1. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of liquidambaressential 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 (50mg 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 0.0811g/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.

Hydrodistilled essential oil of Mentha spicata L., cultivated at Ghardaïa (Algerian Septentrional Sahara), was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. 29 components representing 96.43% of the essential oil were detected with ciscarvone oxide (44.06%), 1,8-cineole (15.32%), cis-dihydrocarvone (8.85%) and limonene (5.80%) as the major components. Antioxidant activity was investigated using β-carotene/linoleic acid, DPPH • , ABTS cation radical decolorization and Metal chelating assays. Antibacterial activity was performed according to disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods.

The essential oil from the aerial parts of Salvia chrysophylla Staph (Lamiaceae), endemic to Turkey, was investigated by using GC and GC-MS. Fifty-four of 55 components, represented 99.52% of the total oil, were identified. The major components of the essential oil were found to be alpha-terpinenyl acetate (36.31%), beta-caryophyllene (15.29%), linalool (8.12%) and beta-elemene (4.26%). The antioxidant activity of the oil was investigated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and beta-carotene/linoleic acid tests. Anticholinesterase activity was screened against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase which are the chief enzymes of Alzheimer's disease. The essential oil showed weak antioxidant activity. However, at 1 mg/mL concentration, the essential oil exhibited mild acetylcholinesterase (52.5+/-2.0%) and moderate butyrylcholinesterase (76.5+/-2.7%) inhibitory activity

3 Abstract: The antimicrobial activity of the hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of the aerial parts of O. caricum Hub.-Mor. (Asteraceae) was evaluated against microorganisms including multi-resistant bacteria using a paper disc diffusion method. The chemical composition of the chloroform extract of the plant was determined by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The ethanol and chloroform extracts exhibited significant antibacterial activity The compounds of the chloroform extract were betuline (Lup-20(29)-ene-3 ,28-diol), (3 )-12-oleanen-3-yl-acetate, 3 -lup-20(29)-en-3-ol (lupeol), -amyrin (3 -olean-12-en-3-ol) and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone (hexahydrofarnesyl acetone). It has become clear that chloroform and ethanol extracts of O. caricum has a potential to inhibit the growth of multi- resistant S. maltophilia, S. aureus and some staphylococci. Hence, the extracts of O. caricum may be useful as alternative antimicrobial agents for multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria.

In this study, essential oil compounds from the aerial parts of Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb. were analysed by GC and GC/MS system, and total 28 constituents were identified. The main components were characterized as carvacrol (76,59%), alpha-phellandrene (6,04%), 1-octen-3-ol (5,13%), beta-caryophyllene (3,95%) and gamma-terpinene (1,72%). In addition, the antioxidant properties of essential oil and water and ethanol extracts from C. capitatus were examined. The antioxidant activity was investigated with three different methods: the beta-carotene bleaching test, the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method and the total phenolic content. The total antioxidant activity measured by the beta-carotene bleaching test was highest in C. capitatus water extract (95,7%) while the free radical scavenging activity was highest in the plant's ethanol extract (90,7%). The amount of phenolic compounds in C. capitatus water extract was found higher than the value expected [55.70 +/- 1.59, pyrocatechol equivalent (mu g mg(-1))].

In this study, the chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of S. thymbra L. (Lamiaceae), which has been used in folk medicine in Anatolia, were evaluated. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil against eight strains of multiple antibiotic resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, an emerging pathogen involved in an increasing number of clinical syndromes, was determined by the disc diffusion method. The chemical composition of the essential oil of S. thymbra was analyzed by GC, GC-MS. The essential oil of S. thymbra inhibited the growth of all bacteria tested and the inhibition zones were 24-33 mm. The maximum inhibition effect was on S. maltophilia MU 136. The major component that characterized the essential oil was carvacrol (55.8%) and other main components were determined as gamma-terpinene (21.7%), p-cymene (8.7%), and alpha-terpinene (2.3%).

The chemical constituents of the essential oil from aerial parts of Salvia candidissima Vahl., collected in Turkey, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The oil yield of the dried plant obtained by hydrodistillation was 0.7 % (v/w). 70 compounds, accounting for 99.65% of the oil, were identified. The major constituents were camphor (28.94%), bornyl acetate (12.80%), borneole (9.44%), beta-cadinene (5.88%), alpha-caryophyllene (5.40%), 1,8-cineole (5.15%), beta-pinene (4.93%) and alpha-pinene (4.89%). In addition, the antioxidant properties of essential oil and hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of S. candidissima Vahl. were examined. The antioxidant activity was investigated with two different methods: beta-carotene bleaching test and the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. beta-carotene bleaching test shows that the most active extract which were achieved by us were ethanol extract (95,70%) from S. candidissima (94,5%). In DPPH free radical scavenging activities, the ethanol extract (94,55%) and hexane extract (83,21%) were showed high activity, respectively.

In this study, antimicrobial activities on the multiple antibiotic resistant strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, an emerging pathogen involved in an increasing number of clinical syndromes, antioxidant activities and chemical compositions of the essential oils of O. onites (Lamiaceae) and O. vulgare ssp. hirtum (Lamiaceae) that have been used in folk medicine in Anatolia, were determined. The essential oils of O. onites and O. vulgare ssp. hirtum were inhibited the growth of all tested bacteria tested and the inhibition zones ranged between 28-32 mm and 26-33 mm, respectively. The major component characterized in the essential oils of these plants are carvacrol (79.32% and 68.19%) and other main components were determined as p-cymene (4.32% and 6.81%) and gamma-terpinene (3.94% and 4.63%), respectively. In the beta-carotene bleaching test, the most active species was the essential oil of O. onites (82.3 %).

Antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activities of Morchella conica Pers. extracts obtained with ethanol were investigated in this study. Four complementary test systems; namely DPPH free radical scavenging, -carotene/linoleic acid systems, total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid concentration were used. Inhibition values of M. conica ethanol extracts, buthylated hydroxyanisol (BHA) and -tocopherol standards were found to be 96.9, 98.9 and 99.2%, respectively, at a concentration of 160 mu g/ml. When compared the inhibition levels of methanol extract of M. conica and standards in linoleic acid system, it was observed that the higher the concentration of both M. conica ethanol extract and the standards the higher the inhibition effect. Total flavonoid amount was 9.17 +/- 0.56 mu g mg(-1) quercetin equivalent while the phenolic compound amount was 41.93 +/- 0.29 mu g mg(-1) pyrocatechol equivalent in the ethanolic extract. The antimicrobial effect of M. conica ethanol extract was tested against six species of Gram-positive bacteria, seven species of Gram-negative bacteria and one species of yeast. The M. conica ethanol extract had a narrow antibacterial spectrum against tested microorganisms. The most susceptible bacterium was M. flavus. The crude extract was found active on S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. aureus Cowan I. The M. conica ethanol extract did not exhibit anticandidal activity against C. albicans.

Antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activities of Ramaria flava (Schaeff) Quel. (RF) extracts obtained with ethanol were investigated in this study. Four complementary test systems; namely DPPH free radical scavenging, -carotene/linoleic acid systems, total phenolic compounds and total flavonoid concentration have been used. Inhibition values of R. flava extracts, BHA and -tocopherol standards were found to be 94.7, 98.9 and 99.2%, respectively, at 160 mu g/ml. When compared the inhibition levels of ethanol extract of R. flava and standards in linoleic acid system, it was observed that the higher the concentration of both RF ethanol extract and the standards the higher the inhibition effect. Total flavonoid amount was 8.27 +/- 0.28 mu g mg(-1) quercetin equivalent while the total phenolic compound amount was 39.83 +/- 0.32 mu g mg(-1) pyrocatechol equivalent in the ethanolic extract. The ethanol extract of R. flava inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria better than Gram-negative bacteria and yeast. The crude extract showed no antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Morganella morganii and Proteus vulgaris. The antimicrobial activity profile of R. flava against tested strains indicated that Micrococcus flavus, Micrococcus luteus and Yersinia enterocolitica was the most susceptible bacteria of all the test strains. R. flava was found to be inactive against Candida albicans.

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Micromeria cilicica (Labiatae) that has been used in folk medicine were analysed by GC, GC–MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The totals of 34 components in hydrodistillation, 30 components in steam distillation were detected. The major component characterized in the essential oils was pulegone (66.55, 64.10%) and other main components were determined as cis-p-menthone (21.71, 25.31%), trans-p-menthone (9.59, 5.59%), nerol (0.35, 2.49%) and 3-octonol (0.81, 0.25%), respectively. Essential oils obtained by hydro and steam distillation and organic solvent extracts of the aerial parts of the plant were investigated for antimicrobial activities on several microorganisms including bacteria and yeast. Moreover, the main constituent of the oil has been tested against the same microorganisms. The extracts and pulegone exhibited a significant antibacterial and antifungal activity. The activities were increased depend on the amount of extracts and pulegone. Pulegone also showed antimicrobial activity, particularly against Candida albicans and Salmonella typhimurium. Furthermore Candida albicans is the most susceptible to pulegone giving two times the effect of nystatin.

The crude extracts obtained from the leaves of Pistacia vera, Pistacia terebinthus and Pistacia lentiscus were tested for antifungal activities against three pathogenic agricultural fungi, Phythium ultimum, Rhizoctania solani and Fusarium sambucinum. The extracts significantly inhibited the growth of P. ultimum and R. solani. However, the antifungal activity was not observed against F. sambucinum.

Dried methanol extract of Hypericum hyssopifolium subsp. elongatum var. elongatum was dissolved in distilled water, and then fractioned by re-extracting with petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate, subsequently. Antioxidant and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities of these fractions were determined, in vitro. The amounts of total phenolic compounds were also determined. None of these fractions showed antioxidant activity, in contrast water and ethyl acetate fractions acted as prooxidant. However, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity and the amount of its total phenolic compound was highest, too. Therefore, ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to further separation by chromatographic methods. Thus, five flavonoids (I3,II8-biapigenin, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside) and a napthodianthrone (hypericin) were isolated, and their structures were determined by UV, IR, NMR, and MS spectroscopic methods. All isolated compounds showed antioxidant and DPPH radical-scavenging activities. Although, I3,II8-biapigenin and hypericin were able to show highest antioxidant activity, they had the lowest DPPH radical-scavenging activities. From these results, it can be suggested that these compounds may be used as potential antioxidants. In addition, the petroleum ether fraction was subjected to silica gel column chromatography (CC). Then, n-dotriacontanyl hexadecanoate, bis(2-methylheptyl) phthalate, and beta-sitosterol were isolated from it. It is of interest to present the spectral data of bis(2-methylheptyl) phthalate first time in the present study.

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Stachys athorecalyx C. Koch. growing in Turkey, isolated by hydrodistillation, was analysed by GC and GC–MS. The oil was found to contain 36 components, 33 of which were identified. The oil was rich in oct-1-en-3-ol (18.7%) and linalol (11.0%). The other major constituents were α-pinene (8.3%), δ-cadinene (5.0%), eugenol (4.3%), β-selinene (4.3%) and limonene (4.2%). Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The volatile constituents of the aerial parts of Stachys recta L. and Stachys balansae L. have been examined by GC, GC–MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. The oil of S. recta contains, as main components, oct-1-en-3-ol (33.8%), linalol (13.0%) and β-pinene (7.5%). The oil of S. balansae has β-caryophyllene (24.3%), β-pinene (24.1%) and α-pinene (16.0%) as main components. This study allowed the identification of 37 components in the oil of Stachys recta and 29 components in the oil of S. balansae. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The composition of the volatile oils obtained from the aerial parts of Hypericum scabrumL. and H. perforatum L. was analysed by GC and GC–MS. While the oil of H. scabrumL. contained α-pinene (71.6%), β-caryophyllene (4.8%), myrcene (3.8%), cadalene (3.4%) and β-pinene (2.9%), the oil of H. perforatum L. contained α-pinene (61.7%), 3-carene (7.5%), β-caryophyllene (5.5%), myrcene (3.6%), cadalene (3.2%) and other components. Twenty-nine and 27 terpenoid compounds have been identified in the volatile oils of H. scabrum L. and H. perforatum L., respectively. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The constituents of the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of Stachys obliquaL. (Lamiaceae) grown in Fethiye, western Anatolia, were investigated by GC and GC–MS analysis. A total of 31 compounds were detected, 29 of which (representing 97.1% of the total oil) were fully identified. The major components were germacrene-D (25.4%), thymol (16.4%), limonene (6.2%), borneol (4.9%), α-pinene (4.7%) and isomenthol (3.4%). Identification of the compounds was based on retention times, MS data and comparison with authentic samples. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.