Search

Ferula turcica and Ferula latialata are two novel endemic species discovered in the Konya and Kırşehir provinces of the central Anatolian region of Türkiye. These two new species are described by morphological, ecological, carpological, and phytochemical characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. F. turcica and F. latialata are morphologically distinct from F. szowitsiana by their habit, the stalk of the terminal umbella, and the mericarp size, as well as by the profile of their secondary metabolite markers and phylogenetic placement. The phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer in ribosomal DNA belonging to both new taxa were conducted to reveal the evolutionary relationships of the new species. Their relationships with the other related species and proposed conservation status were reviewed. The morphological, molecular, and phytochemical evidence supported the hypothesis that Ferula turcica and Ferula latialata are two new distinct species.

Medicinal plants known and used since ancient times are still commonly used, and they have remarkable importance in national and international trade. According to the World Health Organization data, 80% of the population of developing countries use mostly medicinal plants for their primary healthcare needs. Also, modern pharmacopoeias still contain at least 25% of drugs derived from plants and many others which are synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants. Medicinal plants are used directly as therapeutic agents, but also as starting materials for the synthesis of drugs or as models for pharmacologically active compounds. In this respect, they have an important role for pharmacological research and drug development. The traditional uses of medicinal plants in the world are documented by ethnobotanical studies. Ethnobotanical/ethnopharmacological studies are increasing the possibilities of identifying new molecules instead of random screening.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of plants used in the formulations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which were also used in clinical trials to treat patients with the novel coronavirus COVID-19, and to assess their effects on the cardiovascular system. Methods: A literature review of PubMed, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, and TCM monographs was conducted and the effects of the plants on the cardiovascular system and the mechanisms of action in COVID-19 treatment were evaluated. Results: The mechanism of action, cardiovascular effects, and possible toxicity of 10 plants frequently found in TCM formulations that were used in the clinical treatment of COVID-19 were examined. Conclusion: TCM formulations that had been originally developed for earlier viral diseases have been used in COVID-19 treatment. Despite the effectiveness seen in laboratory and animal studies with the most commonly used plants in these formulations, the clinical studies are currently insufficient according to standard operating procedures. More clinical studies are needed to understand the safe clinical use of traditional plants.

Objective: Medicinal herbs are commonly used as complementary or prophylaxis in common illness, as well as in diseases such as cancer, where the disease is severe. In order to determine the use of plants and mushrooms among cancer patients, a survey was conducted with 100 cancer patients who are receiving treatment at polyclinics at the Istanbul University Institute of Oncology. Material and Methods: The questionnaires were conducted face to face with the patients and the results were evaluated in computer. Results: According to the survey results, only 24 of 100 patients were found to use the plants and mushrooms for treatment, to reduce the side effects of the treatment or to feel better. As a result, it was determined that a total of 17 different plants and 1 mushroom were used. The mechanism of action, side effects, and warnings of these plants and mushrooms on cancer treatment have been investigated. With this study, it was determined how the patients obtained the plants and mushrooms, how the age, gender or socioeconomic status affect the plants and mushrooms used and what kind of feedback the patients give about their experience. Conclusion: The fact that the plants and mushrooms are not supplied by pharmacies, the application of herbal treatments with the advice of people under the title "expert" and "reliable" cause many problems. The survey study yielded promising results about the use of plants and mushrooms by cancer patients in Turkey. Similar studies are expected to be conducted in more clinics., Amaç: Bitkiler ve mantarlar, tamamlayıcı veya koruyucu olarak basit hastalıklarda kullanıldığı gibi kanser gibi tedavisi ağır olan hastalıklarda da yaygın olarak kullanılmaktadır. Kanser hastaları arasında bitki ve mantar kullanımını belirlemek amacıyla İstanbul Üniversitesi Onkoloji Enstitüsü’nde polikliniklerde tedavi gören 100 kanser hastası ile bir anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Anketler hastalarla yüz yüze gerçekleştirilmiş ve sonuçlar bilgisayar ortamında değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Anket sonuçlarına göre, 100 hastanın sadece 24’ünün bitki ve mantarları tedavi edici, tedavinin yan etkilerini azaltıcı veya daha iyi hissetmek için kullandığı saptanmıştır. Anket sonucunda toplam 17 farklı bitki ve 1 mantarın kullanıldığı tespit edilmiştir. Bu bitki ve mantarların kanser tedavisi üzerindeki etki mekanizması, yan etkileri ve uyarıları araştırılmıştır. Bu çalışma ile kanser hastalarının bitki ve mantarları nasıl temin ettikleri, yaş, cinsiyet veya sosyoekonomik durumun bitki ve mantar kullanımını nasıl etkilediği, kullanılan bitki veya mantardan yarar veya zarar nedeniyle ne tür geri bildirimler alındığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuç: Bitkilerin ve mantarların eczanelerden tedarik edilmemesi, "uzman" ve "güvenilir" başlığı altındaki kişilerin tavsiyesi ile bitkisel tedavilerin uygulanması birçok soruna neden olmaktadır. Yapılan anket çalışması, Türkiye'de kanser hastalarının bitki ve mantar kullanımına ilişkin fikir oluşturması açısından umut verici sonuçlar vermiştir. Gelecekte yapılacak benzer çalışmalar ile kanser tedavisi almakta olan hastaların bitki ve mantar kullanımlarının öğrenilmesi ve hastanın bir bütün olarak ele alınarak bu konuda eğitim almış uzmanların tavsiye vermeleri ümit edilmektedir.

Ferula pisidica is a novel endemic species found in the vicinity of Karaman province of inner Mediterranean Region of Turkey. F. pisidica is morphologically distinct from F. haussknechtii and F. brevipedicellata by habit, sheaths, terminal leaf lobes, and mericarp size as well as by chemotaxonomic differences. The new species is described by morphological, carpological, ecological and phytochemical characteristics. Its relationships with the other related species and proposed conservation status will be reviewed.

WOS: 000456808100003, To explore if fruit morphology could aid in taxonomy of the genus Pimpinella L., we have undertaken a study of fruits from 26 Turkish taxa of Pimpinella using light and scanning electron microscopy-SEM-. A great deal of inter and intraspecific variation for both fruit shape and surface was observed. Fruit shapes of Turkish taxa of Pimpinella range from oblong-cylindrical to subglobose and indumentum when present can be strigose, hispid and may include hamate trichomes. Variation in fruit surface is also considerable and allows recognizing nine different ornamentation patterns. However, variation in shape, surface ornamentation and indumentum is not tightly associated since species with similar fruit shapes do not necessarily have similar surface ornamentation. To jointly analyse fruit morphology together with the most commonly used morphological characters of the whole plant and to compare morphological evidence with available phylogenetic hypotheses, a cluster analysis was also performed: the Turkish species of Pimpinella were clustered into two distinct groups, the second one subdivided in another two subgroups., Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University [4821, 53713, 21369], We thank to the director of GAZI Herbarium for the fruits of P. oliverioides and Dr. Vahap Eldem for his help with Cluster Analyses. Also we thank to Prof. Gonzalo Nieto Feliner (Real Jardin Botanico) for his suggestions that improved the text. This work was supported by Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University, Project numbers: 4821, 53713 and 21369.

Plants are used as complementary and protective agents in the treatment of simple diseases as well as the severe diseases such as cancer. The plants in this poster are naturally grown in Turkey. Priority to plant selection has been given to past from in vivo tests and clinical tests. The plants are divided into two classes first. The first section contains 3 plants that are effective in protecting against cancer. In the second section, the plants used in cancer treatment are described and these plants are divided into 6 parts. These parts are; Direct Anticancer Effect Plants (18 Plants), Plants That Increase Chemotherapy Effect (10 Plants), Plants That Reduce Drug Resistance (2 Plants), Plants That Reduce the Side Effect of Chemotherapy (4 Plants), Plants That Reduce the Side Effect of Radiotherapy (3 Plants) and Plants That Strengthen the Immun System (1 Plant). The information in the literature has been added in each section. Some of the plants which have been proved end-effective effects by in vivo and in vitro tests are presented to the market as drugs. One hundred (51 male and 49 female) cancer patients were interviewed one by one. The rate of herbal treatment use of the patients was found to be 26%. Patients use the herbal treatment mainly to improve general health, to treat cancer, to reduce the side effects of drugs and to boost the immune system. One hundred (51 male and 49 female) cancer patients were interviewed one by one. While 76.92% of the respondents stated that they benefit from herbal remedies, 23.07% of them said that they did not benefit or suffer any damage. No serious side effects were reported among the participants.

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of Ferulago trachycarpa Boiss., collected from two different localities (Balıkesir-Edremit and Konya-Seydişehir), was analyzed for derived methyl esters of their fatty acids by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Seventeen components representing 98.7 % of Balıkesir sample and 98.6 % of Konya sample of F. trachycarpa seed oils were identified. GC-MS data showed that the main fatty acids were 9-octadeceneoic acid (68.1 and 73.6 %), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (23.0 and 18.0 %), 9-hexadeceneoic acid (4.1 and 3.5 %) and 11-octadecenoic acid (2.0 and 1.8 %) in both oils, respectively. Unsaturated fatty acids were found as high as 97.7 and 97.4 %, while the percentage of the saturated fatty acids was found as low as 1.0 and 1.2 % in both seed oils, respectively.