Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands.

Epidemiological studies have revealed that a diet rich in plant-derived foods has a protective effect on human health. Identifying bioactive dietary constituents is an active area of scientific investigation that may lead to new drug discovery. Kaempferol (3,5,7-trihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) is a flavonoid found in many edible plants (e.g. tea, broccoli, cabbage, kale, beans, endive, leek, tomato, strawberries and grapes) and in plants or botanical products commonly used in traditional medicine (e.g. Ginkgo biloba, Tilia spp, Equisetum spp, Moringa oleifera, Sophora japonica and propolis). Some epidemiological studies have found a positive association between the consumption of foods containing kaempferol and a reduced risk of developing several disorders such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that kaempferol and some glycosides of kaempferol have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, anti-osteoporotic, estrogenic/antiestrogenic, anxiolytic, analgesic and antiallergic activities. In this article, the distribution of kaempferol in the plant kingdom and its pharmacological properties are reviewed. The pharmacokinetics (e.g. oral bioavailability, metabolism, plasma levels) and safety of kaempferol are also analyzed. This information may help understand the health benefits of kaempferol-containing plants and may contribute to develop this flavonoid as a possible agent for the prevention and treatment of some diseases.

A review on the dietary flavonoid kaempferol.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that flavonoids may play an important role in the decreased risk of chronic diseases associated with a diet rich in plant-derived foods. Flavonoids are also common constituents of plants used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. The purpose of this article is to summarize the distribution and biological activities of one of the most common flavonoids: luteolin. This flavonoid and its glycosides are widely distributed in the plant kingdom; they are present in many plant families and have been identified in Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Pinophyta and Magnoliophyta. Dietary sources of luteolin include, for instance, carrots, peppers, celery, olive oil, peppermint, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Preclinical studies have shown that this flavone possesses a variety of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The ability of luteolin to inhibit angiogenesis, to induce apoptosis, to prevent carcinogenesis in animal models, to reduce tumor growth in vivo and to sensitize tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of some anticancer drugs suggests that this flavonoid has cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential. Modulation of ROS levels, inhibition of topoisomerases I and II, reduction of NF-kappaB and AP-1 activity, stabilization of p53, and inhibition of PI3K, STAT3, IGF1R and HER2 are possible mechanisms involved in the biological activities of luteolin.

Distribution and biological activities of the flavonoid luteolin.

Hepatotoxicity is a serious problem during drug development and for the use of many established drugs. For example, acetaminophen overdose is currently the most frequent cause of acute liver failure in the United States and Great Britain. Evaluation of the mechanisms of drug-induced liver injury indicates that mitochondria are critical targets for drug toxicity, either directly or indirectly through the formation of reactive metabolites. The consequence of these modifications is generally a mitochondrial oxidant stress and peroxynitrite formation, which leads to structural alterations of proteins and mitochondrial DNA and, eventually, to the opening of mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT) pores. MPT pore formation results in a collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and cessation of adenosine triphosphate synthesis. In addition, the release of intermembrane proteins, such as apoptosis-inducing factor and endonuclease G, and their translocation to the nucleus, leads to nuclear DNA frag...

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Oxidant stress, mitochondria, and cell death mechanisms in drug-induced liver injury: Lessons learned from acetaminophen hepatotoxicity

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris L. family Berberidaceae) is well known in Iran and various parts of this plant including its root, bark, leaf and fruit have been used as folk medicine. The two decades of research has demonstrated different pharmacological and therapeutic effects of B. vulgaris and its isoquinoline alkaloids (particularly berberine). Studies carried out on the chemical composition of the plant show that the most important constituents of this plant are isoquinoline alkaloids such as berberine, berbamine and palmatine. Berberine represents one of the most studied among the naturally occurring protoberberine alkaloids. In addition to B. vulgaris (barberry), berberine is present in many other plants and is used for the treatment of different diseases. This article reviews the traditional uses and pharmacological effects of total extract and the most active ingredient of B. vulgaris (berberine).

Pharmacological and therapeutic effects of Berberis vulgaris and its active constituent, berberine.

A comparative study on the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic effects of isoquinoline alkaloids from the roots of Turkish Berberis species.

Esra Küpeli

Papers

A comparative study on the anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic effects of isoquinoline alkaloids from the roots of Turkish Berberis species.

Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity assessment of plants used as remedy in Turkish folk medicine

Preparation of 5-aryl-3-alkylthio-l,2,4-triazoles and corresponding sulfones with antiinflammatory-analgesic activity.

Berberis crataegina DC. root exhibits potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic and febrifuge effects in mice and rats.

A new therapeutic approach in Alzheimer disease: some novel pyrazole derivatives as dual MAO-B inhibitors and antiinflammatory analgesics.