Extraction and Identification of Phenolic Compounds from the Iraqi Heliotropium europaeum L. plant

The plants of genus Heliotropium L. (Boraginaceae) are well-known for containing the toxic metabolites called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in addition to the other secondary metabolites. Its spread in the Mediterranean area northwards to central and southern Europe, Asia, South Russia, Caucasia, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and over lower Iraq, Western desert. The present study includes the preparation of various extracts from aerial parts of the Iraqi plant. Fractionation, screening the active constituent, and identification by chromatographic techniques were carried out.Heliotropium europaeum herbs were first defatted with n-hexane then extracted exhaustively by soxhlet apparatus using absolute methanol. The extract was filtered and the solvent was evaporated by applying a reduced pressure by a rotary evaporator. The residue suspended in distilled water and partitioned with chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol. The hydrolysis step was done for the two fractions (n-butanol and ethyl acetate). Phytochemical analysis for the screening and identification of bioactive substances of the Heliotropium europaeum plant was done for each fraction. The identification of n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions was carried out by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and HPLC technique. For quantitive analysis, the concentration was calculated by serial concentrations of external standard materials to build a calibration curve between concentration and its equivalent peak area. The outcomes of this study were the identifications of new six phenolic compounds from H. europaeum ethyl acetate fraction, which exhibited wide biological activity. The identified compounds were kaempferol (1), Silybin (2), caffeic acid (3), Genistein (4), Apigenin (5), in addition to syringic acid (6). In the present study, we regard the first to report such results about the phenolic compounds in H. europaeum extract. A total of six discovered phenolics were identified in this extract for the first time. Our results on H. europaeum constituents provide a scientific base to examine the pharmacological effects of this plant in the future.

Siirt İlinde Sebze Alanlarında Görülen Yabancı Otlar

Sebzeler taze olarak da tüketildiğinden hem zehirli yabancı otlarla karışık olmaması hem de pestisit kalıntısı içermemesi gerekmektedir. Bu nedenle sebze alanlarında görülen yabancı otların belirlenmesi hem insan sağlığı hem de yabancı ot kontrolü yönüyle büyük önem taşımaktadır. Uygun iklim koşullarının da bir sonucu olarak Siirt ilinde sebze üretim alanları sürekli artmaktadır. Ancak yörede sebzede sorun olan yabancı otların saptanmasına yönelik olarak daha önce herhangi bir çalışma yapılmamıştır. Bu nedenle Siirt ilinde toplam 40 tarlada sürvey çalışmaları gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sürveylerde sebze ekim alanlarında sorun olan yabancı ot türleri ve bunların rastlanma sıklıkları ile yoğunluklarının belirlenmesi hedeflenmiştir. Araştırmayla çalışma alanında 20 familyaya ait 52 farklı yabancı ot türü tespit edilmiştir. Saptanan yabancı otlardan 3’ünün tam parazitik ve 11’inin dar yapraklı olduğu diğerlerinin ise geniş yapraklı oldukları saptanmıştır. Dar yapraklı yabancı otlardan en fazla rastlanan ve en fazla yoğunluk oluşturan türlerin; Sorghum halepense (%67,5), Echinocloa crus-galli (%22,50) ve Cynodon dactylon (%17,5) olduğu saptanmıştır. Bölgede en fazla görülen ve yoğunluk oluşturan geniş yapraklı yabancı otların ise; Portulaca oleracea (%92,0), Amaranthus retroflexus (%82,0), Chrozophora tinctoria (%82,0), Alhagi pseudalhagi (%77,0), Solanum nigrum (%72,0), Heliotropium europaeum (%70,0), Amaranthus albus (%67,0), Xanthium strumarium (%65,0) ve Convolvulus arvensis (%57,5) olduğu belirlenmiştir.

In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer (MCF-7, 3T3, and HeLa Cell Lines), and Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay and FTIR Analysis of the Extract and Fractions of the Whole Plant of Heliotropium europaeum

In this study, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, brine shrimp lethality, and FTIR studies were evaluated. The oxidative burst assay using the chemiluminescence technique, MTT assay, brine shrimp lethality assay, and FTIR analysis were the methods used for the evaluation of anti-inflammatory, anticancer, brine shrimp lethality, and FTIR studies, respectively. The whole-plant butanol fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WBFHE) showed anti-inflammatory activity on ROS having IC5014.7±2.5 while the extract and other fractions of the whole plant of Heliotropium europaeum exhibited no anti-inflammatory activity. None of the extract and fractions of the whole plant of Heliotropium europaeum exhibited anticancer (MCF-7, 3T3, and HeLa cell lines) activities. The whole-plant aqueous fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WAFHE) and whole-plant butanol fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WBFHE) showed lethality at high concentration while at low concentration, no toxicity was shown. The whole-plant methanolic extract of Heliotropium europaeum (WMEHE) and whole-plant n-hexane fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WHFHE) exhibited no toxicity. FTIR interpretation showed the functional groups for the aromatic compounds, phenols, carboxylic acids, esters, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, alkyl halides, sulfate esters, phosphines, silanes, nitriles, thiols, amines, phosphoric acids, and nitro compounds.

Factors effecting the germination and emergence of a rangeland weed; European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum L.)

European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum L.) is an important weed in semiarid and arid Australia, due to its toxicity to livestock and its ability to out-compete crops for water and soil nutrients. It is an ephemeral species; populations appear in high densities when conditions are favourable, but seeds remain dormant in the soil seedbank for extended periods of time. This study aimed to identify environmental factors that promoted the germination of this weed and factors that de-vitalise seeds. Seeds were collected from the Australian semiarid zone, at Nanya Research Station, New South Wales. The effects on seed germination and seedling emergence of H. europaeum of alternating temperature, photoperiod, drought, salinity, pH range, heat shock combined with smoke exposure, and burial depth were investigated. The highest germination rate was observed under the highest temperature regime, 30/20°C, under a photoperiod of 12h light and 12h dark. The weed germinated under moderate osmotic stress, but the highest germination occurred in the control treatment (no osmotic stress). The effect of salinity and pH on percentage germination was not significant. The effect of the heat shock and smoke treatment significantly reduced seed germination, with germination inhibited when seeds were exposed to 100°C for 3min. Burial depth had a significant effect on seedling emergence, with a burial depth of 0.5cm reducing the germination by ~20%. It is recommended that further research into using fire and tillage interventions for H. europaeum be explored, as these may be used to reduce the viable seedbank of this weed, allowing long-term control to be achieved.

RESPONSE OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF FABA BEAN TO PLANT SOURCE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

A Field experiment was conducted during winter season at 2015 – 2016 at the experimental farm, department of Field Crop, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad / Jadriyah to investigate effect of Organic Fertilizers preparation from weed plants on various broad bean varieties behavior and relationships with seed yield and its components. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) arranged according to split-plots used with three replicates including four organic fertilizers prepared from weeds Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Mallow (Malva rotundifolia), Purslane (Portulaca oleracea), European Heliotropic (Heliotropium europaeum), chemical fertilizer and control (without fertilizer) treatments, main plots included three varieties of Bean (Netherlands, Spanish and Locality ). The results showed that application of fertilizers significantly effect on studied characters, the treatment of Glycyrrhiza glabra gave higher rate of yield 3417 Kg ha-1, and There were no significant differences between Glycyrrhiza glabra and chemical fertilizer (NPK) at seed yield. Application of NPK showed highest No. of branches per plant, leaf area, thus reduction the flower portion percentage (4.02%) and increase pod numbers per plant and seed number per pod compared to control treatment. The results showed significant differences between varieties. The Spanish variety gave highest means of No. of branches per plant and leaf area per plant, thus reducing the flower portion and increase the number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and seed yield 3231 Kg ha-1. The Netherland variety gave higher weight of 100 seeds 47.94 g than the other varieties. Also, the most of characters were significantly influenced by interaction between varieties and fertilizers.