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The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70% ethanol), and water extracts of Astragalus aduncus aerial parts were investigated for their antioxidant potential, enzyme inhibition activity (anti-acetylcholinesterase [AChE], anti-butyrylcholinesterase [BChE], antityrosinase, antiamylase, and antiglucosidase) and antiproliferative effect (against colon adenocarcinoma cell line [HT-29], gastric cancer cell line [HGC-27], prostate carcinoma cell line [DU-145], breast adenocarcinoma cell line [MDA-MB-231], and cervix adenocarcinoma cell line [HeLa]). In addition, the phytochemical profile of the extracts was evaluated using validated spectrophotometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectroscopy methods. Generally, the 70% ethanol extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant properties, and it was the richest source of total phenolic constituents. Our findings indicated that the ethyl acetate extract was the most potent BChE inhibitor (11.44 mg galantamine equivalents [GALAE]/g) followed by the ethanol extract (8.51 mg GALAE/g), while the ethanol extract was the most promising AChE inhibitor (3.42 mg GALAE/g) followed by the ethanol/water extract (3.17 mg GALAE/g). Excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity (66.25 mg kojic acid equivalent/g) was observed in ethanol/water extracts of the aerial part of A. aduncus. Тhese results showed that the most cytotoxic effects were exhibited by the ethyl acetate extract against HGC-27 cells (IC 50 : 36.76 µg/mL), the ethanol extract against HT-29 cells (IC 50 : 30.79 µg/mL), and the water extract against DU-145 cells (IC 50 : 37.01 µg/mL). A strong correlation was observed between the highest total flavonoid content and the highest content of individual compounds in the ethanol extract, including rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside (delphinidin-3,5-O-diglucoside), and kaempferol-3-glucoside (kaempferol-3-O-glucoside). In the present study, the A. aduncus plant was considered a new source of antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors, and anticancer agents and could be used as a future health-benefit natural product., (© 2024 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.)

Many Vicia species (Fabaceae) were proven to possess bioactive compounds with potential health beneficial properties. The present study was designed to determine the phenolic constituents, antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activities of aerial parts and seed of V. peregrina. Hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were prepared by maceration and aqueous extract by infusion. The chemical compositions of the extracts were determined using HPLC-MS/MS technology. The antioxidant activities were examined using various assays including free radical scavenging (ABTS and DPPH), reducing ability (CUPRAC and FRAP), metal chelation, and phosphomolybdenum. The enzyme inhibitory effects were investigated against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, amylase and glucosidase. The highest total phenolics and flavonoids contents were recorded in the methanol extracts of the seed (45.42 mg GAE/g) and aerial parts (40.33 mg RE/g) respectively. The aerial parts were characterized by higher accumulation of chlorogenic acid (9893.86 μg g -1 ), isoquercitrin (9400.33 μg g -1 ), delphindin 3,5 diglucoside (9113.28 μg g -1 ), hyperoside (6337.09 μg g -1 ), rutin (3489.83 μg g -1 ) and kaempferol-3-glucoside (2872.84 μg g -1 ). Generally, the methanol and aqueous extracts of the two studied parts exerted the best antioxidant activity with highest anti-DPPH (61.99 mg TE/g), anti-ABTS (101.80 mg TE/g) and Cu ++ (16169 mg TE/g) and Fe +++ (172,36 mg TE/g) reducing capacity were recorded from the seed methanol extract. Methanol extract of the seed showed the best anti-tyrosinase activity (75.86 mg KAE/g). These results indicated that V. peregrina is rich with bioactive phenolics suggesting their use in different health promoting applications., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants in Espiye in the Black Sea Region. Recording such data calls for urgency. This is the first ethnobotanical study in which statistical calculations about plants are carried out by means of FIC method in Northern (Espiye-Giresun) part of Turkey. This study aims to identify the wild plants collected for medicinal purposes by locals of Espiye which is located in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, and to identify the uses and local names of these wild plants., Materials and Methods: A field study had been carried out for a period of approximately 2 years (2012-2014). During this period, information about medicinal use of 55 wild and 15 cultivated plants were collected. Demographic characteristics of participants, names of the local plants, their utilized parts and preparation methods were investigated and recorded. Through face-to-face interviews, we identified and recorded demographic characteristics of the respondents. We interviewed 128 persons who are over the age of 29. The plant taxa were collected within the scope of the study; and herbarium materials were prepared. In addition, the relative significance value of the taxa was determined, and informant consensus factor (FIC) was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study., Results: We have found out in the literature review of the plants included in our study that 70 plant taxa are already used for medicinal purposes while 3 plants are not available among the records in the literature. The most common families are Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, and Ericaceae. We include in our study and report for the first time the medicinal uses of Alchemilla crinita Buser, Stachys sylvatica L., and Thymus leucotrichus Hal. var. leucotrichus Hal. Names of local plants in Turkey vary especially due to vernaculars. The plants that the locals of Espiye use are called with the same or different local names in various parts of Anatolia., Conclusion: We found out that locals living in the research area use for therapeutic purpose 70 plants taxa which belong to 36 families. Turkish citizens with different ethnic backgrounds took the questionnaire. These people use these wild plants in treatment of several diseases. Comparison of the data obtained in this study with the experimental data obtained in the previous laboratory studies on the wild plants which grow in Espiye proved ethnobotanical usages to a great extent. Literature review indicated that the therapeutic plants that grow in Espiye are used in different parts of the world for the treatment of similar diseases., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Numbers of clone and ramet/clone were studied and discussed based on effective number of clones and relative effective number of clones in seed orchards of Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.). While, seed orchards had similar number of clones (15, 30 and 33), there were large differences for number of graft/clone within and among orchards. Number of ramets per clone varied between 4 and 43 in an orchard and between 4 and 106 in all orchards considered. Effective number of clones ranged from 24.6-31.4 and relative effective number from 0.82 to 0.99. The results of the study showed that ramet number had moderate variation among clones. It was important that establishment and thinning of seed orchards and estimation of gene diversity in seed orchard crop.

Laurus nobilis L. is an aromatic shrub or tree, Mediterranean element. The leaves are employed as a spice and for medicinal purposes. It is known by various names in Turkey, such as "defne, har and tehnel." In this study, 15 different laurel leaf samples were purchased from 6 different cities in Turkey, diagnosed, and evaluated in terms of quality. The conditions of use and sale of these samples were evaluated. The essential oils obtained from the leaf samples were analyzed, and their physical properties such as density, refractive index, and optical rotation were determined. In the chemical composition of the oils, 1,8-cineole (41.2–64.4%), sabinene (1.5–15.9%), and α-terpinyl acetate (1.5–15%) have been found to be the major components. However, in one station, the presence of 1,8-cineole was not be determined. Laurel leaf drugs offered for sale in some provinces of Turkey were purchased from the market and their morphological characteristics and essential oil profiles were examined and evaluated in terms of public health. It was determined that these samples should be standardized and quality-controlled before being released to the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since immemorial, humankind has benefited from plants as nutritient, medicine, cosmetic, or to make tools and shelters for itself. Historically, the trial-and-error method gathered traditional knowledge; practices were developed and sustained. It has been passed on from generation to generation to reach our day. This study aims to gather information on medicinal plants used traditionally against cardiovascular diseases in Türkiye before it is lost forever. In the library of Istanbul University, in the first place, the approachable sources have been scanned thoroughly. Plants' scientific name, Turkish name, family, used parts, method of use, and effects has been put together in a table. As a result, we composed a report of 129 plants from 43 families used for cardiovascular diseases. It has been concluded that of these, the most outstanding herbs are Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Lavandula stoechas L., Melissa officinalis L., Tribulus terrestris L., Urtica dioica L. and Viscum album L. Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae were the most used plant families. It has been detected that people mainly benefit from the leaves, aerial parts, fruit, and flowers of medicinal plants as infusion or decoction. Although the biological activity studies on the plants most used by the people support the use in cardiovascular diseases, more studies are needed to provide scientific evidence for folklore use, especially for L. stoechas. It is thought that this study may be a resource for developing future herbal medicines or treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this article, the first complete phytochemical study of Stachys sylvatica (Lamiaceae) aerial parts, collected in Tuscan-Emilian Apennine, is reported. Twenty-three known compounds were isolated from the chloroform, chloroform-methanol 9:1 and methanol extracts; they were subsequently characterized by means of one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1D- and 2D-NMR) and mass spectrometry as six simple phenolic derivatives (chlorogenic acid (1), caffeic acid (2), p-coumaric acid methyl ester (3), niduloic acid (4), hydroxytyrosol (5), tyrosol (6)), one glycosylated aliphatic alcohol (ebracteatoside B (7)), six glycosylated phenylpropanoids (decaffeoyl verbascoside (8), lavandulifolioside (9), betanyoside F (10), verbascoside (11), isoacteoside (12), cystanoside D (13)), four flavonoids (stachyspinoside (14), chrysoeriol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15), naringenin 7-O-(6"-E + Z-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (16), apigenin 7-O-(6"-E + Z-p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (17)), three lignans (syringaresinol 4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (18), pinoresinol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (19), 2-episesaminol 2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (20)) and three ionones (loliolide (21), vomifoliol (22), (3S,5R,6R,7E,9R)-3,5,6,9-tetrahydroxy-7-megastigmene (23)). In addition, a further phenolic derivative (ethyl caffeate (b)) and four carboxylic acids (azelaic acid (a), trihydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (c), trihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (d) and dihydroxydodecadienoic acid (e)) have been tentatively identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an electrospray ionization source high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer (UHPLC-ESI-HR-Orbitrap/MS). Chemosystematic relationships between S. sylvatica and other related species were highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzene sulfonamides are an important biological substituent for several activities. In this study, hybridization of benzene sulfonamide with piperazine derivatives were investigated for their antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory potencies. Six molecules were synthesized and characterized. DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, chelating and phosphomolybdemum assays were applied to evaluate antioxidant capacities. Results show that compounds have high antioxidant capacity and compound 4 has the best antioxidant activity among them. Compound 4 has higher antioxidant activity than references for FRAP (IC 50 : 0.08 mM), CUPRAC (IC 50 : 0.21 mM) and phosphomolybdenum (IC 50 : 0.22 mM) assays. Besides this, compound 4 has moderate DPPH and ABTS antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, enzyme inhibition activities of these molecules were investigated against AChE, BChE, tyrosinase, α -amylase and α -glucosidase enzymes. It was revealed that all compounds have good enzyme inhibitory potential except for α -amylase enzyme. The best inhibitory activities were observed for AChE with compound 5 the same value (IC 50 : 1.003 mM), for BChE with compounds 2 and 5 the same value (IC 50 : 1.008 mM), for tyrosinase compound 4 (IC 50 : 1.19 mM), and for α -glucosidase with compound 3 (IC 50 : 1.000 mM). Docking studies have been conducted with these molecules, and the results correlate well with the inhibitory assays., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

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Background: Parkia biglobosa stem bark extracts were prepared using methanol, methanol 80%, water and ethyl acetate to investigate their phytochemical contents, as well as antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties., Results: Liquid chromatography (LC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) and LC-MS n revealed the presence of flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and gallotannins. Particularly, the water extract contained rutin (480 μg per 100 mg) and 3-caffeoylquinic acid (1109 μg per 100 mg) in higher amounts, whereas the 80% methanol extract contains methoxyluteolin-7-O-rutinoside and catechin derivatives as major compounds. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts were yielded in the range of 32.26-119.88 mg gallic acid equivalents g -1 and 0.60-2.39 mg rutin equivalents g -1 , respectively. Total antioxidant capacity was also displayed in the range of 0.53-6.34 mmol Trolox equivalents (TE) g -1 . Both the methanolic extracts showed higher total antioxidant capacity that could be related to the total phenolic contents. Radical scavenging capacity in DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) (37.21-508.30 mg TE g -1 ) and ABTS [2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonic acid)] (60.95-1068.06 mg TE g -1 ) assays, reducing power in cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (54.23-1002.78 mg TE g -1 ) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (33.18-558.68 mg TE g -1 ) assays, as well as metal chelating activity (2.45-11.28 mg EDTA equivalents g -1 ), were exhibited by all extracts. All extracts were found to inhibit acetylcholinesterase [0.23-2.47 mg galanthamine equivalents (GALAE) g -1 ], tyrosinase [27.20-83.33 mg kojic acid equivalents g -1 ], amylase [mmol acarbose equivalents (ACAE) g -1 ]. On the other hand, all extracts, except the water extract, inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (5.38-6.56 mg GALAE g -1 ), whereas only the water and ethyl acetate extract showed glucosidase inhibitory potential (1.96 and 1.82 mmol ACAE g -1 ). In general, the water extract was found to be a weaker enzyme inhibitor suggesting that water is not the preferrable extraction solvent to obtain active products., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the stem bark extracts of P. biglobosa contains good amount of phytochemical and extracts present significant antioxidant, as well as reasonable enzyme inhibitory effects. Hence, these findings suggest that further studies can be performed on more specific biological targets and models of bioactivity to determine their safe usage as a nutraceutical or for the preparation functional foods. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Weed Science is the property of Gaziosmanpasa Universitesi Matbaasi, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County (Gongcheng) is typical for the Yao people in northeastern Guangxi, southern China. The Yao people have a long history of using medicinal plants. In this study, we used ethnobotanical methods to collect traditional knowledge regarding herbal medicines in Gongcheng. Our study provides fundamental data for developing and applying local ethnic medicines and their protection. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected from 103 villages in nine townships from 2014 to 2018 in Gongcheng. A total of 352 informants (279 male and 73 female) were interviewed through semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and guided field walks. All the informants were local inhabitants aged between 28 and 101 years of age, of which 40 key informants were selected based on the recommendations of knowledgeable elders and local medical institutions. The informant consensus factor (ICF) was used to evaluate the degree and importance of differences in medicinal plant species and calculated the relative frequencies of citation (RFC) for the recorded medicinal plants. Results: Data from 352 local healers were collected for the study. The Guanyin and Sanjiang townships had the highest distribution of per capita healers (Pch), while the Gongcheng, Lianhua, and Ping'an townships were relatively lower. Of the 352 local healers, more than half were older than 60 years of age and therefore faced the problem of suitable successors and potential loss of traditional medicinal knowledge. There are 12 types of diseases treated by local healers in the study area, and most of the types had a high ICF value. The highest ICF (0.80) was reported for digestive system disease, followed by urinary system disease (0.78) and nervous system disease (0.77). Traumatic injury and orthopedics, digestive system, and rheumatic disease are the most common ailments. The RFC value calculated in 33 medicinal plant species (with an FC of more than 5) ranged from 0.024 to 0.056. The higher RFC values included Kadsura longipedunculata, Schefflera heptaphylla, Plantago asiatica, etc. The most commonly used medicinal method was decoction; plasters, creams, and some form of moxibustion and cupping skills were locally practiced, but only rarely. The local healers used 306 medicinal plant species (116 families and 255 genera). Herbal plants were most commonly used among these, with whole plants and roots being favored. Conclusion: The Yao people are highly skilled at using medicinal plants to treat various diseases in Gongcheng. Their treatment methods are varied, convenient, and efficient. Due to the impact of urbanization and economic development, knowledge of traditional medicine is under threat, with declining numbers of local healers and a lack of suitable successors. In order to protect and inherit Yao's traditional medicinal knowledge, it is necessary to educate young healers and to protect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trifolium pratense (red clover) ethanolic extract (TPEE) has been used as a popular over-the-counter remedy for the management of menopausal symptoms. Prolonged consumption of herbal extract has been shown to regulate the composition of gut microbiota. This study was designed to elucidate the influence of TPEE on the gut microbiota composition in the ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Methods: OVX rats were treated with TPEE at 125, 250, 500 mg/kg/day, or controls (pomegranate extract, 500 mg/kg/day; estradiol, 25 μg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. Gut microbiota analysis was conducted by extracting the microbial DNA from fecal samples and microbiome taxonomic profiling was carried out by using next-generation sequencing. The levels of serum biomarkers were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The prediction of functional biomarker of microbiota was performed using PICRUSt to investigate the potential pathways associated with gut health and serum lipid profile regulation. To study the correlation between gut microbiota composition and serum lipid levels, Spearman's correlation coefficients were defined and analyzed. Additionally, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis was conducted to uncover additional physiologically active ingredients. Results: TPEE-treated OVX rats showed significant reduction in serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterols (TCHOL), and LDL/VLDL levels but increase in HDL level. The alteration in the pathways involve in metabolism was the most common among the other KEGG categories. Particularly, TPEE also significantly reduced the relative abundance of sequences read associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signalling pathway. TPEE intervention was seen to reduce the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio in the OVX rats, denoting a reduction in microbial dysbiosis in the OVX rats. Correlation analysis at the phylum level revealed that Bacteriodetes and Proteobacteria were strongly correlated with serum TG, TCHOL and HDL levels. At the species level, Bifidobacterium pseudolongum group was seen to positively correlate with serum HDL level and negatively correlated with serum AST, ALT, LDL/VLDL, TCHOL, and TG levels. Conclusions: TPEE treatment showed therapeutic benefits by improving the intestinal microbiota composition which strongly correlated with the serum lipid and cholesterol levels in the OVX rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An ethnobotanical expedition was conducted to document the traditional ethnobotanical (TEB) uses of wild flora of Dawarian and Ratti Gali villages of District Neelam, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. District Neelam has rich plant diversity and is hub of many endemic plant species while the study areas are not yet explored. The research area: Dawarian and Rati Gali (DRG) area is mountaineous terrain and villages are located on far and farther distances. DRG area has rich biocultural and plant diversity comprising of different ethnic groups of Kashmir state. The current research was aimed to explore and document traditional medicines (TEMs) and other domestic and commercial uses of wild plants. This study will assist to evaluate conservation and commercial worth of wild flora which can be potential candidate for drug discovery through ethnopharmacological analysis. Methods: The current quantitative ethnobotanical research was carried out in 2018 by interviewing 150 indigenous informants (90 male and 60 female) of DRG area using questionnaire applying structured and semi structured interview methodology. Data analysis was analyzed by using quantitative ethnobotanical statistical tools such as fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), Spearman's rank correlation (SRC) and data matrix ranking (DMR). Results: The indigenous people of DRG area use wild plants in their daily life to cope life necessities i.e. food, vegetables, fodder, fuel, shelter, timber and herbal medicines. TEMs are primarily used to cure different infirmities like diabetics, asthma, dysentery, constipation, cold, fever, joint pain, wound healing, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, epilepsy, kidney infections and many types of skin diseases. Current study revealed the data of 103 wild plants species belonging to 46 plant families from selected areas of District Neelum, AJK. Results depicted that Asteraceae ranked 1st (12 plants spp). Among plant parts used leaf ranked 1st (18%), followed by seed (17%) and root (13%). While prevalent form recipe mode was decoction (20%), followed by powder (17%) and extract (14%) and fodder was highest (37%) EB use-form fodder, followed by food (32%) and fuel (17%). Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis (QEA) was carried to find the reliability and novelty of the study. Five plant species including Berberis lyceum (FL = 97.78%), Isodon rugosus (FL = 95.71%), Saussurea lappa (FL = 94.74%), Aconitum heterophyllum (FL = 92.71%) and Taxus baccata (91.58%) had shown high fidelity level which confirmed that these plants have high medicinal worth in study area. The highest value (0.94) of ICF was for diseases group "tuberculosis and leucorrhea", followed by stomachache and flatulence (0.93), diabetics and blood pressure (0.92) and asthma and chest infections (0.88). For other uses fuel with ICF (0.83) ranked first and second was hedging and thatching (ICF = 0.82) where people use plants or their parts for construction. Spearman's rank correlation (SRC) test indicated that number of TEB uses increases if number of species is increased. Jaccard index (JI) analysis depicted that 56.31% plants are being used as TEMs which are first time explored from the study area. While 26.21% plants are being used in different TEB uses which are different from past cited literature. These novel findings of research indicate that wild flora of the study area has great potential for novel drug discovery and provision of materialist services for the indigenous communities. Conclusion: The present research revealed that TEMs uses of 58 plants are novel being first time reported from the study area (DRG) of District Neelam of AJK. The results showed that plants like Acer cappadocicum, Ajuga bracteosa and Swertia paniculata are used to cure diabetes, Viscum album, Viola canescens, Taxus baccata are used for cure of cancer, Isodon rugosus, Polygala chinensis are used in TEMs for treating cardiovascular disorders and Anaphalis triplinervis is used for epilepsy. Berberis lyceum, Ajuga bracteosa, Aconitum heterophyllum, Bistorta amplexicaule, Saussurea lapa and Jurinea dolomiaea are severely threatened and there is urgent need to do conservation measures for available of valuable MPs to the indigenous communities for life necessities and for future research. The current study will also be useful addition in ethnobotanical database, preservation of traditional culture and drug discovery and drug development through future ethnopharmacological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The Mulam are an ethnic group native to Guangxi, and nearly 80% of the Mulam population lives in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County, northern Guangxi, southern China. They have accumulated rich medicinal folk knowledge through practice and experience in their long-term struggles with disease and the harsh natural environment. However, their traditional medicinal knowledge is threatened due to a lack of written records, conservative inheritance patterns, and rapid economic development. Therefore, the investigation and documentation of medicinal plants and their associated indigenous wisdom are necessary. Method: Ethnobotanical data were collected from 12 villages and five communities in Luocheng County from January 2013 to April 2017. A total of 128 informants were interviewed through semistructured interviews, field observations, group discussions, and guided field walks. Quantitative indices such as use categories, preference ranking exercises, the informant consensus factor (ICF), and the fidelity level (FL) were used to evaluate the importance of medicinal plant species. Additionally, group discussions were conducted about the conservation of and threats to medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. Results: A total of 456 medicinal plant species from 350 genera and 132 families were recorded and documented in our ethnobotanical investigation. Most of them (335 species, 73.47%) were obtained from wild habitats. Most of the documented species (246) were herbaceous (54%), followed by shrubs, with 76 species (17%), lianas, with 75 species (16%), and trees, with 59 species (13%). The most common method of administration was oral administration, which was used for 390 species (62.70%). The most common method of preparation was decoction (316 species, 54.11%). The plants were used to treat 312 human diseases in 12 disease categories, and most of the categories had a high ICF value. The highest ICF value was recorded for gynecological ailments (0.92), followed by nervous and psychosomatic problems (0.90) and digestive system diseases (0.89). Traditional medicinal knowledge and medicinal plants are under threat due to conservative inheritance processes and anthropogenic pressures for various reasons. Conclusion: A rich diversity of medicinal plants is distributed in the Mulam area, and these plants play an important role in healthcare among the Mulam people. Mulam people are skilled in using the plants in their surroundings to treat diseases in their daily lives. However, their traditional medicinal knowledge and medicinal plants are greatly threatened by rapid economic development for various reasons. Thus, policies and practices for the conservation of medicinal plants and the associated traditional knowledge are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Artvin Coruh University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The Philippines is renowned as one of the species-rich countries and culturally megadiverse in ethnicity around the globe. However, ethnopharmacological studies in the Philippines are still limited especially in the most numerous ethnic tribal populations in the southern part of the archipelago. This present study aims to document the traditional practices, medicinal plant use, and knowledge; to determine the relative importance, consensus, and the extent of all medicinal plants used; and to integrate molecular confirmation of uncertain species used by the Agusan Manobo in Mindanao, Philippines. Methods: Quantitative ethnopharmacological data were obtained using semi-structured interviews, group discussions, field observations, and guided field walks with a total of 335 key informants comprising of tribal chieftains, traditional healers, community elders, and Manobo members of the community with their medicinal plant knowledge. The use-report (UR), use categories (UC), use value (UV), cultural importance value (CIV), and use diversity (UD) were quantified and correlated. Other indices using fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factors (ICF), and Jaccard's similarity index (JI) were also calculated. The key informants' medicinal plant use knowledge and practices were statistically analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: This study enumerated the ethnopharmacological use of 122 medicinal plant species, distributed among 108 genera and belonging to 51 families classified in 16 use categories. Integrative molecular approach confirmed 24 species with confusing species identity using multiple universal markers (ITS, matK, psbA-trnH, and trnL-F). There was strong agreement among the key informants regarding ethnopharmacological uses of plants, with ICF values ranging from 0.97 to 0.99, with the highest number of species (88) being used for the treatment of abnormal signs and symptoms (ASS). Seven species were reported with maximum fidelity level (100%) in seven use categories. The correlations of the five variables (UR, UC, UV, CIV, and UD) were significant (rs ≥ 0.69, p < 0.001), some being stronger than others. The degree of similarity of the three studied localities had JI ranged from 0.38 to 0.42, indicating species likeness among the tribal communities. Statistically, the medicinal plant knowledge among respondents was significantly different (p < 0.001) when grouped according to education, gender, social position, occupation, civil status, and age but not (p = 0.379) when grouped according to location. This study recorded the first quantitative ethnopharmacological documentation coupled with molecular confirmation of medicinal plants in Mindanao, Philippines, of which one medicinal plant species has never been studied pharmacologically to date. Conclusion: Documenting such traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and practices is highly essential for future management and conservation strategies of these plant genetic resources. This ethnopharmacological study will serve as a future reference not only for more systematic ethnopharmacological documentation but also for further pharmacological studies and drug discovery to improve public healthcare worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plant-derived products have a vital biological role against various diseases. The present study was carried out to document and investigate the existing ethnomedicinal knowledge on local flora of Kapurthala district, Punjab, India. Materials and Methods: The ethnomedicinal investigation was carried out from March 2015 to October 2017. Key informants, rural as well as urban, i.e., herbal doctors, homemakers, farmers, elders, etc., were selected using snowball sampling method. Information on ethnomedicinal importance of plants of this region and methods of preparation and administration was gathered by questionnaire-based personal interviews, group discussions, informal meetings, and field observations with local people. Results: Fifty plant species belonging to thirty families were informed to be used for medicinal purposes. Fruits and leaves were the most used plant parts. The most commonly used mode of administration was raw form or juice of plant parts. Most of the information was recorded for the treatment of gastrointestinal problems. Conclusions: This study reveals the interesting use of plants by the local people of Kapurthala district, which shows that use of medicinal plants still exists. However, because of modernization, traditional knowledge is losing at high rate; there is a need to conserve our ancestral knowledge. Further, medicinal plants should be examined for pharmacological and phytochemical studies for novel drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iraqi Kurdistan is a special hotspot for bio-cultural diversity and for investigating patterns of traditional wild food plant foraging, considering that this area was the home of the first Neolithic communities and has been, over millennia, a crossroad of different civilizations and cultures. The aim of this ethnobotanical field study was to cross-culturally compare the wild food plants traditionally gathered by Kurdish Muslims and those gathered by the ancient Kurdish Kakai (Yarsan) religious group and to possibly better understand the human ecology behind these practices. Methods: Twelve villages were visited and 123 study participants (55 Kakai and 68 Muslim Kurds) were interviewed on the specific topic of the wild food plants they currently gather and consume. Results: The culinary use of 54 folk wild plant taxa (corresponding to 65 botanical taxa) and two folk wild mushroom taxa were documented. While Kakais and Muslims do share a majority of the quoted food plants and also their uses, among the plant ingredients exclusively and commonly quoted by Muslims non-weedy plants are slightly preponderant. Moreover, more than half of the overall recorded wild food plants are used raw as snacks, i.e. plant parts are consumed on the spot after their gathering and only sometimes do they enter into the domestic arena. Among them, it is worth mentioning the consumption of raw wild crocus corms, also still common in Turkish Kurdistan and that of wild tulip bulbs, which was documented to be popular until the beginning of the twentieth century in the Middle East. Comparison with other ethnobotanical field studies recently conducted among surrounding populations has shown that Kurds tend to gather and consume the largest number of non-weedy wild vegetables. Conclusion: The collected data indicate robust traces of nomadic pastoralism in Kurdish traditional foraging. This finding confirms that studies on wild food plant gathering in the Fertile Crescent and Turco-Arabic-Iranic regions of the Middle East are crucial for understanding the possible evolution of wild food plant gathering through history within the post-Neolithic continuum between pastoralism and horticulturalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to collect, record, and document local knowledge of medicinal practices in Düzce, a northwestern Anatolian province. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive ethnobotanical study has been reported from this province. Information was acquired through semistructured interviews and personal conversations using a questionnaire and numerous guided field trips with local knowledgeable people. For quantitative analyses and comparisons, recorded data such as informant consensus factor (FIC) and use value (UV) were calculated, respectively. As a result of extensive field studies, 122 taxa were determined as folk medicines; 76 of were wild and 46 were cultivated. The identified medicinal plants were mainly from the family Rosaceae, followed by Compositae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae, respectively. Among the preparations used, liquid forms such as infusions (30.2%) or decoctions (16.4%) represented the most favored ways to administer medicinal plants. Dermatological disorders had the highest FIC score with a value of 0.75 followed by skeletomuscular (FIC = 0.7466), gastrointestinal (FIC = 0.6666), immunological (FIC = 0.6615), and respiratory (FIC = 0.6292) system disorders, among others. The most prominent medicinal plants were Urtica dioica (UV = 0.4352), Plantago major (UV = 0.3056), Rubus ulmifolius (UV = 0.2279), and Sambucus ebulus (UV = 0.2279). According to the present study, the number of people who recognize and use the wild plants of Düzce, and those of the rest of Anatolia, is steadily decreasing. The ethnobotanical knowledge cannot be passed to the next generation in its entirety if it is not properly recorded. In addition to this gradual loss of knowledge, modern information pollution and contamination via the popular media highlight the urgent need to record this precious knowledge before it is lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gathering and consuming wild food plants are traditional practices in many areas of the world and their role in fostering food security has been increasingly discussed in recent years. In this field study, we focused on traditional foraging among Azeris, Tats, Russian Molokans, and Udis in Central Azerbaijan. Via 78 semi-structured interviews, with an equal number of individuals from the four ethnic/religious communities, 73 wild food folk taxa were recorded. While Caucasian autochthonous Udis have a restricted use of wild food plants in comparison with the other groups, possibly due to the fact that they live in a plains area that is horticultural-driven and well-connected, the most divergent ethnobotany was exhibited by the Tats (10 folk taxa exclusively used by them) which may be related to both their cultural and geographical isolation and the fact that this community was endogamic until only a few decades ago. Whereas the Azeri plant cultural markers are mainly retained by refugees from Karabakh, Russian Molokans, who represent a distinct, conservative ethno-religious group, seem to have preserved a few ancient Slavic culinary uses of wild plants (Armoracia rusticana Gaertn., B.Mey. and Scherb., Crataegus spp., Rumex acetosella L., and especially Viburnum opulus). Tat cultural markers were represented by barberries (especially in their original lacto-fermented preparation) and Ornithogalum spp., while for Udis Smilax excelsa L. shoots were particularly salient, as were wild Allium, Chaerophyllum, Prangos, Smyrnium, and Tragopogon spp. among the Azeris. Overall, the practice of traditional foraging is alive in the Azeri Caucasus in the most remote mountainous areas and this heritage is the result of a complex co-evolution, in which both human ecological trajectories and cultural attachment to certain plant tastes have possibly shaped specific foraging patterns over centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Use of "Use Value": Quantifying Importance in Ethnobotany. Use value (UV) is an index widely used to quantify the relative importance of useful plants. It combines the frequency with which a species is mentioned with the number of uses mentioned per species, and is often used to highlight prominent species of interest. However, high-UV species are often disproportionately cultivated species, with wild-collected plants ranking lower. To better understand this pattern, and to determine if it is present in the broader ethnobotanical literature, we reviewed an array of papers with results on UV and cultivation status, and we analyzed in depth data from two large ethnobotanical studies in the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus. In addition to looking for differences in UV by cultivation status, we compared the two best-populated categories of use (medicinal and food uses) and the components of UV (relative frequency of citation and number of uses mentioned per species). We found that UV was higher in cultivated plants than wild plants in both the Caucasus datasets and the 17 studies overall. Medicinal plants did not exhibit this trend, as medicinal wild plants had marginally higher UV than medicinal cultivated plants. Relative frequency of citation had a substantial effect on UV, in contrast to number of uses mentioned for a given plant. In sum, UV seems subject to some obscured biases which are important to consider in the context of each study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND In Mediterranean grazed woodlands, microclimate changes induced by trees influence the growth and development of the understory, although very little is known about its polyphenolic composition in relation to light intensity. We investigated the bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of different legume‐based swards and variations as a result of full sunlight and partial shade. The research was carried out in a cork oak agrosilvopastoral system in Sardinia. RESULTS: The highest values of (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH) reached 7 mmol Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity 100 g−1 dry weight (DW), total phenolics 67.1 g gallic acid equivalent kg−1 DW and total flavonoids 7.5 g catechin equivalent kg−1 DW. Compared to full sunlight, partial shade reduced DPPH values by 29% and 42%, and the total phenolic content by 23% and 53% in 100% legume mixture and semi‐natural pasture, respectively. Twelve phenolic compounds were detected: chlorogenic acid in 80% legume mixture (partial shade) and verbascoside in pure sward of bladder clover (full sunlight) were the most abundant. CONCLUSION: Light intensity significantly affected antioxidant capacity, composition and levels of phenolic compounds. The results of the present study provide new insights into the effects of light intensity on plant secondary metabolites from legume‐based swards, highlighting the important functions provided by agroforestry systems. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study documented the species of medicinal plants used by Ayta communities in Dinalupihan, Bataan. The plant parts used for medicinal purposes, preparations, mode of administration of these medicinal plants were determined. The most important species based on use values and informant consensus factors were also calculated. Methods: A total of 26 informants were interviewed regarding the plants they utilize for medicinal purposes. Free and prior informed consents were obtained from the informants. Taxonomic identification was done in the Botany Division of the National Museum of the Philippines. Informant consensus factor (FIC) and use values (UV) were also calculated. Results: Ayta communities listed a total of 118 plant species classified into 49 families used as herbal medicines. The Family Fabaceae was the most represented plant family with 11 species. Leaves were the most used plant part (43%). Majority of medicinal preparations were taken orally (57%). It was found that Psidium guajava L. and Lunasia amara Blanco were the most commonly used medicinal plants in the three communities with the use value of 0.814. Conclusion: This documentation provides a catalog of useful plants of the Ayta and serves as a physical record of their culture for the education of future Ayta generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has highly rich floras of medicinal and aromatic plants because of having various climate conditions in different regions. One of these regions is Middle Black Sea Region, especially Ordu Province. Extracts of 10 edible plants (Arum maculatum L., Hypericum orientale L., Ornithogalum sigmoideum Freyn et Sint., Silene vulgaris Garcke var. macrocarpa, Plantago lanceolata L., Achillea millefolium L. subsp. pannonica, Rumex crispus L., Rumex acetosella L., Capsella bursa-pastoris L., Coronopus squamatus Asch.), grown in Ordu, Turkey, were prepared with different solvents (hexane, ethanol and water, separately) and their anticholinestrase and antiaflatoxigenic activities were evaluated. Additionally, the cupric reducing antioxidant capacities (CUPRAC) and ABTS cation radical scavenging abilities of the extracts were assayed. The ethanol extract of R. acetosella exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (A0.5 value of 25.31 μg/mL, for CUPRAC activity; IC50 value of 23.73 μg/mL, for ABTS activity). The hexane extract of C. bursa-pastoris showed the strongest inhibition against AChE enzyme with IC50 value of 7.24 μg/mL, and the hexane extract of A. millefolium subsp. pannonica had the highest BChE activity with IC50 value of 6.40 μg/mL. The ethanol extract of P. lanceolata exhibited the strongest inhibition against aflatoxin with 88% inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several plants have been used as aphrodisiac to treat sexual problems for centuries. Nowadays, despite the synthesis of chemicals, herbal medicines continue to maintain their importance. Turkey has a great tradition of folk medicine due to its rich flora and many plants have been used for the treatment of several disorders. This work presents aphrodisiac plants traditionally used in Turkey, with their local names, used parts, usage and administration route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its geographic location, variable climate and traditional culture, Turkey has a rich flora and the use of plants in folk medicine is very favorable. That practice and knowledge have been passed down from generation to generation. Ethnobotanical surveys are carried out to record traditional treatment methods of plants. In this study, which was prepared by screening of ethnobotanical researches made in Turkey, 241 taxa were recorded in the traditional treatment of hemorrhoids. Information about scientific and local names, families, used parts and usage patterns of these plants are given. According to the research results, the most commonly used plants in hemorrhoid treatment are plants belonging to Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Araceae, Polygonaceae and Cupressaceae families. The species commonly used in different regions of Turkey are Achillea sp., Arum sp., Cichorium intybus L., Dracunculus vulgaris Schott, Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich., Ficus carica L., Hypericum perforatum L., H. scabrum L., Juglans regia L., Peganum harmala L., Rosa canina L., Rubus sp., Sambucus ebulus L., S. nigra L., Teucrium polium L., Urtica dioica L., Verbascum sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Although surgical and screening techniques have vastly improved in the last 30 years, chemotherapeutics have not advanced sufficiently for successful treatment. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the microRNA (miRNA) expression changes and anticancer agent potential of Rubus Sanctus Schreb. root extract (RRE) on LoVo and HT-29 colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines. Materials and Methods: LoVo and HT-29 CRC cell lines treated with different concentrations of RRE to find growth inhibitory effect with WST-1 assay. Fifty percent growth inhibition and 25% growth inhibition concentrations further evaluated with annexin V, total caspase, cell cycle, and migration assays. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the expression differences in miRNA after extract treatment. Results: Cell proliferation was reduced 77.98% in HT-29 cells after RRE treatment (P < 0.05). In the cell invasion analysis, RRE reduced invasion in both cell lines up to 75.56% (P < 0.05). In addition, RRE induced apoptosis in up to 98% of a cell population (P < 0.05). Similarly, pan-caspase activity increased to 97.6% and 87.2% in LoVo and HT-29 cell lines, respectively (P < 0.0001). After extract treatment, among the nine miRNAs evaluated, only miR-140 expression was significantly increased in both cell lines after RRE treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our data show for the first time that RRE has the capability to inhibit CRC cell proliferation and invasion and alter epigenetic mechanisms. Although further studies should be conducted on this topic, RRE is thought to be a potential candidate for the future studies regarding new therapy options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethnobotanical field study focusing on traditional wild vegetables was conducted in 22 villages of Central Kurdistan among three ethno-religious groups: Yazidis, Christian Assyrians, and (Sunni) Muslim Kurds. Through 91 interviews with elderly informants, we recorded the folk uses of 54 identified botanical taxa. We also observed important differences among these three groups in the use of wild vegetables that reflect the historical prevalence of pastoralism versus horticulture among Kurds and Assyrians, respectively. The preservation of the peaceful co-existence of different cultural and religious groups in the study area is crucial for the maintenance of the rich wild plant food local heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turkey has many plants used by public for the treatment of various diseases. The usage of these plants has been transferred from generation to generation. Ethnobotanical studies carried out by traditional methods of treatment are recorded and this information is aimed to contribute to the development of the drug. In this study, it has been reached to 88 taxa that is used in traditional treatment against headache in Turkey and aimed to give information about scientific and local names, families, used parts and usage of these taxa in headache. in headache. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Istanbul Medical Journal is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A 29-year-old man presented with milk of calcium that completely filled the right-sided renal collecting system and ureter and was thought to be a giant renal calculus. Plain radiographs and computed tomographic findings of this rarity, which has not been reported previously, are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was carried out in selected districts of the Black Sea region of Turkey, in Trabzon (center), Çorum (İskilip town), Karabük (Yenice town), Amasya (Kapıkaya village), and Amasya (Belmebük village) in order to document the wild plants used by the local inhabitants, i.e. as a remedy or foodstuff or for other purposes. The data were collected from 352 individuals residing in these districts and volunteering to participate in the research through face-to-face interviewing. Depending on the data collected, the parts of the plants used, the purpose in using them, and the ways of preparation (simply cooking or decoction, infusion, poultice, ointment, etc.) were documented. Wild plants that are said to be used were collected with guidance from the informant and herbarium materials were prepared. All plant specimens collected were identified botanically and deposited at the Herbarium of the Faculty of Education of Hacettepe University (HEF). In the survey, the use of 72 plant taxa from 35 families was documented. Most of them belonged to the families Rosaceae (14 taxa), Lamiaceae (5 taxa), and Asteraceae (5 taxa). Among the 150 wild plant used in total, 106 were documented to be used in the treatment of several health problems. In descending order, these health problems were respiratory system disorders (25 remedies; 23.6%), dermatological disorders (21 remedies; 19.8%), gastro-intestinal disorders (20 remedies; 18.9%), endocrine and metabolic diseases (11 remedies; 10.4%), and urinary disorders (11 remedies; 10.4%), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kurdistan represents a crucial region in the Middle East for understanding patterns of human evolution in the use of food plants and especially wild vegetables as well as for assessing the influences of the major, surrounding bio-cultural macro-area. In this research, an ethnobotanical filed study focusing on wild vegetables traditionally gathered and consumed during the spring was conducted in a few villages of the Western Hawraman area, in South Kurdistan (Iraq), both among Sunni Muslims and Yarsanis (Ahl-e Haqq), the latter of which represent followers of a tiny, threatened, ancient monotheistic religion. Through interviews with 25 elderly informants, the folk uses of 34 botanical and mycological taxa were recorded. A few of the recorded species have never, or very rarely, been described in the ethnobotanical literature of the Middle East and for some of them (most notably Allium koelzii, Bongardia chrysogonum, Dorema aucheri, and Johrenia aromatica) their sensory chemistry and nutraceutical properties are largely unknown. No differences were found between the folk taxa mentioned by Sunni Muslims and those reported by Yarsanis. The high cultural value and consumption of raw young shoots of Imperata cylindrica should be further investigated considering the history of the development of agriculture in the area, as explanations for the domestication of wild grasses have never considered the hypothesis of gastronomic appreciation of their young aerial parts. Moreover, some of the most mentioned vegetables are also considered food-medicines. A comparison with all the pre-existing food ethnobotanical literature of the Middle East shows that the most culturally salient wild vegetables recorded in the Hawraman area are shared with Arabic, Turkish, Caucasian, and especially Persian food heritages. These findings suggest that investigating the ethnobiology of Kurdistan is more than ever urgent in order to document folk plant uses at a crucial crossroad of historical and cultural trajectories in the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among all plant derivates, essential oils (EOs) have gained the attention of many scientists. Diterpenes, a family of components present in some EO, are becoming a milestone in the EOs world. The goal of this review is to describe a scenario of diterpenes taking into health-consumption deportment. Previous studies revealed that diterpenes have antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, cytotoxic, anticancer, antigenotoxic, antimutagenic, chemopreventive, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, immunostimulatory, organoprotective, antidiabetic, lipid-lowering, antiallergic, antiplatelet, antithrombotic, and antitoxin activities. In conclusion, diterpenes may be an immense featuring concern in pharmaceutical consumption from a drug discovery point of view. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal and wild food plants have always played an important role in people's lives especially in rural areas. Similar situation can be said for islands due to the reason of them being isolated from mainland. This paper reports an ethnobotanical investigations performed in 2009 and 2014 to determine medicinal and wild food plants of Marmara Island. A total of 30 individuals were interviewed (19 men, 11 women). Totally, 22 plants are recorded as used as traditional folk medicine for the region, and nine of these are also used as a source of wild food. Furthermore, 18 taxa are wild sources of nutrition for the area. The plants most commonly used in the region as medicinal remedies were Salvia fruticosa, Hypericum perforatum, Ficus carica, and Mentha spicata. Plants are mostly used for the treatment of abdominal pain, the common cold, and haemorrhoids. The species most commonly used for food are: Salvia fruticosa, Arbutus unedo, Rhus coriaria, and Rubus sanctus. This ethnobotanical study conducted in this island will enable the traditional use of wild plants both as food sources and herbal remedies to be passed on to future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal osteosarcoma is an extremely rare disease. Only 23 cases have been published in the literature. Radiation-induced laryngeal osteosarcoma is even rarer; this is only the third such case to be reported. A 59-year-old man underwent radiotherapy for an in situ laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma at another institution. Five years later he developed a laryngeal osteosarcoma, and a total laryngectomy was performed. Although previous reports showed a poor prognosis, our patient was without disease at the 8-year follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the longest disease-free follow-up to be reported in the literature. We also present a review of the world's literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cone and seed characters were observed on top, middle and bottom portions of tree crown in 3 ramets/clone in three Turkish Pinus sylvestris seed orchards. Broad sense heritability (clonal repeatability), and correlations among characters were estimated. Around one quarter of the seed production occurred in the top portion, half in the middle and one quarter in the bottom portion of the crown for all orchards. The percentage of filled seeds varied little with the crown position, indicating more or less similar levels of selfing in the bottom of the crown as in the top. The seed weight was typically 11 mg. Differences were found for studied cone and seed characters among orchards and crown positions. Variation among grafts within clone was higher than among clones for most characters. The heritability was on average below 0.5 (e.g., cone diameter, number of filled seed per cone) and rarely rose above that (e.g., cone form, length/diameter; percentage of filled seed) for any individual characters. The coefficient of variation within clones was often higher than among clones. Thus, non-genetic factors seem often more important for the variation in performance of grafts than their genetic constitution. Cone form (length/ diameter) was the character where the clone influence was the strongest. Cone number and cone dry weight showed significant correlations with seed characters (numbers of total and filled seed, percentage and weight of filled seeds). Significant correlation was found between seed characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]