Güven, Zuhal Bayrakceken; Tugay, Osman

Background and Aims: Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) has been used as a food and folk medicine since ancient times. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant capacity, inhibition of tyrosinase enzyme, and cytotoxicity of 12 extracts from the fruit, seed, leaves, and twigs of Myrtus communis L. subsp. communis. Methods: The cytotoxic effects on human lung (A549), liver (Hep3B), prostate (PC-3) and breast (MCF7) cancer cells and healthy L929 cells were determined using the MTT method. Tyrosinase enzyme inhibition was investigated using L-tyrosine as the substrate. The antioxidant capacity was determined using the DPPH, TEAC and CUPRAC methods. Results: It was found that the extracts did not affect the viability of healthy cells but showed concentration-dependent toxic effects on cancer cells. The ethyl acetate sub-extracts of the plant parts showed a higher cytotoxic effect on all cell lines, and the ethyl acetate sub-extract of the seed was the most effective with 72.6% proliferation inhibition against the Hep3B. The methanol extract and ethyl acetate sub-extract of the seed showed the highest inhibition against tyrosinase and the values were 388.6 and 412.8 mg KAE/ g extract, respectively. While all extracts showed significant antioxidant activities in all methods, the ethyl acetate sub-extract of seeds showed the highest. Conclusion: This is the first comparative study to investigate the antiproliferative effects of extracts from various parts of Myrtus communis L. subsp. communis. The results show that seeds in particular can be a promising, effective and recyclable resource that can be safely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Gursoy, Ersan; Tastan, Kenan; Nas, Mehmet Akif; Kartal, Ideal Beraa Yilmaz

Background and Aims: Readability can be defined as the easiness or difficulty of texts to be understood by readers. In our study, it was aimed to evaluate the patient information leaflet and the summary of product characteristics in terms of read-ability in Turkish. Methods: Our study is a cross-sectional study. For our study, the best-selling drugs included in the Turkish Pharmaceutical Market Monitoring Report-8, 2020 Market Status in Terms of Sales Volume and Value prepared by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency in 2021, were evaluated by using Turkish readability formulas (Atesman and Bezirci-Yilmaz). Results: 138 patient information leaflet and summary of product characteristics of a total of 69 products were evaluated. It has been determined that an average of at least undergraduate education is required for the readability of the texts. The patient information leaflets are significantly shorter than the summary of product characteristics (p=0.000). However, in terms of read-ability, it was easier in Atesman calculation and more difficult in Bezirci-Yilmaz calculation (p=0.007 and p=0.000, respectively). Conclusion: It has been seen that patient information leaflets are not easy to read texts prepared for patients. While prepar-ing the texts to be read by the patients, the texts should be easily understandable and should be read and understood by people of all education levels.