is a medicinal plant that has been used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhea and other pulmonary problems. The objective of this study was to assess the biological activity of Common Mullein extracts and commercial Mullein products using selected bench top bioassays, including antibacterial, antitumor, and two toxicity assays--brine shrimp and radish seed. Extracts were prepared in water, ethanol and methanol. Antibacterial activity (especially the water extract) was observed with Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-induced tumors in potato disc tissue were inhibited by all extracts. Toxicity to Brine Shrimp and to radish seed germination and growth was observed at higher concentrations of the extracts.