Pakdelmoradlou, Mina; Yuca, Hafize; Özer, Elif Beyza; Aydın, Bilge; Alkuyruk, Satuk Buğra; Gülşahin, Yusuf; Karadayı, Mehmet; Göger, Gamze; Ekşi Bona, Gülnur; Bona, Mehmet

Onopordum acanthium L. (Asteraceae), a traditionally used medicinal plant, was investigated for its morphological, phytochemical, and biological properties in this comprehensive study. Methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared from different parts of the plant (root, stem, leaf, flower, and fruit) and analyzed for their phenolic composition, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase, antimicrobial, and genotoxic activities. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that chlorogenic acid was most abundant in the flower (3045.38 ng/mL) and root (728.53 ng/mL) aqueous extracts, while quinic acid reached 856.27 ng/mL in the root. Quercetin, apigenin, and luteolin were also detected at significant levels. The fruit methanol extract showed the highest total phenolic (100.78 ± 0.0015 µg GAE/mg), flavonoid (603.67 ± 0.0015 µg RE/mg), and tannin (186.22 ± 0.0015 µg TAE/mg) contents. Antioxidant assays demonstrated notable ABTS•⁺ (38.38 ± 0.0042%) and DPPH• (28.43 ± 0.0252%) scavenging capacities in the same extract. Regarding enzyme inhibition, the flower aqueous extract showed the strongest α-glucosidase inhibition (45.58%), while the fruit aqueous extract exhibited moderate α-amylase inhibition (26.33%). The stem methanol extract displayed the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (19.02%), whereas the root aqueous extract showed the highest butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (10.76%). Antimicrobial assays revealed moderate antifungal activity, particularly against Candida tropicalis (MIC = 312.5 µg/mL), with the flower and fruit methanol extracts being the most effective. Genotoxicity assessment using Ames and Allium tests confirmed biosafety up to 5 mg/plate and 250 mg/L, respectively, except for flower extracts, which showed slight cytogenotoxicity. Overall, this study highlights O. acanthium as a promising natural source of phenolic compounds with therapeutic potential, particularly in managing oxidative stress, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Aydın, Bilge; Alkuyruk, Satuk Buğra; Tekman, Enes; Yuca, Hafize; Karadayı, Mehmet; Gülşahin, Yusuf; Çeçen, Ömer; Bona, Gülnur Ekşi; Demirci, Betül; Bona, Mehmet

Cyclotrichium origanifolium, a plant widely used in Eastern and Southern Anatolia for culinary purposes, was subject of this study, which aimed to comprehensively evaluate its potential therapeutic applications. This research stands out due to its holistic approach, combining morpho-anatomical studies, chemical, and biological analyses to explore antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase, genotoxic, and anti-genotoxic effects of methanolic and aqueous extracts, as well as flowering aerial part essential oil. It is a perennial plant, typically ranging from 10 to 40 cm in height, with a suffrutescent and highly branched growth habit. Essential oils are produced within glandular trichomes. Oil, analyzed via GC–MS/MS, revealed 24 compounds accounting for 96.4% of oil, with isomenthone (52.4%), pulegone (23.4%), and β-pinene (9.5%) as predominant components. These findings are significant as they provide new insights into chemical composition of oils, particularly highlighting pharmacologically active compounds. Methanol extract exhibited superior antioxidant activity, correlated with high phenol and tannin content. Essential oil showed moderate inhibition of α-amylase (49.54%) and mild inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (11.84%) and butyrylcholinesterase (16.93%), suggesting potential in managing oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases. Study also conducted biosafety evaluations using Ames/Salmonella and Allium tests, essential for assessing genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of natural products. Notably, significant antimicrobial effects were identified, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. Comprehensive analysis and discovery of significant bioactivities position this research as a valuable contribution to field, distinguishing it from previous studies on similar species. This study provides a foundational understanding of morpho-anatomical, pharmacological, biological properties of plant, opening avenues for future research.

Aydın, Bilge; Yuca, Hafize; Karakaya, Songul; Bona, Gülnur Ekşi; Göger, Gamze; Tekman, Enes; Şahin, Aydan Acar; Sytar, Oksana; Civas, Ayşe; Canlı, Deniz

Scilla siberica subsp. armena is known as Siberian Squill which is naturally distributed in Lebanon-Syria, Transcaucasus, and Turkey. It is a perennial bulbous plant with a short vegetation period from March to May. In this study, the antimicrobial, antioxidant, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of corm, leaf, and flower methanolic extracts were examined. The anatomy and morphology of the plant organs were investigated by light and electron microscopes. The anatomy of S. siberica subsp. armena was investigated for the first time by electron microscopy in this study. The corm, leaf, and flower methanolic extracts were assessed against E. coli ATCC 8739, S. aureus ATCC 6538, B. subtilis ATCC 19,659, C. albicans ATCC 10,231, C. krusei ATCC 14,243, and C. tropicalis ATCC 750. Among the extracts, that obtained from the blue pollen showed the best antimicrobial activity against C. tropicalis ATCC 750 strain with a MIC value of 312.5 µg/mL. The highest phenolic content was determined in leaf extract with 53.59211 µg GAE/mg extract value. The extract showed the best anti-lipid peroxidation activity with 376.69 µg/mL value. Using DPPH· and ABTS·+ tests, it was determined that the flower and leaf extracts have the best activity (IC50 = 756.13 μg/mL and IC50 = 94.07 μg/mL, respectively). The flower extract exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with the IC50 value of 5239 µg/mL. Based on the presented results of the in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of the S. siberica subsp. armena, we suggest that natural compounds from S. siberica subsp. armena are of potential use for the improvement of an antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial agent. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Karakaya, Songül; Yuca, Hafize; Yılmaz, Gülderen; Aydın, Bilge; Tekman, Enes; Ekşi, Gülnur; Bona, Mehmet; Göger, Gamze; Karadayı, Mehmet; Gülşahin, Yusuf

Ferula tingitana L. is a high perennial plant and its leaf is an alternate arrangement and yellow, and its flowers are unisexual like other Apiaceae. It has been used as a spice and for various medicinal purposes in the Mediterranean region. The paper reports antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and genotoxic activities of leaves, flowers, stems, and fruits methanol extracts of F. tingitana. Also, quantitative determination of some secondary metabolites was also analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Moreover, chemical composition of essential oils was analyzed. Consequently, anatomical, and morphological properties of plant were investigated. Germacrene D (23.6%), 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (18.4%), and α-pinene (50.0%) were found as the main compounds in flower, leaf, and stem oils, respectively. The cortex in stem, pedicel, and fruit is characterized by angular collenchyma cells and a distinct cambium layer. 6 compounds (quinic acid, fumaric acid, keracyanin chloride, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid, hesperidin) were observed in samples. Leaf extract showed anticholinesterase activity. Leaf and flower extracts showed the highest % inhibition value on ABTS·+ and DPPH•. Leaf extract has the strongest antioxidant effect because it is rich in total phenolic contents. All extracts of F. tingitana were found generally effective against C. albicans. Stem extract was found effective against E. coli and flower extract was found more effective against S. enterica and C. albicans. Bacterial genotoxicity results showed that extracts did not have genotoxic activity on tester strains S. typhimurium and E. coli WP2uvrA. Thus, it revealed that extracts were genotoxic-ally safe at applied concentrations up to 3 mg/plate. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Karakaya, Songul; Göger, Gamze; Bona, Gülnur Ekşi; Yuca, Hafize; Aydın, Bilge; Tekman, Enes; Şahin, Aydan Acar; Pınar, Nur Münevver; Güvenalp, Zühal

Abstract: Colchicum speciosum Steven species is a perennial stemless plant. C. speciosum is a flowering herb native to mountainous regions of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. It has been known as “Vargit, Acı Çiğdem, Güz Çiğdemi”. The present study reports the antimicrobial, antioxidant, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of corm, leaf and flower methanol extracts, anatomical (light and electron microscopes) properties of root, corm, leaf, flowers and morphological characteristics of C. speciosum. Three different part of extracts C. speciosum were evaluated against E. coli ATCC 8739, S. aureus ATCC 6538, B. subtilis ATCC 19,659, C. albicans ATCC 10,231, C. krusei ATCC 14,243, and C. tropicalis ATCC 750. The most effective extract was found to be MeOH extract for corm and leaf against C. tropicalis ATCC 750 strain with MIC value 160 > µg/mL. It has been investigated first time anatomy of the tepal, ovary, anther, filament of C. speciosum. Leaf extract was the highest phenolic component (78.61842 µg GAE/ mg extract). As a result of DPPH• and ABTS•+ tests, it was determined that the leaf extract showed the best activity (IC50 = 6.568 μg/mL and IC50 = 3.243 μg/mL, respectively). Corm extract exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 21039 µg/mL. This is the first study of the in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic activities, detailed anatomical and morphological properties of C. speciosum. Hıghlıghts: • Antioxidant-antidiabetic-antimicrobial potential of Colchicum speciosum • Leaf extract had the highest phenolic component • The leaf got the highest DPPH• and ABTS•+ antioxidant potential • Corm extract exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity • The most effective extract was found to be MeOH extract for corm and leaf against C. tropicalis • This is the first study of the in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic activities, detailed anatomical and morphological properties of C. speciosum Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].