In this study, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and water extracts of Rubia tinctorum L. (Rubiaceae) were tested for antimicrobial activity by the disc diffusion method. From the present study it was found that Rubia tinctorum L. revealed antimicrobial activity against some Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi and actinomycetes.

Black carrots contain anthocyanins possessing enhanced physiological activities. Explants of young black carrot shoots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for callus initiation and were transferred to new MS medium supplemented with four different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and kinetin. Subsequently, the lyophilized calli and black carrot harvested from fields were subjected to ultrasound extraction with ethanol at a ratio of 1:15 (w:v). Obtained extracts were applied to various human cancer cell lines including MCF-7 SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinomas), HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma), Neuro 2A (Musmusculus neuroblastoma) cancer cell lines and VERO (African green monkey kidney) normal cell line by MTT assay. The highest cytotoxic activity was achieved against Neuro-2A cell lines exhibiting viability of 38-46% at 6.25 μg/ml concentration for all calli and natural extracts. However, a significantly high IC50 value of 170.13 μg/ml was attained in normal cell line VERO indicating that its natural counterpart is an ideal candidate for treatment of brain cancer without causing negative effects to normal healthy cells.

The purpose of this study was to determine the antibacterial activity of C. officinalis callus derived from cotyledon explants. Cotyledons excised from in vitro germinated seedlings were used as explants. Explants were transferred on MS medium supplemented with benzil amino purine (BAP; 2 mg l -1 ), α-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA; 2 mg l -1 ) for callus studies. The cultures were maintained on the same media compositions and were subcultured at an interval of 4 weeks. Callus cultures were harvested at the end of the 16th week. Calli were dried at 40̊ C in the dark for antimicrobial studies. Calendula officinalis callus extracts were tested for their antibacterial activities by using agar well diffusion method. Ethanol and chloroform extracts from these plants were assayed against nine bacteria species (

ÖZObjective: The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of the clinic and demographic characteristics of hepatitis b surface antigen (HBsAg) positive patients in Şanlıurfa region. 49±15 years, range: 20-73) and 24 (83%) were male. Seventeen patients (5%) (mean age: 37.8±12.8 years, range: 16-60) were antihepatitis D virus (anti-HDV) positive, 11 (65%) were male, 5 of them were in the cirrhotic stage. Two patients (0.6%) had HBV/HCV coinfection, two patients (0.6%) had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Seven patients were pregnant, three patients were given tenofovir in the 3 rd trimester, due to high viral load. Seventy one of 73 (26%) patients who were identified to have cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis due to HBV or HDV, 71 of (those who received or completed interferon treatment) received antiviral therapy, most commonly tenofovir. Liver transplantation was performed in two patients (0.6%) due to HBV related liver cirrhosis. Conclusion: Three-quarters HBsAg seropositive patients in Şanlıurfa region were inactive HBV carriers and one quarter were at the stage of chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Inactive carriers and chronic hepatitis patients are often in the 3 rd decade and cirrhotic patients were in the 4 th decade of life. Chronic HDV was observed in 5% of patients, HBV related HCC 0.6%, HBV/HCV co-infection was found in 0.6% of patients. Almost all patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis were found to be received or/receiving antiviral treatment and the most commonly used medication was tenofovir.

Determination of the genetic characters of the plants obtained using plant tissue culture methods is important. In this study, the genetic fidelity of the plants, which are obtained by the micropropagation of the shoot tip explants of the Origanum majorana L. plant of medicinal and economical value in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium which contains 1.0 mg/L Benzil Amino Purin (BAP), 0.1 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 3% sucrose and 0.7% agar, has been investigated by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) technique. Monomorphic bands were obtained as a result of all of the RAPD-PCR analyses performed. According to the results obtained, no polymorphism was detected among the micropropagated plants.