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In this study, the antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging, ferric-reducing, iron (II)-chelating), anti-inflammatory (LPS-induced Raw 264.7 cell line), and cytotoxic activities (Du145 and A549 cell lines) of raw fruit, ripe fruit and leaves of the Lycium ferocissimum species were examined. By using high-pressure liquid chromatography, p-OH benzoic acid, caffeic acid, and rutin were detected in the ethanol and water extracts. For the most active raw fruit ethanol extract, the IC50 in terms of the DPPH-scavenging activity was 0.57 mg/mL, and the ABTS inhibition percentage was 88.73% at a 3 mg/mL concentration. The raw fruit ethanol extract exhibited significant inhibition of viability in the Du145 cell line in the concentration range of 62.5–1000 µg/mL. Additionally, the extract effectively reduced the LPS-induced inflammation parameters (TNF-α, IFN-γ, PGE 2, and NO) at a concentration of 31.25 µg/mL. The biological activities of L. ferocissimum, which have been elucidated for the first time, have yielded promising results.

Background: The current research centers on exploring the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic features of Schinus molle L. grown in Turkey. Methods: Quantitative analysis of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and hyperoside levels in leaf, ripe fruit, and raw fruit extracts was conducted using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in a 70% methanol-water mixture. Among the extracts, the methanol extract from ripe fruits displayed the highest chlorogenic acid concentration, measuring at 2.040% ± 0.172% standard deviation (SD). Moreover, analysis of their total phenolic and flavonoid contents was carried out. Antioxidant power was assessed through different chemical assays, together with their antimicrobial and anti-diabetic properties. Results: The results of DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and reducing power assays showed that leaf and ripe fruit alcoholic extract exhibited peak performance. While the MIC ( minimum inhibitory concentration) values of the extracts were determined to have moderate bactericidal effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans it was observed that none of the extracts displayed biofilm inhibition. The inhibition percentage of α-glucosidase enzyme activity for the methanol extract of raw fruits was determined to be 99.11 ± 1.61. In diabetic β-TC cells, glucose level was measured as 129 ± 2.03 mg/dL, and insulin amount was measured as 37.2 ± 0.02 mg/dL. Conclusions: The findings of our study seem to have important implications for future research, as Schinus molle L. may be a potential pharmaceutical candidate with important pharmacological activities.

Context: Eryngium kotschyi is one of the species of Eryngium genus and was endemic to Turkey. It was known, that traditionally uses of this plant in the South-Western part of Turkey for the treatment of various diseases. Aims: To evaluate the antioxidant capacities of methanol extract and ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water sub-extracts as well as to determine the phytochemical composition and to quantify the major antioxidant compounds in the active sub-extract. Methods: Besides the total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid compounds, the antioxidant capacity of E. kotschyi was evaluated by DPPH●, ABTS+● and FRAP methods and qualitative and quantitative determination of phytochemical constituents in active sub-extract by LC-MS/MS. Results: The highest total phenolic (173.710 ± 1.088 mg gallic acid equivalent/gextract) and total flavonoid content (86.978 ± 0.650 mg catechin equivalent/gextract) was found in ethyl acetate sub-extract of E. kotschyi (EKE) and this sub-extract showed the highest antioxidant capacity on DPPH● (IC50 = 0.264 ± 0.040 mg/mL), ABTS+● (at a concentration of 0.125 mg/mL equivalent to 0.497 µM Trolox) and FRAP (at a concentration of 1 mg/mL equivalent to 1476 ± 5.292 mmol Fe2+) tests. Preliminary examination of the mass spectrums revealed the presence of 24 phytochemical compounds in this sub-extract and 7 of them was quantified. According to quantitative analyses the main compounds of EKE sub-extract were rosmarinic acid (490.820 ± 0.703 µg/mgextract), chlorogenic acid (80.405 ± 0.170 µg/mgextract), isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside (72.280 ± 0.33 µg/mgextract), rutin (63.020 ± 0.052 µg/mgextract) and caffeic acid (55.153 ± 0.523 µg/mgextract). Conclusions: The data suggest that EKE possess utilizable antioxidant properties in vitro. The antioxidant capacity of this sub-extract could be due to high content of phenolic and flavonoid contents.

Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh. (Asteraceae), which has a wide distribution area in Turkey, is a medicinally important plant. Eighty percent methanol extracts of the leaf, flower head, and root parts of A. minus were prepared and their sub-fractions were obtained. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic (high-performance liquid chromatography) techniques were used to assess the phytochemical composition. The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity by diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil radical (DPPH●), 2,2′-Azino-bis 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS●+) radical scavenging, and β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching assays. Furthermore, the extracts were subjected to α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipoxygenase, and tyrosinase enzyme inhibition tests. The cytotoxic effects of extracts were investigated on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The richest extract in terms of phenolic compounds was identified as the ethyl acetate sub-fraction of the root extract (364.37 ± 7.18 mgGAE/gextact). Furthermore, chlorogenic acid (8.855 ± 0.175%) and rutin (8.359 ± 0.125%) were identified as the primary components in the leaves’ ethyl acetate sub-fraction. According to all methods, it was observed that the extracts with the highest antioxidant activity were the flower and leaf ethyl acetate fractions. Additionally, ABTS radical scavenging activity of roots’ ethyl acetate sub-fraction (2.51 ± 0.09 mmol/L Trolox) was observed to be as effective as that of flower and leaf ethyl acetate fractions at 0.5 mg/mL. In the β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching assay, leaves’ methanol extract showed the highest antioxidant capacity (1422.47 ± 76.85) at 30 min. The enzyme activity data showed that α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition of leaf dichloromethane extract was moderately high, with an 87.12 ± 8.06% inhibition value. Lipoxygenase enzyme inhibition was weakly detected in all sub-fractions. Leaf methanol extract, leaf butanol, and root ethyl acetate sub-fractions showed 99% tyrosinase enzyme inhibition. Finally, it was discovered that dichloromethane extracts of leaves, roots, and flowers had high cytotoxic effects on the MDA-MB-231 cell line, with IC50 values of 21.39 ± 2.43, 13.41 ± 2.37, and 10.80 ± 1.26 µg/mL, respectively. The evaluation of the plant extracts in terms of several bioactivity tests revealed extremely positive outcomes. The data of this study, in which all parts of the plant were investigated in detail for the first time, offer promising results for future research.

Nepeta is one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceae family. Nepeta species are commonly employed in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments, as well as food additives. In addition, they also come to the fore with their rich phytochemical content. In the present study, the quantitative phytochemical content of methanolic extracts and infusions prepared from the aerial parts of 14 Nepeta taxa collected from Turkey and their cytotoxic effects on two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were investigated by using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl))-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide) test. According to HPLC-PDA analysis, N. racemosa methanolic extract had the highest ursolic acid content with 165.9 mg/g extract. Total sterol, total iridoid, and total triterpenoid content were determined to be greatest in the methanolic extracts of N. meyeri, N. trichocalyx and N. phyllochlamys. The MTT experiment demonstrated that certain Nepeta species suppressed the growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Statistical analysis revealed a strong correlation between the cytotoxic effects of the extracts and their triterpene content. In conclusion, the data obtained from this study are important in terms of forming a basis for advanced anticancer activity studies on breast cancer with Nepeta sp.