Orientalis Mill Research Articles

Higrofitik Bir Karayosunu Olan Orthotrichum sprucei Mont.’nin Yaşam Stratejisi

A population of hygrophytic moss Orthotrichum sprucei Mont. were investigated in situ in one of two distribution areas in Turkey. The target species was observed for about 15 months to determine the population dynamics in Çine River Valley which was first recorded locality. This hygrophytic species has developed adaptation mechanism to regenerate and expand population on Liquidambar orientalis Mill. and Platanus orientalis L. trunks which exposed to repetetive floods. To describe the biological adaptations which relies the fact of decrease and increase of the population size, in vitro / ex situ experiments were carried and gemmae production ability that were not known before was observed. Propagation by means of fragmentation that is common among mosses was also observed in the species. The present study is very important being the first study on the biology of Turkish bryophytes.

Nematode-resistant, clonal almond rootstock breeding by crossing in Turkey

Nematode-resistant clonal rootstock use is limited in Turkey. Throughout a 3-year-study (2012-2014), targeted rootstock candidates were obtained through hybridization between almond and plum cultivars. Some characteristics, such as strong growth ability, compatibility with other almond cultivars, nematode resistance, and rooting of the cuttings were common among the hybrid types. In the hybridization studies, one almond cultivar (Ferragnes) and 2 plum (Myrobalan and Pissardi nigra, both belonging to Prunus cerasifera) were used as female parents, and 2 plum (Myrobalan and Pissardi nigra) and 2 almond cultivars [Ferragnes and AB3 (Amygdalus orientalis Mill. Type)] were used as male parents. In total, 6 combined hybridizations were made: Myrobalan × Ferragnes, AB3 × Myrobalan, Pissardi nigra × Ferragnes, AB3 × Pissardi nigra, Ferragnes × Myrobalan, and Ferragnes × Pissardi nigra. Some hybrid characteristics, such as budding affinity, nematode-resistance, and rooting of the cuttings were considered and the results were evaluated according to the weight-rank method. After consideration of the selected characteristics, the highest scored hybrids, FS2, FS19, FS22, FS23, and FC4, were evaluated as nematode-resistant almond rootstock clone candidates.

Storax Protected Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation/Reoxygenation Induced Primary Astrocyte Injury by Inhibiting NF-κB Activation in vitro.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability in the world. There is an urgent unmet need to develop a range of neuroprotective strategies to restrain the damage that occurs in the hours and days following a stroke. Storax, a natural resin extracted from injuring Liquidambar orientalis Mill, has been used to treat acute stroke in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries. Storax has demonstrated the neuroprotective effects in cerebrovascular diseases. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms activated by storax in ischemia/reperfusion-injured astrocytes have not been elucidated. In this study, we established an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced astrocytes injury model to investigate the effects of storax on OGD/R-induced astrocytes injury and potential mechanisms. Experimental results showed that storax alleviated expression of inflammatory cytokines and protected primary cortical astrocytes injured by OGD/R. Furthermore, storax could inhibit NF-κB activation in injured astrocytes by OGD/R and inhibition of NF-κB with Bay-11-7082 obscured the neuroprotective effects of storax. In conclusion, storax alleviated expression of inflammatory cytokines and protected primary cortical astrocytes injured by OGD/R, which was partially mediated by NF-κB signaling pathway activation.

Comparison of genetic parameters between optimal and marginal populations of oriental sweet gum on adaptive traits

Genetic parameters of 9 oriental sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) populations were estimated at a common garden test. Open-pollinated seeds were collected from 16-27 families for each population. The common garden test was established in 2009 using a randomized complete block design in 25 blocks with single tree plot, with each block included 223 families. Breast height diameter, height and crown diameter were measured at the age of five. The purpose of study was to compare the genetic parameters of optimal and marginal populations and to assess the findings for genetic conservation. The study revealed significant variability in all traits evaluated. In variance components, variation among populations was three times higher than that of families. Individual heritability estimates for breast height diameter, height and crown diameter pooled across the whole dataset (marginal and optimal populations) were 0.21 ± 0.04, 0.27 ± 0.04 and 0.11 ± 0.03 and additive genetic coefficients of variation were 13.4%, 9.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Individual heritability estimates for breast height diameter, height and crown diameter in marginal and optimal populations were 0.27 ± 0.10, 0.19 ± 0.08 and 019 ± 0.08 and 0.19 ± 0.04, 0.29 ± 0.05 and 0.09 ± 0.03, respectively. Additive genetic coefficients of variation for breast height diameter, height and crown diameter were 16.7%, 8.3% and 10.8% in marginal and 12.8%, 9.1% and 6.2% in optimal populations, respectively. While breast height diameter and crown diameter were more heritable for marginal populations, height was more heritable for optimal populations. These findings are discussed in terms of genetic conservation of oriental sweet gum.

Anadolu sığla ağacı (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) beş yaşlı fidanlarında bazı kantitatif karakterlerin çeşitliliği

Anadolu sığla ağacı yayılış alanının tamamında 18 populasyon örneklenmiş, bu populasyonlar moleküler belirteç yöntemi ile değerlendirilerek genetik çeşitliliği en yüksek dokuz adet populasyon (Bozdağ, Çetibeli, Değirmenyanı, Günlükbaşı, Günnücek, Kıyra, Köyceğiz, Yatağan, Yılanlı) belirlenmiştir. Belirlenen bu populasyonlardan örneklenen 16-27 arasında değişen ağaçtan tohumlar toplanmıştır. Toplanan tohumlarla yetiştirilen fidanlar kullanılarak tesadüf blokları deneme deseninde, tek ağaç parsel düzenlemesi ile 2009 yılında 25 bloklu bir deneme kurulmuştur. Her blokta toplam 223 aile yer almış; beşinci yaşta boy, göğüs çapı ve tepe tacı ölçülmüştür. Özelliklerin tamamında populasyonlar ve aileler arası farklılıklar istatistik olarak önemli bulunmuştur. Populasyonlar için farklı gruplara bakıldığında, genel olarak Bozdağ ile Yatağan populasyonları dışındaki populasyonlar bir grupta yer almışlardır. Ayrıca Bozdağ ve Yatağan populasyonları da birbirlerinden istatistik olarak farklılık göstermiştir. Populasyonlar arasında bulunan genetik mesafeler ve bu mesafelere göre oluşturulan benzerlik ağacında da Bozdağ ve Yatağan populasyonlarının farklı olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Aile ortalamaları kalıtım dereceleri ve standart hataları, göğüs çapı, boy ve taç çapı için sırasıyla 0,54 ± 0,09; 0,62 ± 0,09 ve 0,40 ± 0,10 genetik varyasyon katsayıları aynı sırayla % 13,4; % 9,1 ve % 7,1 bulunmuştur. Bulgular gen koruma açısından değerlendirilmiştir.

Effects of essential oils from Liquidambar orientalis Mill. leaves on growth performance, carcass and some organ traits, some blood metabolites and intestinal microbiota in broilers

ABSTRACT1. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of liquidambar essential oils (LEO) isolated from Turkish sweet gum (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) leaves on growth performance, carcass, edible inner organs (EIO), gastrointestinal traits (gut), some blood metabolites and jejunum microbiota in broilers.2. A total of 375 one-d-old male broilers (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to 5 treatments with 5 pens with 15 birds. The birds were fed on diets without antibiotics (CONT), with antibiotic (50 mg per kg, AB), with LEOs at 0.0405 (0.04LEO), 0.0811 (0.08LEO) or 0.1622 (0.16LEO) g/kg feed up to 42 d of age. The levels of LEOs included to diets were determined according to in vitro antimicrobial activity.3. From d 1 to 42, the 0.08LEO treatment had higher live weight gain (LWG) compared to others. The 0.08LEO treatment increased feed intake (FI) compared to the CONT, AB and 0.04LEO. However, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of these birds was lower than those in the AB and 0.16LEO treatments. From 1 to 42 d of age for LWG, the effects were quadratic and cubic, while those for FI and FCR were cubic and quadratic, respectively. Birds that fed 0.08LEO and AB diets had higher and lower carcass weights (CW) than those that fed other diets. The effect of LEO levels was cubic on the CW. The 0.08LEO and 0.16LEO decreased abdominal fat (AF) weight compared to the AB. The blood cholesterol decreased by the 0.04LEO and 0.08LEO treatments compared to the CONT. For the blood cholesterol, the effects of LEO levels were cubic. The 0.08LEO treatments decreased Escherichia coli counts in jejunum compared to the CONT and 0.16LEO.4. Feeding a diet with LEO at 0.0811 g/kg might increase the LWG, FI and weights of carcass and AF, whereas it might decrease blood cholesterol and E. coli counts without affecting blood high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, glucose, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase concentrations.

Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Effects of Liquidambar orientalis Mill

Medicinal plants are natural sources which contain a wide range of substances. They are often used to treat various diseases due to their antimicrobial, antimutagenic and antioxidant effects. Also they are best source of many drugs. Liquidambar orientalis Mill. (L. orientalis), a medical plant is an endemic tree species in the Mediterranean region. L. orientalis also called as sweet gum, is used for such as some skin, respiratory and gastric ulser disease. We prepared some extracts that fruid, leaf and storax by use different polarity solutions. For all extracts are studied cytotoxicity assay by XTT methods in colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29, HCT-116). The most cytotoxic extract is chosen to quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. To gene expression total RNA isolated from both HT-29 and HCT-116 cell lines and NF-kB Signaling Pathway PCR Array (88 gene and 8 housekeeping gene) was studied. Leaf methanol extracts estimated IC50 values of respectively 28.30 uM, 40.42 uM in HT-29, HCT-116 cell lines after treatment with different doses of extract for 48h.According to our results some significant inflammation and immune response genes are changed (such as IL1B, TNFRSF10A). L. orientalis extract may strong potent cytotoxic and antiinflammatuar agent for colorectal cancer.

Safety evaluation of styrax liquidus from the viewpoint of genotoxicity and mutagenicity

Ethnopharmacological relevanceStyrax liquidus is a resinous exudate (balsam) obtained from the wounded trunk of the Liquidambar orientalis Mill. (Hamamelidaceae). Styrax has been used for treatment of various ailments in Turkish folk medicine such as skin problems, peptic ulcers, nocturnal enuresis, parasitic infections, antiseptic or as expectorant. Aim of studyIn spite of frequent use of styrax in Turkish folk medicine as well as once as a stabilizer in perfumery industry, negative reports have been noticed by the international authority for restriction its use based on some limited evidences from an in vitro study. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of styrax and its ethanolic extract using in vivo and in vitro assays, as well as an antimutagenic assay and also to determine its phenolic constituents with chromatographic analysis. Materials and methodsIn vitro mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of styrax and its ethanolic extract were evaluated by Ames test performed on Salmonella TA98 and TA100 strains with and without metabolic activation (10– 30,000µg/plate). The genotoxicity was also studied in vivo by chromosomal aberrations assay on bone marrow of Balb C mice with different its concentrations (500–2000mg/kg body weight). Cytotoxicity has been evaluated by the MTT assay using L929 cell line. Its phenolic constituents were determined by HPLC analysis. ResultsGenotoxicological investigations of styrax or its ethanolic extract showed that none of the tested concentrations induced a significant increase in the revertant number of TA98 and TA100 strains with or without metabolic activation, indicating no mutagenicity to the tested strains. Also results indicated that up to 2000mg/kg body weight, styrax is not genotoxic in mammalian bone marrow chromosome aberration test in vivo. In cytotoxicity study, the IC50 values of styrax and its ethanolic extract were found to be 50.22±1.80 and 59.69±11.77µg/mL, respectively. Among the studied reference standards the major phenolic acids in styrax balsam was found to be p-coumaric acid (2.95mg/g), while in its ethanolic extract not only p-coumaric acid (11.46mg/g), but also gallic acid (1.60mg/g) were found to the main components. ConclusionThe findings of the present study provide scientific basis to the safety of styrax from the viewpoint of genotoxicity risk, and in fact, it was found to be beneficial against genotoxicity.

Diyabetik sıçanların karaciğer ve böbrekleri üzerinde Caralluma tuberculata’nın hipoglisemik ve hipolipidemik etkisi ve güvenliği / Liquidambar orientalis Mill. reçine ekstraktlarının antioksidan, sitotoksik ve iNOS aktiviteleri

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) inhibitory, and antioxidant activity in order to assess the traditional usage of Liquidambar orientalis Mill resin extract. Methods: Different solvent extracts of Liquidambar orientalis Mill resin were prepared. The cytotoxicity of extracts was determined using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)- 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazoliumbromide) assay. HeLa (Human cervix adenocarcinoma), A-549 (Human alveolar adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (Human breast adenocarcinoma), CaCo-2 (Human colon colorectal adenocarcinoma), mPANC96 (Human pancreas adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (Human prostate adenocarcinoma), U87MG (Human glioblastoma- astrocytoma) and as a normal cell line HEK293 (Human embryonic kidney cells) and Vero (African green monkey kidney epithelial cells) were used for testing cytotoxicity. RAW 264.7 (murine macrophage cell lines) was used to determine the inhibition levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). HL-60 (human acute myeloid leukemia) was used to determine antioxidant activity as DCF production per cent. Results: Hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts were prepared, and their iNOS inhibitory, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity were investigated. The estimated IC50 values of extracts varied from 6.68 to 48.90 μg/ ml after treatment with different doses of extracts for 48 h. Inhibition of the hexane, dichloromethane, methanol, and water extracts on LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophage were showed that the all extracts inhibited NO production in activated RAW 264.7 cells, except methanol extract. Hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts inhibited NO production with IC50 values of 22 μg/ml, 22 μg/ml, and 21/ml μg, respectively. The antioxidant activity was determined by the production of DCF in HL-60 cells. The extracts showed a potent antioxidant effect, with an IC50 of in between from 19.01 to 39.77 μg/ml. Conclusion: This study is the first report showing the potential of Liquidambar orientalis Mill resin extracts for cytotoxicity, iNOS inhibition and the antioxidant activity as an alternative therapeutic approach for traditional uses. The results demonstrated that Liquidambar orientalis dichloromethane resin extracts showed strongest cytotoxic effect while all extracts except methanolic extracts exhibited moderate iNOS inhibition. All extracts other than hexane have a potent antioxidant effect in the cellular-based assay. In conclusion, further studies should focus on the purification of the active components of this extracts and to investigate the possible mode of action to obtain a better understanding of their potential use as cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

Protective effect and antioxidant role of sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis) oil against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats

Context: Sweetgum oil (SO) obtained from the Liquidambar orientalis Mill (Hamamelidaceae) tree has been used in Turkish folk medicine for centuries as an antiulcerigenic. Some studies have reported the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of SO; however, its effect on hepatic and oxidative stress complications is still unexplored.Objective: This study investigates the hepatoprotective effect and the antioxidant role of SO against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) toxicity.Materials and methods: The experiment included control, CCl4, SO, and CCl4 + SO treatment groups. Control and SO group rats were fed a diet without CCl4. CCl4 and CCl4 + SO treatment groups received 0.5 mL/kg CCl4 diluted in olive oil (1:1 dilution) intraperitonally injection twice per week. The CCl4 + SO group also received 1000 mg/kg SO-supplemented feed for 50 d. Blood and tissue samples were used for the determination of hepatic damage serum biomarkers (HDSBs) levels, antioxidant defense system constituents (ADSCs), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. In addition, the liver was evaluated for histopathological changes.Results: According to the results, the HDSBs levels of the CCl4 group were significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared with the control, whereas the HDSB levels of the CCl4 + SO group resulted in marked decreases (p < 0.05) compared with the CCl4 group. In addition, the results showed that SO-supplemented diet restored the CCl4-induced MDA and ADS towards to control. Hepatoprotection of SO is further substantiated by the almost normal histologic findings in the CCl4 + SO group against degenerative changes in the CCl4 group.Discussion and conclusion: It was concluded that SO has a hepatoprotective effect and antioxidant capacity against CCl4 toxicity.

Investigation of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) resistance inalmond rootstocks with DNA markers

Seven almond varieties, Ferragnes, Nemaguard, AB3 (Amygdalus orientalis Mill.), GN22, GF677, Myrobalan(Prunus cerasifera),and Pissardi nigra, and F1 crossbreed almonds, Ferragnes A— Pissardi nigra, Ferragnes A— Myrobalan, Ferragnes A— GN22, Nemaguard A— GF677, Myrobalan A— AB3 (Prunus dulcis Mill.), Myrobalan A— Ferragnes, Pissardi nigra A— AB3, and GF677 A— Myrobalan, were used to determine resistance against root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.) using DNA markers. Parental lines and 316 F1 plants were tested with SSR (plgms8, plgms9, and plgms19) and STS (STS-OPS14a, STS-834b) markers. It was found that plgms19 exhibited 76%, 77.01%, 73.13%, and 86.6% inheritance of resistance in the Ferragnes A— Pissardi nigra, Ferragnes A— Myrobalan, Ferragnes A— GN22, and Nemaguard A— GF677 F1 populations, respectively. No resistance was detected in the Nemaguard A— GF677 population with the plgms8 marker. Since the plgms19 and STS-834b primers were found to be effective at high ratios in determining resistance to RKN in the Nemaguard A— GF677 F1 population, the use of these markers could be included in breeding studies. It was also detected that the STS-OPS14a primer is appropriate to use for determining the sensitivity to RKN in almond rootstocks.

Особенности онтогенеза Iris orientalis Mill., интродуцированного в условия юго-востока Украины

Особенности онтогенеза Iris orientalis Mill., интродуцированного в условия юго-востока Украины

The antimicrobial activity of Liquidambar orientalis mill. against food pathogens and antioxidant capacity of leaf extracts.

Medicinal plants are an important source of substances which are claimed to induce antimicrobial, antimutagenic and antioxidant effects. Many plants have been used due to their antimicrobial treatments. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of L. orientalis have not been reported to the present day. The aim of this work was to investigate of the antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials of different extracts from L. orientalis. The extracts were screened for antimicrobial activity against different food pathogens. These bacteria include 4 Gram positive and 3 Gram negative bacteria and one fungi. The leaf extracts of plant were tested by disc diffusion assay. The MIC was evaluated on plant extracts as antimicrobial activity. In addition to, the plant extracts were tested against the stable DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazylhydrate) free-radical. The acetone, ethanol and methanol extracts of L. orientalis showed maximum inhibition zone of 12 mm against Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition to, the methanol extract displayed a strong antioxidant activity (trolox equivalent = 2.23 mM). L. orientalis extracts have antimicrobial, and antioxidant potential. Our results support the use of this plant in traditional medicine and suggest that some of the plant extracts possess compounds with good antibacterial properties that can be used as antibacterial agents in the search for new drugs.

Antioxidant, mutagenic, antimutagenic activities, and phenolic compounds of Liquidambar orientalis Mill. var. orientalis

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Liquidambar orientalis var. orientalis, an endemic tree species in Turkey, has medicinal and cosmetic properties; this extract was isolated, and its antioxidant, mutagenic, and antimutagenic activities were investigated. The antioxidant activity was determined by the inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, total antioxidant activity, and phenolic compounds. The mutagenic and antimutagenic activities were investigated by Ames Salmonella/microsome mutagenicity test. The IC50 value for DPPH radicals was 3.11±0.024mg/ml. The total antioxidant activity increased with an increase in the concentration of the extracts (0.5, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20mg/ml), which contained linoleic acid emulsion. The total phenolic content was 333.14±7.96mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract. HPLC analysis of the phenolic compounds showed the presence of protocatechuic acid (12.232±0.118mg/g extract), (−)-epicatechin (7.954±0.493mg/g extract) and gallic acid (3.258±0.035mg/g extract) as a major phenolic acids in L. orientalis var. orientalis.The results showed that the ethanolic extract can be considered genotoxically safe, because it does not have any mutagenic effect at the tested concentrations. As a result, the ethanolic extract of the leaves exhibited antimutagenic effects at 2.5, 0.25, and 0.025mg/plate concentrations. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the antioxidant, mutagenic, and antimutagenic activity of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of L. orientalis var. orientalis. Also, phenolic compounds of this plant are unknown. These activities are an important topic in the medical field as well as in the food industry.

Analysis of taxonomic and geographic patterns of Turkish Veronica orientalis using nuclear and plastid DNA and morphological data

Veronica orientalis and related species form one of the taxonomically most challenging subgroups within the genus Veronica. Hybridization and polyploidization on the one hand and convergent character evolution on the other have made delimitation of species difficult. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms and plastid DNA markers were used in conjunction with 54 morphological characters to study relationships among 35 accessions of V. orientalis Mill. as well as other closely related species of Veronica occurring in Turkey and adjacent areas of Georgia and Armenia. In addition, ploidy levels were estimated for 15 accessions using flow cytometry. Diploid to hexaploid individuals were detected in V. orientalis. Analysis of DNA markers demonstrated the non-monophyly of V. orientalis, especially with regard to V. fuhsii and V. multifida from Eastern Turkey, but nuclear and plastid DNA markers are largely incongruent. Neither demonstrates a clear biogeographic pattern. The morphological analysis reveals the distinction of V. orientalis subsp. carduchorum, which is weakly retrieved in some molecular analyses and some clustering according to geography. V. multifida is not monophyletic likely due to parallel evolution of pinnatifid leaves east and west of the Anatolian diagonal.

Evaluation of Fungal Deterioration in Liquidambar orientalis Mill. Heartwood by FT-IR and Light Microscopy

The chemical and morphological changes in heartwood specimens of Liquidambar orientalis Mill. caused by the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor and the brown-rot fungi Tyromyces palustris and Gloeophyllum trabeum were studied by wet chemistry, FT-IR, GC-MS analyses, and photo-microscopy. According to GC-MS results, 26 extracts identified in the ethanol/toluene extraction and 17 in the ethanol extraction were found. Heartwood specimens of L. orientalis were highly susceptible to the fungi tested. While 1% NaOH solubility increased 35% in the specimen decayed by T. palustris, only an 8% increase was seen in the specimen exposed to T. versicolor when compared to the control specimen. Decayed wood by T. palustris showed a 5.5% increase in the Klason lignin content when compared to control specimens; however, the Klason lignin content decreased after a T. versicolor attack for 12 weeks. A T. versicolor attack in the cell walls was seen both from the lumina and from the cell corners, and the attack from the cell corners was mainly clear in ray parenchyma cells. An excessive destruction was detected in the wood structure attacked by T. palustris. The cell collapse was caused by a distortion in the plane of the wood cells. This extensive degradation was seen in all types of cell walls. Cracks in the cell walls were also detected in the specimens.

Effects of Oriental Sweet Gum Storax on Porcine Wound Healing

ABSTRACTPurpose: The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of oriental sweet gum (Liquidambar orientalis Mill.) storax on partial-thickness and full-thickness wounds compared to conventional wound dressings in a porcine model. Methods: Six young Yorkshire pigs were used. Sixteen square excisional wounds measuring 3 × 3 cm were performed per animal. The wounds were allocated to one of the four treatment modalities: storax, hydrocolloid dressing, silver sulfadiazine, and control groups. Partial-thickness wounds were created in two pigs, and tissue samples were harvested on days 4 and 8, respectively. Full-thickness wounds were created in four pigs, and tissue samples were taken on days 4, 8, 14, and 21, respectively. Histologically, all wounds were examined for re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation. Tissue hydroxyproline content and wound contraction areas were measured. Results: In storax-applied group, there was a greater depth of granulation tissue at 4 and 8 days compared to all other groups (p < .0125), and there was a faster re-epithelialization at 21 days compared to both hydrocolloid dressing and control groups in full-thickness wounds (p < .0125). Tissue hydroxyproline content and wound contraction did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that topical application of storax enhanced both re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation in full-thickness wounds. Further studies are indicated in this important area of wound healing research to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this storax and search for the mechanisms that explain its effects.

Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of storax in vitro

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the storax balsam, which is a kind of sweet gum obtained from the Liquidambar orientalis Mill trees, on cell viability, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in human lymphocyte in vitro. We studied the genotoxic effects of the extract of storax balsam (SE) using sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test system. Also the cytotoxic and inhibitory effects on cell proliferation of SE were evaluated using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and cell proliferation (WST-1) assay. The SCE frequency was increased when the cells were treated with 1.6 and 4.0 µg/mL SE concentrations (p < 0.05). Moreover, treatment of the cells with the same concentrations significantly depleted the cell number at 24th and 48th hours and elevated the LDH levels (p < 0.05) at 48th hour. These results suggest that SE can be used as an alternative antibacterial and antipathogenic agent due to its cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

Molecular phylogeny of relict-endemic Liquidambar orientalis Mill based on sequence diversity of the chloroplast-encoded matK gene

The genetic diversity and evolutionary divergence in Liquidambar species and Liquidambar orientalis varieties were compared with respect to the matK gene. A total of 66 genotypes from 18 different populations were sampled in southwestern Turkey. The matK region, which is about 1,512 bp in length, was sequenced and studied. L. orientalis, L. styraciflua, and L. formosana had similar magnitude of nucleotide diversity, while L. styraciflua and L. acalycina possessed higher evolutionary divergence. The highest evolutionary divergence was found between L. styraciflua and eastern Asian Liquidambar species (0.0102). However, the evolutionary divergence between L. orientalis and other species was of a similar magnitude. The maximum-parsimony phylogenetic tree showed that L. styraciflua and L. orientalis formed a closer clade while East Asian species were in a separate clade. This suggests that the North Atlantic Land Bridge through southern Greenland may have facilitated continuous distribution of Liquidambar species from southeastern Europe to eastern North America in early Tertiary period. The maximum-parsimony tree with only 18 Oriental sweetgum populations indicated that there were two main clusters: one with mainly L. orientalis var. integriloba and the other with var. orientalis and undetermined populations. High nucleotide diversity (0.0028) and divergence (0.00072) were found in L. orientalis var. integriloba populations and Mugla-1 geographical region. This region could be considered as the major refugium and genetic diversity center for the species. The low genetic diversity and divergence at intraspecies level suggest that L. orientalis populations in Turkey share an ancestral polymorphism from which two varieties may have evolved.

DETERMINATION OF ROOTSTOCK CHARACTERIZATIONS OF DIFFERENT AMYGDALUS ORIENTALIS MILL. TYPES

DETERMINATION OF ROOTSTOCK CHARACTERIZATIONS OF DIFFERENT AMYGDALUS ORIENTALIS MILL. TYPES