Gundelia Research Articles

Histopathological Evaluation of the Anti-Obesity Effects of the Plant Kenger (Gundelia tournefortii L.) in an Experimental Model of Obesity Induced in Rats

In this study, the anti-obesity effects of Gundelia tournefortii extract were histopathologically investigated in experimental obesity induced by a high-calorie diet in rats. For this purpose, Wistar-Albino male rats were divided into four groups, each consisting of 10 rats: Control (C), High-Calorie Diet (HCD), High-Calorie Diet + Gundelia tournefortii 200 mg/kg (HCDG1), and High-Calorie Diet + Gundelia tournefortii 400 mg/kg (HCDG2). The study was conducted over a period of three months. Histopathological analyses of liver tissue samples revealed that the HCD group exhibited fatty degeneration, with coagulation necrosis observed in hepatocytes. In the HCDG1 group, the liver showed macro-microvesicular fat vacuoles in hepatocytes of the pericentral regions, although this accumulation was significantly milder compared to the HCD group. Conversely, the HCDG2 group displayed a histological appearance close to that of the control group, with only rare microvesicular fat vacuoles present in hepatocytes. In conclusion, it is suggested that the Gundelia tournefortii extract administered alongside a high-calorie diet has hepatoprotective effects, potentially attributed to the antioxidant properties of its active components.

Organ toxicities associated with diet-induced obesity in rats: Investigation of changes in activities selected enzymes.

Obesity stands out as one of the most significant health problems in the modern world. The prevalence of high-calorie diets (HCDs) globally exacerbates this condition. Throughout history, plants and plant-derived food products have been utilized for medicinal purposes, demonstrating their efficacy in the treatment and prevention of various diseases. Gundelia tournefortii (GT), a plant of interest, is known to possess beneficial properties. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the immunotoxic and neurotoxic effects of two different doses of GT plant extract on the liver, brain, and heart tissues of obese rats. For this purpose, Wistar male rats were divided into four groups: "CG," "HCDG," "HCDGUN1," and "HCDGUN2" At the conclusion of the study, adenosine deaminase (ADA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities, as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) biomarkers, were evaluated in the liver, heart, and brain tissues. The study results revealed a statistically significant increase in ADA and MPO activities in the HCDG group compared to the CG group, alongside a significant decrease in the HCDGUN groups compared to the HCDG group. Regarding AChE and BChE activities, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the HCDG group compared to the CG group, whereas an increase was noted in the HCDGUN groups relative to the HCDG group, with the latter approaching values similar to those of the control group. In conclusion, the intake of GT plant extract exhibited positive effects on the immunotoxic and neurotoxic effects induced by HCD in rats with an experimental obesity model, as evidenced by tissue biomarker evaluations.

Ligand-protein Docking of Gundelia tournefortii and Ocimum basilicum Derivatives in Scanning Hub Protein Targets (PI3K, PDK1, AKT, and RAC1) of the Insulin Signaling Pathway and ADME/Tox Drug Properties

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous disease characterized by high blood glucose levels. Its prevalence is increasing as a result of lifestyle, related genes expression, and insufficient insulin signaling. The activation or inhibition of some proteins in the insulin signaling pathway play a vital role in glucose uptake into the cells and in maintaining serum glucose homeostasis. Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1), Protein kinase B [PKB, also known as the serine and threonine kinase (AKT)], and Rac family small GTPase 1 (RAC1) are key proteins that play important roles in the liberation of Glucose Transported-4 (GLUT4) vesicle, and consequently the uptake of glucose in response to the insulin signal of hyperglycemia. Objective: In this study, we have focused on the route of targeting insulin signaling proteins for decreasing insulin resistance by targeting the four proteins, PI3K, PDK1, AKT, and RAC1, using in silico studies. Methods: Docking experiments, using AutoDock algorithms, were performed to predict the activity of eight recently purified derivatives of Gundelia tournefortii (GT) and Ocimum basilicum (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, chlorogenic acid, lupeol, lupeol-trifluoroacetate, myo-inositol, and stigmasterol) on the insulin signaling proteins. The SwissADME website was used to predict ADMEtox properties for the eight derivatives of the above-mentioned medicinal plants. Results: Most of the Gundelia tournefortii and Ocimum basilicum derivatives have shown variable levels of activation, mainly on the PDK1 and AKT pathways, and to a much lesser extent on the PI3K and RAC1 pathways. Conclusion: The results have indicated that Gundelia tournefortii and Ocimum basilicum derivatives can be potent anti-diabetic drugs, namely in targeting PDK1 and AKT pathways.

Impact of Gundelia tournefortti extract on the polycystic ovarian syndrome

BackgroundPolycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that affects females ranging from age 16 to 45 years. PCOS significantly increases the risk of infertility, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension in women. Gundelia tournefortti has been shown to have various metabolic effects and has been utilized in Greco-Arab medicine for different pathological conditions. PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the effect of Gundelia tournefortii on the ovaries of PCOS in mice. Study Design: Female Balb/c Mice (n = 63) were randomly divided into seven groups. PCOS was induced using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Post-disease induction, the mice were orally treated with 5 % Gundelia tournefortii aqueous extract. A group was pre-co treated with DHEA and the extract. Negative control included sham and sesame oil. Metformin was used as a positive control. MethodsHistological analysis of the ovaries was performed. The levels of Testosterone and Estradiol in the serum were determined. The indicators of oxidative stress Glutathione (GSH), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) were quantified along with the proinflammatory marker IL-1B using colorimetric analysis and ELISA. The effect of the extract on steroidogenic enzymes CYP11A1 and Aromatase was assessed using Western blot analysis. ResultsA decrease of apparent follicular cysts in the ovaries was observed after treatment with Gundelia tournefortii extract. The levels of serum Testosterone and Estradiol decreased post treatment of PCOS mice with the extract. The markers of oxidative stress were all normalized in the treatment group compared to the control group. The extract caused a decrease in IL-1β decreased in the treatment group. Finally, post-treatment with Gundelia tournefortii was able to restore Aromatase expression and repress expression of CYP11A1. ConclusionOur study showed that Gundelia tournefortii was able to restore all negative parameters induced by DHEA making the extract a plausible therapeutic agent for PCOS.

In vitro gastrointestinal digestion of a novel toffee type soft candy formulated by a latex obtained from Gundelia tournefortii L. and enriched with a lactic acid-based propolis extract

In this study, a toffee type soft candy product was developed for the first time with a new production process by means of using a plant based latex (kenger gum) obtained from Gundelia tournefortii L. D-optimal mixture design was used for the optimization of components in the kenger gum added sugared (KGS) and sugar-free (KGSF) candy samples. According to optimization step, the amounts of kenger gum that provided the best sensory scores were found as 2.16 g/100 g and 2.00 g/100 g sample for KGS and KGSF formulations, respectively, and then lactic acid (80 %) based propolis extract (LPE, 0.5 %, 1 %, 2.5 %) were added to these novel candy samples. According to the results, water activity values were determined as 0.6210–0.6315, 0.6197–0.6290 and 0.5226–0.5313 for the control, KGS, and KGSF groups, respectively. Considering the instrumental texture and color parameters, use of kenger gum and different amounts of LPE caused differences in the characteristic properties of samples. Compared to the control group, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, and rosmarinic acid were detected in the samples with added kenger gum. The presence of both kenger gum and LPE in candy samples might have resulted with an interaction and affected the in vitro bioaccessibility of the phenolic compounds.

Physicochemical, colour, microbiology, sensory and mineral attributes of set-type yoghurt produced from Gundelia tournefortii L. and its gum

The present study aimed to investigate the production of yoghurt in which the parts of the Gundelia tournefortii L. and its gum were added to milk at levels of 3% (v/v), incubated until the pH value reached 4.7 at 42 °C and then stored at 4 °C for 21 days. The Ca, P, K, Na and Mg contents of the yoghurt sample containing Gundelia tournefortii L. proved to be higher than those found in the control sample. Acidity, acetaldehyde, viscosity, a* values of yoghurt samples increased during storage, while the volatile fatty acids, gel firmness, whey separation, water holding capacity, L* and the b* values were decreased. The lactic acid bacteria count on the 21st day was > 6 log CFU/g in all yoghurt samples. The total aerobic mesophilic bacteria decreased except for the yoghurt sample containing Gundelia tournefortii L. milk, while the yeast and mold increased. The preference map revealed that 60–80% of consumers were satisfied with the control sample and the Gundelia tournefortii L. gum sample. Gundelia tournefortii L. milk and Gundelia tournefortii L. leaves samples were also found to have acceptable scores. As a result, adding Gundelia tournefortii L. into the yoghurt turned out to have a positive impact on its sensory and functional properties and could lead to an innovative approach in the dairy product market.Graphical abstract

Investigation the biological activities and the metabolite profiles of endophytic fungi isolated from Gundelia tournefortii L.

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms that are considered as a potential source of natural compounds, and can be applied in various industries. The aims of this research were molecular identification of endophytic fungi isolated from the Gundelia tournefortii stems, and investigation their biological activities as well as phenolic and fatty acid profile. Surface sterilized stems of G. tournefortii were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) to isolate the fungal endophytes. Genomic DNA was extracted by CTAB method, and PCR amplification was performed by ITS 1 and ITS 4 as primers. The enzyme production of endophytic fungi was determined based on the formation of a clear zone that appeared around the colonies of fungus. The anti-oxidant activity was evaluated by measuring the amount of free radicals DPPH. Also, the total phenol and flavonoid contents were measured obtained by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively. Moreover, the separation and identification of phenolic acids and fatty acids were done by HPLC and GC, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis was done based on the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region, and five isolates were identified as following: Aspergillus niger, Penicillium glabrum, Alternaria alternata, A. tenuissima, and Mucor circinelloides. Evaluation of the enzymatic properties showed that P. gabrum (31 ± 1.9 mm), and A. niger (23 ± 1.7) had more ability for producing pectinase and cellulase. The anti-oxidant activity of isolates showed that A. alternata extract (IC50 = 471 ± 29 µg/mL) had the highest anti-oxidant properties, followed by A. tenuissima extract (IC50 = 512 ± 19 µg/mL). Also, the extract of A. alternata had the greatest amount of total phenols and flavonoids contents (8.2 ± 0.4 mg GAL/g and 2.3 ± 0.3 mg QE/g, respectively). The quantification analysis of phenolic acid showed that rosmarinic acid, para-coumaric acid, and meta-coumaric acid (42.02 ± 1.31, 7.53 ± 0.19, 5.41 ± 0.21 mg/g, respectively) were the main phenolic acids in the studied fungi. The analysis of fatty acids confirmed that, in all fungi, the main fatty acids were stearic acid (27.9–35.2%), oleic acid (11.3–17.3%), palmitic acid (16.9–23.2%), linoleic acid (5.8–11.6%), and caprylic acid (6.3–10.9%). Our finding showed that endophytic fungi are a source of bioactive compounds, which could be used in various industries. This is the first report of endophytic fungi associated with G. tournefortii, which provides knowledge on their future use on biotechnological processes.

A Review of the Ethnobotany, Biological Activity, and Phytochemistry of the Plants in the Gundelia Genus.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) catalog, and Google Scholar from January 1980 up until October 2023 on plants in the Gundelia genus. Gundelia L. (Asteraceae) has been treated as a monospecific genus with Gundelia tournefortii L. (1753: 814) in most recent floras with wide variation in corolla color, but nowadays, the genus consists of 17 species. The unripe inflorescences of these species, especially G. tournefortii L., are consumed in many ways. 'Akkoub' or 'akko' in Arabic, "Kangar" in Persian, and "Silifa" in Greek are the common names of G. tournefortii L., also known as tumble thistle in English. They have been used in traditional medicine to treat bronchitis, kidney stones, diarrhea, stomach pain, inflammation, liver and blood diseases, bacterial and fungal infections, and mumps. Based on recent studies, their extracts have exhibited hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Moreover, a variety of phytochemicals, including terpenoids, sterols, and fatty acids, as well as vitamins and minerals, have been identified in this genus. This study reviewed the ethnobotany, phytochemicals, and biological activities of the plants in the Gundelia genus as functional foods and herbal remedies.

Green synthesis, characterization of gold nanoparticles using Gundelia tournefortii leaf extract, and its cytotoxic activities

The present study focused on the environmentally friendly preparation, characterization, and certain biological activities of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) made with the Gundelia tournefortii (kenger) leaf extract. The results from devices such as transmission electron microscope, energy-dispersive x-ray spectrophotometer, and Fourier scanning electron microscope reveal the structures of nanoparticles. After an hour, the greatest surface plasmon resonance was discovered at 532.15 nm. The mean cubic crystallite size was calculated using the powder x-ray diffraction model and was found to be 23.53 nm. It was noted that the produced Au-NPs had spherical forms and hexagonal dimensions and ranged in size from 5 to 40 nm. The minimum inhibitory concentration and a colorimetric method for determining cell metabolic activity test, respectively, were used to investigate the suppressive effects of Au-NPs on the growth of pathogenic bacteria and healthy and cancer cell lines.

Protective effect of Gundelia tournefortii extract on spleen tissue in experimental type I diabetes in rats

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of Gundelia tournefortii plant extract on the spleen of rats with experimental type of rats. Methods: In the study, 35 adult Wistar Albino rats were used. Thirty-five male rats were randomly divided into five equal groups of seven rats each. Animal groups were determined as Control, Diabetes, Diabetes + Treatment 1, Diabetes + Treatment 2, Diabetes + Treatment 3. The control group was not exposed to any treatment. The other groups received 45 mg/kg Streptozotocin intraperitoneally on the experimental day. Animals in Diabetes + Treatment 1, Diabetes + Treatment 2 and Diabetes + Treatment 3 groups were administered 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of Gundelia tournefortii extract daily by oral gavage for 21 days, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the animals were euthanized, and the spleen was properly removed. The tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin after routine tissue tracing. Results: Diabetes mellitus caused a decrease in the diameter of the white pulp and severe atrophy in the spleen tissue. In the red pulp, on the contrary, there was an increase in activation. In the treatment groups, it was determined that Gundelia tournefortii extract minimized the damage of diabetes and even the group with images close to the control group was Diabetes + Treatment 3, while in the other treatment groups, the rate of damage repair decreased as the dose decreased. Conclusion: In the study, it was determined that diabetes caused damage to the spleen tissue and these damages were reduced by Gundelia tournefortii plant extract. In addition, in the comparison between different doses of this plant extract in the treatment groups, it was determined that the best result was obtained in the group administered at the highest dose of 200 mg/kg. How to cite this article: Demircioğlu M, Dörtbudak MB. Protective effect of Gundelia Tournefortii extract on spleen tissue in experimental type I diabetes in rats. J Med Dent Invest 2023; 4: e230339. https://doi.org/10.5577/jomdi.e230339

Lignocellulosic biomass functionalized with EDTA dianhydride for removing Cu (II) and dye from wastewater: Batch and fixed-bed column adsorption

This work aims to introduce new chelating materials based on lignocellulosic biomass from Gundelia Tournefortii (GT). In terms of functionalization, GT has been modified using ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD). Functionalized/modified Gundelia Tournefortii (EGT) and GT were characterized by the Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses. In this regard, adsorption experiments (continuous fixed-bed column, batch) have been conducted using EGT to adsorb contaminants (Cu (II) and dye). The batch tests investigate the optimum condition, factors like: duration of experiment, the value of pH, EGT amount, and the initial concentration of the prepared solution. According to experimental data, sorption followed Langmuir isotherm. Besides, the most suitable kinetics model was pseudo-second-order. The capacity of this adsorbent reached 156.78 mg/g as the maximum amount. In terms of fixed-bed column study, functional items such as flow rate, bed depth, inflow concentration on EGT performance in the continuous adsorption column were assessed. Results confirmed that the enhancement in the inflow concentration and bed length, and flow rate decline, reinforced EGT removal capability. The dynamic capacity of this adsorbent is projected to reach 15.61 mg/g as the maximum amount in certain conditions. Modeling of experimental breakthrough curve demonstrated that the Thomas model is better described rather than Yoon-Nelson and Adams-Bohart models. Also, the results indicated that the Lignocellulosic biomass had dye (Direct Red 23: DR23) removal ability.

Antalya, Karaman ve Muğla’dan belirlenen yeni kayıt afit (Hemiptera: Aphidoidae) türleri

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidae) are obligatory phytophagous and many of them highly polyphagous pests and distributed almost all parts of the earth, especially temperature zone. Türkiye has a potential area for aphids because of its rich plant diversity and different climatic region. Most of the aphid species is specific to their host plant and both cause direct and indirect damages. So far, 654 aphid species have been determined on numerous host plants in Türkiye. As a result of the study conducted in Antalya, Karaman and Muğla provinces in Türkiye between March 2020 and September 2021, 12 aphid species were added to Türkiye aphidofauna. These species are Amphorophora urtica Essig, 1942 on Urtica dioica L., Aphis crepidis (Börner, 1940) on Crepis capillaris L. (Wallr.), Chaitophorus utahensis (Knowlton, 1928) on Salix sp., Monelliopsis caryae (Monell, 1879) on Juglans regia L., Doraphis populi (Maskell, 1898) on Populus sp., Eulachnus mediterraneus Binazzi, 1983 on Pinus sp., Metopolophium montanum Hille Ris Lambers, 1966 on Rosa sp., Protaphis echinopis (Hille Ris Lambers, 1948) on Echinops viscosus DC., Prociphilus erigeronensis (Thomas, 1879) on Cichorium sp., Sitobion leelamaniae (David, 1958) on Poa sp. and Triticum sp., Tiliaphis pseudoshinae Quednau, 1979 on Tilia sp. and Uroleucon iranicum Holman, 1980 on Gundelia tournefortii (L.). Türkiye aphidofauna has reached 666 species with this study. Detailed information of locality of new records are also given.

New activated carbon derived from Gundelia tournefortii seeds for effective removal of acetaminophen from aqueous solutions: Adsorption performance

Pharmaceuticals as one of the emerging pollutants in water systems are a global environmental concern. This study aims to synthesize a new activated carbon from Gundelia tournefortii seeds (ACGT) for effective removal of acetaminophen (ACT) from aqueous solutions. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by different techniques, namely FESEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR, BET, TGA, and pHpzc. The effects of experimental parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration, contact time and ionic strength on the ACT adsorption were investigated. Optimization studies revealed that the maximum removal (98.31%) of ACT was obtained at 30 min of contact time, 0.25 g/L adsorbent, 20 mg/L Ca2+, pH 4.0 and temperature 25˚C. For predicting ACT adsorption on synthetized adsorbent, isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic characteristics were determined. The equilibrium data were well represented by Freundlich model (R2 = 0.97) and kinetics data were well fitted by the pseudo-second order model. The thermodynamic analysis discovered that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. Overall, the development of the ACGT can be a promising adsorbent for ACT removing from aqueous solutions.

The role of some vegetation parameters of Gundelia tournefortii L. in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield based on rainfall simulation experiments in major habitats of Central Zagros, Iran

The role of some vegetation parameters of Gundelia tournefortii L. in controlling runoff generation and sediment yield based on rainfall simulation experiments in major habitats of Central Zagros, Iran

Spatio-temporal variations of extract produced and fatty acid compounds identified of Gundelia tournefortii L. seeds in central Zagros, Iran

This study was performed to fulfill two aims. The first aim was to isolate the seed extract of Gundelia tournefortii L. at two phenological stages of seed production (the beginning and end of seed production); the second one was to identify the fatty acid compounds of G. tournefortii L. seeds in its major habitats located in the Central Zagros region, Iran. Among them, some of the major environmental factors on the reproductive growth stage i.e., physiography, soil and climate were studied. Extraction was performed using the Soxhlet apparatus, and the fatty acid compounds were identified by The GC-FID analysis. As a result, site No. 5 with the values of 6.06 and 7.21 g had the highest amount of extract produced, while sites number 7 and 8 had the least one which was 2.86 and 3.84 g at two phenological stages of seed production. There was a strong correlation among the major environmental variables and the amount of extract produced in the phenological stages of seed production; this was also confirmed in relation to the fatty acid compounds and some of their characteristics. Overall, the efficacy of environmental factors on the synthesis process of secondary metabolites is undeniable.

The Role of Dominant Ecological Features on the Morphological Alterations of Reproductive Organs of Gundelia Tournefortii L. in Central Zagros, Iran

The Role of Dominant Ecological Features on the Morphological Alterations of Reproductive Organs of Gundelia Tournefortii L. in Central Zagros, Iran

EFFECT OF DUST METALS AND COMPOST ON GROWTH OF Gundelia tournefortii L. AND CHEMICAL COMPOSTION OF IT᾿S EDIBLE PORTION

A field experiment was conducted at the Grdarasha Research Field station, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Salahaddin University – Erbil using randomized complete block design (RCBD) during the years 2019-2021 to study the effect of five levels 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g of dust metals of Erbil steel factory (size 2mm mesh) in combination with compost of solid waste management and sorting of Akre district-Duhok province on growth, yield and chemical composition of Gundelia tournefortii L. The results indicated that powdery metal dust and compost fertilizer significantly increased length, diameter, fresh weight and dry weight of edible portion, and thus escalated the total yield of this plant for the two growing seasons. The highest value (669.07g/m2) of total yield was recorded by application 20g of dust metals combined with compost fertilizer in the second year. Chemical composition of edible portion also affected by fertilizer application Fe%, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Hg and Pb ppm. The results reviewed that the addition of mineral dust as nutrients and compost fertilizer significantly enhanced the concentration of these above elements in edible portion. The maximum response was obtained with the high levels of mineral treatments for all studied elements as compared with control.

Effects of Gundelia tournefortii L. on biochemical parameters, antioxidant activities and DNA damage in a rat model of experimental obesity.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Gundelia tournefortii L. plant extract on different tissues in terms of DNA damage, biochemical and antioxidant parameter values in rats with high-calorie diets. With this aim, Wistar albino male rats were divided into 4 groups containing 6 rats each and the study was completed over 12 weeks duration. At the end of the implementation process over the 12 weeks, rats were sacrificed and blood and tissue samples were obtained. Analyses were performed on blood and tissue samples. According to results for DNA damage (8-OHdG), in brain tissue the OG2 group was significantly reduced compared to the NC group. For MDA results in liver tissue, OG1 and OG2 groups were determined to increase by a significant degree compared to the control group, while the OG2 group was also increased significantly compared to the obese group. In terms of the other parameters, comparison between the groups linked to consumption of a high calorie diet (HCD) and administration of Gundelia tournefortii L. in terms of antioxidant activities and serum samples obtained statistically significant results. Gundelia tournefortii L. plant extracts had effects that may be counted as positive on antioxidant parameter activity and were especially identified to improve DNA damage and MDA levels in brain tissues. Additionally, consumption of Gundelia tournefortii L. plant extract in the diet may have antiobesity effects; thus, it should be evaluated for use as an effective weight-loss method and as a new therapeutic agent targeting obesity.

Gundelia tournefortii inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression by lowering gene expression of the cell cycle and hepatocyte proliferation in immunodeficient mice

Gundelia (G.) tournefortii has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipemic effects. We evaluated the anticancer effect of G. tournefortii in an hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mouse model of an HCC cell line (Hep3B) injected into NOD.CB17-Prkdc-SCID/NCrHsD male mice. Tumorigenicity was assessed by tumor size, histology, serum α-fetoprotein (αFP), and glypican 3 (GPC3). HCC-related gene expression of the cell cycle (Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDNK2A)), proliferation (MKI67), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFA) were measured. HCC cell cycle alterations, apoptosis, and antioxidant markers in serum and liver following treatment with G. tournefortii were determined. Signaling pathways of liver p53 and phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mTOR were also evaluated. Results indicate a significant increase in tumor size in HCC animals associated with elevated αFP, GPC3, and MKI67. Tumor markers of p53 and phosphorylated AKT/PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway were diminished, with less proliferating cells and reduced PDGFRA gene expression following G. tournefortii infection. H&E staining showed a remarkable reduction in inflammatory lesions in HCC mice treated with G. tournefortii. This result was in line with a significant delay in the G2/M phase of HCC-primary hepatocytes by 1.39- to 2.4-fold and reduced HCC necrosis associated with inhibited CDNK2A gene expression. Antioxidant activity was significantly lower in the HCC mice than in the control group. Moreover, G. tournefortii inhibited the HCC formation of 3D MCTS spheroids. G. tournefortii treatment markedly restored antioxidant levels and displayed anticancer and antiproliferative effects and could be a promising cancer therapy.

WILD PLANTS CONSUMED AS FOOD AND MEDICINE IN ELAZIG AND MALATYA

This study investigated the vitamin contents and health benefits of nine wild plants consumed as food, medicine, or animal feed in and around Elazığ and Malatya, Turkey. The study introduced Rheum ribes, Gundelia tournefortii, Tragopogon reticulatus, Urtica dioica, Asphodelus aestivus, Medicago sativa, Nasturtium officinale, Mentha pulegium, and Capsella pastoris. The results showed that the nine wild plants were common ingredients in Turkish cuisine and had numerous health benefits