ABSTRACT Hypericum malatyanum Peşmen is an endemic species belonging to the Hypericaceae family that has been used as a sedative, antiseptic, and antispasmodic for treatment purposes in conditions such as wounds, burns, ulcers, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, bacterial and viral infections. This study aims to determine the phytochemical composition of the essential oil from the plant's aerial parts and to investigate its antimicrobial activity and in silico activity. As a result of the GC/MS assay, the main components of H. malatyanum 's essential oil were β‐farnesene (15.52%), α‐pinene (11.47%), limonene (6.46%), δ‐cadinene (3.52%), germacrene D (3.43%), caryophyllene oxide (3.13%), and γ‐muurolene (3.02%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of H. malatyanum essential oil was 1.562 µL/mL against all tested bacterial species except Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: 0.390 µL/mL). As a result of the antifungal assay, the MIC values of the essential oil against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida krusei , and Candida tropicalis were found to be 0.781, 0.390, 1.562, and 0.781 µL/mL, respectively. This antimicrobial property can be attributed to the terpenes predominantly found in the plant essential oil. This preliminary study showed H. malatyanum 's usability as a valuable, effective antimicrobial agent across the medical, pharmaceutical, and food industry sectors.

Objectives:Santolina chamaecyparissus L. is an aromatic medicinal plant with reported phytochemical and biological potential. This study aimed to characterize the botanical and phytochemical features of S. chamaecyparissus and to perform a preliminary screening of the antimicrobial activity of its methanolic extract against selected bacterial and fungal microorganisms. Materials and Methods:In this experimental laboratory study, the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the aerial parts were examined using standard pharmacognostic, histological, and scanning electron microscopic methods. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation, and the methanolic extract was prepared by maceration with 90% methanol. Volatile constituents were analyzed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, while phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Preliminary antimicrobial activity was screened against five bacterial and two fungal strains using the agar well diffusion method. Results:The plant exhibited characteristic xeromorphic features, including amphistomatic and isobilateral leaves, multilayered palisade parenchyma, anomocytic stomata, and dense non-glandular trichomes. The essential oil yield was 0.46%, and 33 volatile constituents were identified. Artemisia ketone (55.96%) and camphor (20.84%) were the major components. The methanolic extract yield was 14.40%, with chlorogenic acid (6733.85 μg/g dry extract) and quinic acid (6521.37 μg/g dry extract) identified as the predominant quantified compounds. The extract showed its strongest antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, with inhibition zones of 8.00, 11.00, and 11.66 mm at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mg/mL, respectively. More limited activity was observed against Enterobacter hormaechei and Candida albicans, while the effects against the remaining microorganisms were weak or close to baseline. Conclusion:S. chamaecyparissus possesses distinctive botanical features and a chemically rich profile characterized by an artemisia ketone-and camphor-dominant essential oil and a chlorogenic acid- and quinic acid-rich methanolic extract. The preferential activity against S. aureus suggests selective anti-gram-positive potential. However, the limited spectrum of activity and the absence of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration analyses restrict the direct interpretation of its antimicrobial efficacy. Further studies using quantitative antimicrobial methods and bioactivity-guided fractionation are warranted.

Morchella esculenta (L.) Pers. is traditionally consumed as a functional food with reported antioxidant and health-promoting properties. However, its anticancer activity and underlying molecular mechanisms remain insufficiently elucidated. This study aimed to characterize the bioactive profile of M. esculenta and to explore its possible antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-migration effects on PC3, Hep3B, and HCT116 cancer cell lines, with an emphasis on apoptosis and oxidative stress-related pathways. Phenolic compounds and amino acids were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, and fatty acids by GC-FID. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS assays. Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTS assay, migration by wound healing, and gene expression (ATF3, Keap1, Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, Bax, Bcl-2, Cas-3, Cas-9) by RT-qPCR. The extract showed a diverse bioactive composition, predominantly containing fumaric and quinic acids, as well as major fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids. It induced dose-and time-dependent reductions in cell viability and was associated with inhibition of cell migration, particularly in PC3 and Hep3B cells. Apoptosis-related changes were observed, including increased expression of Bax, Cas-3, and Cas-9, together with decreased Bcl-2 levels. In addition, modulation of genes related to the ATF3/Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1 axis suggests a possible involvement of oxidative stress-related mechanisms. These effects were more pronounced in cancer cell lines compared to L929 cells, which showed relatively lower sensitivity. Overall, the findings indicate that M. esculenta may exert bioactivity in cancer cell models through effects on proliferation, migration, and apoptosis-related pathways. However, further functional and in vivo studies are required to better clarify the underlying mechanisms and to evaluate its potential biological relevance.

Ajuga (Lamiaceae, Ajugoideae) consists of ca. 69 species, most of which are herbaceous perennials. The genus is widely distributed across Eurasia, with extensions into Africa and Australasia. Although medicinally important, the phylogenetic relationships within Ajuga remain poorly understood. In this study, we present the first global phylogenetic analysis of the genus, based on 697 DNA sequences generated from seven chloroplast markers (matK, ndhF, psbA-trnH, rbcL, rpl32-trnL, rps16 intron, trnL-trnF region) and two nuclear regions (nrITS, nrETS). Sampling represented 51 species, accounting for all previously recognized infrageneric taxonomic categories. Although some topological incongruences were observed between the nuclear and plastid phylogenies, analyses using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods strongly support the monophyly of Ajuga and reveal two highly supported major clades. This split is further supported by geographical distribution and several morphological characteristics, including the shape of the upper corolla lip, the number of flowers per verticillaster, and corolla color. Additionally, none of the previously proposed infrageneric classifications are supported, indicating the need for a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus.

Introduction The genus Salvia has a long history of use in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, including inflammatory disorders, infections, and cancer-related conditions. Salvia hypargeia Fisch. & C.A.Mey. is an endemic Anatolian species; however, its anticancer potential has not been systematically investigated. The present study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and anticancer-related in vitro and in silico properties of S. hypargeia extracts. Methods Ethanol, methanol, and chloroform extracts were prepared from the aerial parts of S. hypargeia, with extraction yields of 7.38%, 10.93%, and 6.41%, respectively. Phenolic profiling was performed by LC-MS/MS. Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in MCF-7 human breast cancer and C6 rat glioma cells using the MTT assay, while SH-SY5Y cells were included as a comparator cell line. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were assessed by flow cytometry. Molecular docking and 250 ns molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the interactions of the major detected compounds with caspase-3 and caspase-7. Results LC-MS/MS analysis identified rosmarinic acid as the predominant phenolic constituent in all extracts, with the highest level detected in the methanol extract (9.3998 mg/g extract), followed by the ethanol (9.2399 mg/g extract) and chloroform (2.6877 mg/g extract) extracts. Among the tested samples, the methanol extract showed the strongest and most selective cytotoxic activity against C6 glioma cells (IC₅₀ = 51.8 ± 1.45 µg/mL; SI = 1.38). Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated an increase in late apoptotic cells and accumulation in the S phase. In silico analysis indicated that rosmarinic acid showed the most favorable docking score toward caspase-3 (−9.343 kcal/mol) and maintained stable interactions during molecular dynamics simulations. Conclusions Salvia hypargeia extracts showed preliminary in vitro cytotoxic and apoptosis-associated effects, particularly in C6 glioma cells. Rosmarinic acid was the major detected phenolic constituent and may contribute to the observed activity. However, compound-specific bioactivity testing and direct mechanistic experiments are required before identifying it as the principal active compound or establishing a definitive caspase-mediated mechanism.

Melanoma exhibits a high fatality rate, and its characteristic of rapid proliferation is progressively increasing. Collagenase inhibitors are pivotal in influencing the invasion of cancer cells in melanoma. The objective of this research is to explore the therapeutic impact of specific Cirsium species on melanoma. A bioactivity-guided fractionation was carried out to identify the effective compound using collagenase inhibitory efficacy. The most potent compound underwent additional examination through in silico methods, and the presence of this compound, along with several phenolic compounds, in the most effective Cirsium species was identified using LC–MS/MS analysis. The cytotoxic effect on SK-Mel cells was assessed using the in vitro MTT technique. The bioactivity-guided fractionation study led to the identification of CTR-E1 from Cirsium trachylepis’s root (CTR), and its structure was determined as 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. In silico analysis revealed that 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid exhibited significant potency with a maximum binding affinity of − 8.19 kcal/mol, as well as hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, fumaric acid, pyrogallol, and epicatechin were detected and quantified in CTR by LC–MS/MS analysis. CTR was found to be effective on SK-Mel cells. Further clinical and toxicological studies, as well as additional in vitro and in vivo studies, are necessary to support the therapeutic efficacy of CTR and 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid.

Widely distributed plant genera offer insights into biogeographic processes and biodiversity. The Carduus-Cirsium group, with over 600 species in eight genera, is diverse across the Holarctic regions, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, Southwest Asia, Japan, and North America. Despite this diversity, evolutionary and biogeographic processes within the group, particularly for the genus Cirsium, remain underexplored. This study examines the biogeographic history and diversification of the group, focusing on Cirsium, using the largest molecular dataset for the group (299 plants from 251 taxa). Phylogenomic analyses based on 350 nuclear loci, derived from target capture sequencing, revealed highly resolved and consistent phylogenetic trees, with some incongruences likely due to hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. Ancestral range estimations suggest that the Carduus-Cirsium group originated during the Late Miocene in the Western Palearctic, particularly in the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, or Southwest Asia. A key dispersal event to tropical eastern Africa around 10.7 million years ago led to the genera Afrocarduus and Afrocirsium, which later diversified in the Afromontane region. The two subgenera of Cirsium-Lophiolepis and Cirsium-began diversifying around 7.2-7.3 million years ago in the Western Palearctic. During the Early Pliocene, diversification rates increased, with both subgenera dispersing to Southwest Asia, where extensive in situ diversification occurred. Rapid radiations in North America and Japan during the Pleistocene were triggered by jump-dispersals events from Asia, likely driven by geographic isolation and ecological specialization. This added further layers of complexity to the already challenging taxonomic classification of Cirsium.Keywords: Biogeography; Carduinae; Cirsium; Diversification; North Hemisphere; Target-enrichment; Taxonomy.

Bu çalışmada Cirsium cinsine ait yeni bir hibrit olan Cirsium × giresunicum tanımlanmaktadır. Cinsin Epitrachys seksiyonunda yer alan C. poluninii ve C. trachylepis türleri arasında oluşan bu hibrit, morfolojik ve moleküler açıdan analiz edilmiştir. Morfolojik incelemelerde yeni hibritin bazı özelliklerini ebeveynleri ile paylaştığı, bazı özelliklerinin iki ebeveynin özellikleri arasında geçiş formunda olduğu, bazı özelliklerinin ise her iki ebeveynin özelliklerinden farklılık gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Hibrit bireyler yaşam formu, gövde boyu, gövde rengi gibi özellikler ile C. poluninii türüne benzerken, dış fillarilerinin dikencikli ve orta fillarilerinin geriye kıvrık olması gibi özellikleri ile de C. trachylepis’e benzemektedir. Moleküler analizler kapsamında çekirdek genomuna ait ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer) bölgesi kullanılmıştır. Moleküler sonuçlar, Cirsium × giresunicum’un nükleer ITS genomlarında bazı polimorfik nükleotid bölgelerine sahip olduğunu ve C. poluninii’ye daha yakın bir konumda olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu konumlanma da, aslında hibrit bireylerin moleküler açıdan da ara karakterlere sahip olduğunu göstermektedir.

The floras on the highest mountains in tropical eastern Africa are among the most unique floras in the world. Despite the exceptionally high concentration of endemic species, these floras remain understudied from an evolutionary point of view. In this study, we focus on the Carduus-Cirsium group (subtribe Carduinae) to unravel the evolutionary relationships of the species endemic to the tropical Afromontane and Afroalpine floras, aiming to improve the systematics of the group. We applied the Hyb-Seq approach using the Compositae1061 probe set on 190 samples (159 species), encompassing representatives of all genera of Carduinae. We used two recently developed pipelines that enabled the processing of raw sequence reads, identification of paralogous sequences and segregation into orthologous alignments. After the implementation of a missing data filter, we retained sequences from 986 nuclear loci and 177 plastid regions. Phylogenomic analyses were conducted using both concatenated and summary-coalescence methods. The resulting phylogenies were highly resolved and revealed three distinct evolutionary lineages consisting of the African species traditionally referred to as Carduus and Cirsium. Consequently, we propose the three new genera Afrocarduus, Afrocirsium and Nuriaea; the latter did notably not belong to the Carduus-Cirsium group. We detected some incongruences between the phylogenies based on concatenation vs. coalescence and on nuclear vs. plastid datasets, likely attributable to incomplete lineage sorting and/or hybridization.

Bu çalışmada Cirsium cinsine ait yeni bir hibrit olan Cirsium x giresunicum tanımlanmaktadır. Cinsin Epitrachys seksiyonunda yer alan C. poluninii ve C. trachylepis türleri arasında oluşan bu hibrit, morfolojik ve moleküler açıdan analiz edilmiştir. Morfolojik incelemelerde yeni hibritin bazı özelliklerini ebeveynleri ile paylaştığı, bazı özelliklerinin iki ebeveynin özellikleri arasında geçiş formunda olduğu, bazı özelliklerinin ise ebeveynlerin özelliklerinden farklılık gösterdiği tespit edilmiştir. Hibrit bireyler, yaşam formu, gövde boyu, gövde rengi gibi özellikler ile C. poluninii türüne benzerken, dış fillarilerinin dikencikli ve orta fillarilerinin geriye kıvrık olması gibi özellikleri ile de C. trachylepis’e benzemektedir. Moleküler analizler kapsamında çekirdek genomuna ait ITS bölgesi kullanılmıştır. Moleküler sonuçlar, Cirsium x giresunicum’un nükleer ITS genomlarında bazı polimorfik nükleotid bölgelerine sahip olduğunu ve iki atasının arasında bir konumda olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu konumlanma da, aslında hibrit bireylerin moleküler açıdan da ara karakterlere sahip olduğunu göstermektedir.

In this study, antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of ‘‘ Achillea phrygia’’ were investigated. Since the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of B sub-extract from plant’s chloroform extract is higher than other extracts, B sub-extract of Achillea phrygia was used in the preparation of nanoparticles. Characterization of nanoparticles was made, antiproliferative activities and IC 50 values of nanoparticles and only chloroform extract was calculated by cell culture studies and XTT cell viability test. According to the results, it was observed that the extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles had a strong antiproliferative activity in both MCF 7 and HT29 cells. The results of this study support that bioactive extract of the Achillea phrygia plant can be prepared as an herbal medicine candidate by preparing formulations with biopolymers and being investigated in cancer studies.

In this study, anatomical features of Hypericum capitatum Choisy. var. luteum N. Robson, H. lydium Boiss., H. malatyanum Peşmen, H. microcalycinum Boiss. & Heldr., H. perforatum L. H. retusum Aucher, H. scabrum L., H. spectabile Jaub. & Spach, H. thymopsis Boiss., H. triquetrifolium Turra and H. uniglandulosum Hausskn. ex Bornm. from Türkiye were examined. The cross-section of the root, stem and leaves were investigated with light microscopy. The leaf surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy. The roots have 2-3 or 4-5 layers of periderm. The stem wings were various in shape and number, the epidermis is single or double layered. The leaves are equifacial or bifacial. The micro-anatomy of leaf surface show that the epidermis cell walls are straight to slightly undulate, straight to undulate or straight to curved and the stomata are anisocytic. The characteristics obtain from this study were aimed to make contributions to the diagnostic features of genus Hypericum.

The present study aimed to prepare A. goniocephala chloroform extract and evaluate antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. Then, the nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized on the most efficient extracts and the biological activities of the free forms of the extracts were compared with the NPs forms. Antioxidant capacities of 14 extracts by column chromatography were found by FRAP, DPPH and CUPRAC methods. Again, the cytotoxic activities of all fractions were evaluated on MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines using the XTT cell viability assay. Chitosan-tripolyphosphate (TPP) NPs were formed using the ionic gelation method of H and F extracts, which show the most active properties because of biological activities. The biological activities of the characterized NPs were also evaluated. The synthesized particle size of the NPs from two extracts obtained between 274.12 and 296.25 nm. The extract-encapsulation and loading-efficiency of the most active NPs were 77.6± 0.04% and 7.76± 0.01% for F extract and 10.2± 0.02% and 1.39± 0.07% for H extract, respectively. Anticancer activity of chitosan NPs gave better results compared to unencapsulated extracts. As a result, it was found that the A. goniocephala extract can be encapsulated in chitosan NPs and has an antioxidant and more anticancer effect than the free forms.

Antioxidant capacity and essential oil composition of Hypericum thymopsis Boiss. (Hypericaceae), an endemic species, distributed in Turkey was determined. The samples of three different populations were used for the analysis. Antioxidant activities was determined by DPPH method from the leaves and flowers. Essential oil analysis was performed from areal parts of plant by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS). α-Pinene, spathulenol and limonene are determined as the major components of the essential oils. According to the 50% inhibition (IC50) values (μg/mL) the highest antioxidant values were measured in the methanolic extract of flowers.

Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic disorders causes serious health problems and economic costs globally. Some Cirsium genus has been reported to possess anti-obesity effect and traditional uses for vascular diseases, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic value of endemic Cirsium species for obesity treatment. C. balikesirense Yildiz, Arabaci & Dirmenci (CB), C. nerimaniae Yildiz, Dirmenci & Arabaci (CN) and C. sommieri Petr. (CS) were selected for the study. High-fat diet (HFD) induced obese Sprague Dawley rats were employed for in vivo studies. The extract obtained aerial parts of Cirsium species were applied to rats orally for 8 weeks. To interpret the antiobesity activity, body weight of the rats were measured. Also, biochemical, histopathological and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analysis were performed on rats. Bioactivity-guided fractionation studies were carried out guidance with in vitro lipase enzyme inhibition. The structures of the pure compounds purified using various chromatographic techniques were determined by spectroscopic methods. Oral administration of the extracts and orlistat decreased in body weights, adipocytes size, levels of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG), leptin levels, lipase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and increased levels of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL), adiponectin. According to RT-PCR analysis, the extracts reduced the levels of key transcription factors in adipogenesis and fatty acid synthase (FAS). Bioactivity-guided fractionation studies led to isolation of active compounds as syringin, cimidahurinin, astragalin, afzelin, lupeol, and psi-taraxasterol. In conclusion, CB, CN, CS and their isolated compounds were uncovered to be hopeful as a candidate for antiobesity therapeutics. (C) 2021 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AbstractGeneric delimitations within the cosmopolitan Carduus‐Cirsium group (i.e., “thistles”) have a long history of taxonomic confusion and debate. We present the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the group to date to test generic limits, reconstruct the evolution of pappus type, and elucidate the role of chromosomal evolution. We offer two solutions for the recognition of monophyletic genera: (1) consolidate all taxa into one large genus (Carduus or Cirsium), or (2) recognize each major clade as a genus (Carduus, Cirsium, Eriolepis, Notobasis, Picnomon, Silybum, and Tyrimnus). Under the second proposal, the cryptic genus Eriolepis is segregated from Cirsium, and the African Carduus are included within Cirsium. The best diagnosable morphological character to delimit the genera is pollen type, which is not practical in field‐based application. We caution that prior to implementing either solution, a thorough, comprehensive morphological analysis of all current members of Cirsium sect. Epitrachys (= genus Eriolepis) be completed. Future morphological studies may find additional achene or leaf surface characters that could be used for practical field identification of the segregate genera. The data show that the plumose pappus state is symplesiomorphic for the group, with one transition to barbellate pappus, likely followed by a reversal to its ancestral state as the group colonized Eurasia. The data are consistent with a North African origin in the region of the Mediterranean and a single colonization event to North America. An ancestral chromosome state of n = 17 is hypothesized for the group, and a descending dysploidy series in Carduus is hypothesized to correspond with the aridification of the Mediterranean region. The Carduus‐Cirsium group highlights the difficulty of delimiting morphologically similar, cryptic genera.

In this study, chromosome numbers and structures of some Origanum L. taxa growing in Turkey were identified. Using the Image Analysis System, the complements of plant accessions belonging to eight sections, namely Amaracus (Gleditsch) Vogel, Anatolicon Benth., Brevifilamentum Ietsw., Longitubus Ietsw., Chilocalyx (Briq.) Ietsw., Majorana (Miller) Ietsw., Origanum, and Prolaticorolla Ietsw. were determined, by classification with the cytogenetic method. The chromosome number of all taxa except O. sipyleum L. (2n = 28) and O. rotundifolium Boiss. (2n = 28) is 2n = 30. In addition, the hybrids and their parental species have 2n = 30 chromosome numbers. Also, the smallest chromosome length is 0.32 mu m in O. sipyleum. The largest chromosome length is 2.02 mu m in O. minutiflorum O.Schwarz & P.H.Davis. The smallest total haploid length is 10.08 mu m in O. vulgare subsp. hirtum (Link) A.Terracc. and the largest value is 22.00 mu m in O. haussknechtii Boiss. The smallest mean length is 0.33 mu m in O. vulgare L. subsp. hirtum and O. saccatum P.H.Davis. The largest mean length is 0.74 mu m in O. sipyleum L. The chromosome numbers obtained in this study support the speciation of Origanum members via homoploid hybridization. Finally, the somatic chromosome numbers of 10 taxa (including 2 hybrids), chromosome measurements of 22 taxa (including 2 hybrids), and ideograms of 19 taxa (including 2 hybrids) were for the first time performed in this study.

This study investigated the antioxidant, anti-urease, anticholinesterase, and antiproliferative activities of different extracts of A. magnifica. The active compounds were isolated from chloroform extract, which has the strongest antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. The structures of the isolated compounds (elenolic acid, luteolin, eupatilin) were examined using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, UV, HR-MS). The antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of isolated compounds showed lower biological activity than those of the chloroform extract. Therefore, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared with this extract and characterized. The cytotoxic activities of the chitosan nanoparticles were examined, and they were found to have a strong antiproliferative activity similar to that of the chloroform extract. The ethanol extract had strong anti-urease and anticholinesterase activity compared with other extracts. Therefore, phenolic compounds that might be responsible for the biological activity were analysed by LC-QTOF-MS/MS. The ferulic acid derivative, apigenin 6 C pentoside 8 C hexoside, apigenin 6,8-di C-hexoside, vitexin, and diosmetin 8-C-glucoside (orientin 4'-methyl ether) compounds from this plant were analysed for the first time. The results showed that the chloroform-loaded chitosan nanoparticles had a strong antiproliferative activity in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) and no toxic effect on normal cell lines (L-929), which suggested that this extract might be a potential candidate as a herbal medicine that can be investigated and evaluated in future cancer studies. Additionally, the potential use of ethanol extract as an anti-urease and anticholinesterase agent was revealed. (C) 2020 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Origanum is a well-known genus that is widely distributed and comprises many hybrids and endemic species in Turkey. Some morphological and molecular studies in the literature have aimed to clarify infrageneric or sectional classification of the genus. However, studies regarding the shape, size, and color of mericarps of Origanum taxa remain limited. The mericarp micromorphology of 30 taxa, including 7 hybrids of the genus Origanum, were evaluated herein using both stereo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine some useful features for taxonomical classification of the genus. The shapes of mericarps are usually ellipsoid, rarely ellipsoid-oblong, obovoid, broadly obovoid, while the color of mericarps vary from shades of brown to reddish. A significant variation was observed in the surface ornamentation of mericarps, which was mainly useful at the sectional and species level. Also determined were 2 main types: I and II, and 5 subtypes: pusticulate, reticulate-ruminate, reticulate-foveate, ruminate, and foveate. The micromorphological characters of mericarps, in addition to their morphological features, will contribute taxonomically to the classification of the sections of the genus Origanum and separation of the species within the sections. In addition, these characters will be useful to understand the effect of hybridization on variations in the micromorphological characters. This was the first detailed study on the mericarp micromorphology of the genus Origanum and its taxonomic implications.