Faculty of Pharmacy

This study was carried out to determine the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and caffeic acid (CA) applications on the root growth index and contents of total anthraquinones (AQs), alizarin, purpurin, total phenolic (TP) and individual phenolic compounds in madder (Rubia tinctorum) roots grown in vitro conditions. For this aim, in vitro adventitious roots derived from internode parts were cultured in Murashige and Skoog media containing two different concentrations of MeJA (10 and 100 µM) and CA (1 and 2 mM) for 7 days. Based on the results, MeJA decreased the root growth index compared to control while CA had a positive influence on the root growth of madder. It may be concluded that 2 mM CA+100 µM MeJA combination was the most suitable application providing the highest AQs and phenolics.

Secondary metabolites, gaining importance in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, perfumery, food industry and agrarian struggle, are synthesized in different organs such as root, leaves, shoot and seed in plants. These compounds are defined as “light in bulk” because of the low synthesis rate but “high in value” because of the wide range of applications, activities and economic values. Obtaining of the secondary metabolites found in roots by conventional methods is based on dismantling of these plants from the nature or the cultural field and isolating by the different methods. Detachment of plants from nature causes the loss of genetic resources. And it has some difficulties as the challenges and differences in terrain and climate conditions, low metabolite yield and quality and more labor. Thus a new approaches is needed to enable more economic, higher metabolite yield and quality compared to the conventional methods. Therefore, in vitro techniques have gained importance. With this review, ...

This study was carried out to determine the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) applications on growth and accumulation of caffeic acid derivatives (CADs) in shoots and roots grown in vitro. For this aim, 28 days old plants obtained from seeds were cultured in ½ Murashige and Skoog media containing different concentrations of MeJA (0, 10, 50 and 100 μM) and plants were harvested in three times at 15 days intervals. After harvest, growth parameters and CADs in shoot and roots were determined, separately. All growth parameters decreased in line with the elevating level of MeJA applications. But MeJA applications increased the CADs both shoots and roots compared to the controls. The highest cichoric acid, the main CAD of Echinacea, was found in shoots and roots applied with 100 μM MeJA and harvested in 45 days after application.

This study was aimed to determine the effects of 24-eBL, a steroid growth regulator, on the plant growth, total phenolic content, essential oil content and composition in “Munstead” lavender cultivar belonging to Lavandula angustifolia. For this aim, 24-eBL was applied to plants at four different concentrations (0, 0.75, 1.50 and 2.25 mg/l) twice, at the beginning of budding and 10 days after the first application. The plants harvested during the full bloom period were evaluated for fresh and dry stemmed flower yields, stemless dry flower yield, total phenolic content and essential oil yield and composition. As a result of the study, 24-eBL at concentrations of 0.75 and 1.50 mg/l significantly increased the stemless dry flower yield, total phenolic content and essential oil yield per plant. 24-eBL applications also changed essential oil composition. To conclude, 24-eBL applications can be used to increase the dry flower yield, phenolic and essential oil contents in lavender plants.

This study was aimed to determine the effects of different concentrations of L-phenylalanine (0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 mM L-Phe) applied to adventitious root cultures for different culture durations on root growth and production of tropane alkaloids and phenolics in Hyoscyamus niger. For this purpose, adventitious roots obtained from petiole explants of in vitro seedlings were used as plant materials. After adventitious roots were cultured in liquid MS medium, L-Phe was applied to the adventitious roots. Then the roots were harvested on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day of the applications, fresh and dry root weights, root growth indexes were analysed. It was also examined the contents of tropane alkaloids (hyoscyamine and scopolamine) and phenolics (gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, vanillin, cinnamic acid, rosmarinic acid, p-coumaric, o-coumaric acid, rutin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin) by HPLC in both adventitious roots and culture medium. As a result, the gr...

The aim of the research was carried out to determine the effects of boric acid (BA) applications on the accumulation of anthocyanins, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and total phenolics in ʻAlphonse Lavalléeʼ grape cultivar. BA was applied to vines with four different concentrations (250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/L) and at two different periods (at blooming and at blooming+fruit set). At the end of the study, it was determined that the BA applications consist of 250mg/L and 750 mg/L of boric acid concentrations during both blooming and fruit set stages were the most effective applications providing the highest anthocyanins, β-carotene and total phenolics. On the other hand, boric acid applications had no important effects on the ascorbic acid contents in berries.

Rabies is an acute viral infection of the central nervous system. It is transmitted to humans through an infected animal's bite and almost always results in death. There is no effective medical treatment for rabies; therefore, precaution against the disease is vitally important. Herein, two cases of human rabies followed within a month are reported. In the first case, a 42-year-old Syrian man was admitted to emergency service with high fever, general weakness, hypersalivation and dysphagia and a history of a dog bite about 45 days ago in Syria. In the second case, a-36-year-old Syrian man was admitted to another border city hospital with high fever, hydrofobia, photophobia and hypersalivation and a history of a dog bite about 3 months ago in Syria. Shortly after admission, both patients' neurological status severely deteriorated. With the development of progressive respiratory failure, they required ventilator support and strong sedation with a presumptive diagnosis of rabies. The saliva sample and nuchal skin biopsy of the first case were positive for rabies virus with the antigen being revealed by direct fluorescent antibody test. The results were also positive for rabies virus by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Thus, the diagnosis was confirmed on the fourth day of the admission, and on the 19 th day, he was deceased from rabies encephalitis. The second case died on the second day of his admission, and his brain biopsy was positive for rabies virus antigen. These cases emphasize the importance of dog bites in rabies transmission and underscores the need for public education for rabies prevention.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different culture times on root growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in adventitious roots from Hyoscyamus niger petioles. For this purpose, adventitious roots transferred to culture media containing 1 mM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) were harvested at 11 different culture times, starting from day 1 to day 30. After harvest, the fresh and dry weights of the roots and the root growth index as parameters of root growth, as well as the amounts of tropane alkaloids and phenolic compounds, were examined. It was found that the fresh and dry weights and the growth index of the roots harvested between the 12th and 30th day were the highest. The highest amounts of scopolamine were obtained from roots harvested on days 15, 18, and 21. The highest hyoscyamine accumulation was found on days 12 and 15. The highest total phenolic content was 19.33 mg g-1 in root cultures harvested on day 15. HPLC analyses revealed that ferulic acid, caffe...

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different culture times on root growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites in adventitious roots from Hyoscyamus niger petioles. For this purpose, adventitious roots transferred to culture media containing 1 mM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) were harvested at 11 different culture times, starting from day 1 to day 30. After harvest, the fresh and dry weights of the roots and the root growth index as parameters of root growth, as well as the amounts of tropane alkaloids and phenolic compounds, were examined. It was found that the fresh and dry weights and the growth index of the roots harvested between the 12 th and 30 th day were the highest. The highest amounts of scopolamine were obtained from roots harvested on days 15, 18, and 21. The highest hyoscyamine accumulation was found on days 12 and 15. The highest total phenolic content was 19.33 mg g-1 in root cultures harvested on day 15. HPLC analyses revealed that ferulic acid, caffeic acid, o-coumaric acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, and quercetin were not detected in the roots. On the other hand, the amounts of gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, vanillin, cinnamic acid, rosmarinic acid, and chlorogenic acid showed significant changes depending on the culture times. Considering all the results, it was found that the optimum culture time for the production of secondary metabolites in H. niger adventitious root cultures stimulated with 1mM MeJA was 15 days.