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Wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects of aerial parts and roots of S. acuminata, S. cana var. alpina, S. cana var. jacquiniana, S. cana var. radicosa, S. eriophora, S. laciniata ssp. laciniata, S. suberosa ssp. suberosa and S. sublanata were investigated in current study to clarify the traditional usage of Scorzonera species growing in Turkey. It is well known that some species of the Scorzonera genus are used for wound healing in Turkish and European traditional medicine. Therefore, wound healing effect of the plants was assessed by using linear incision and circular excision experimental wound models and subsequently histopathological analysis. Hydroxyproline content of the treated tissues was also assessed. Furthermore, the extracts were screened for anti-hyaluronidase activity. For the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability test was used. 20% aqueous methanol extracts of the aerial parts of Scorzonera species, S. cana var. jacquiniana and S. eriophora were found to be effective on the wound and anti-inflammatory activity test models. The results of histopathological examination supported the outcome of linear incision and circular excision wound models. Phytochemical analyses of the tested extracts were also performed by using developed and validated HPLC method. Among the tested standard compounds, varying amounts of the chlorogenic acid, rutin, hyperoside and luteolin-7-glycoside were determined in Scorzonera species.

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The genus Ballota L. (Lamiaceae) consists of about 33 species growing mainly in the Mediterranean region. In Turkey the genus Ballota is represented by eleven species, six subspecies, ten of which are endemic (1). Ballota saxatilis subsp. saxatilis Sieber ex J. & C. Presi. is distributed in Central Anatolia and has not been investigated before. The leaves and the tops of the plant are used for colic, asthma, influenza, insomnia, and haemorrhoids (2). The infusions prepared from the leaves are reported to possess antiulcer, antispasmodic, and sedative activities (3). Flowered aerial parts, and their aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts are widely used in European medicine for their neurosedative activities (4, 5).

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The flavonoids kumatakenin (1), pachypodol (2), 5-hydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavone (3), velutin (4), salvigenin (5), retusin (6) and corymbosin (7) have been isolated from the aerial parts of Ballota glandulosissima Hub.-Mor & Patzak. Among them, 2-4 and 7 have not been reported previously in the genus Ballota. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of 1-4 and 6 were tested against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus faecalis, Echerichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida galabrata.

Ethanol extracts from 6 species representing six different families, used in traditional medicine in Turkey were evaluated for their antioxidant activities. The inhibition of superoxide anion formation and lipid peroxidation levels of Ononis spinosa, Centranthus longiflorus, Lythrum salicaria, Plantago major, Juglans regia and Teucrium polium extracts were tested using in vitro standard procedures and IC 50 values were determined. In vitro tests included superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation. All ethanol extracts of plants showed concentration-dependent superoxide anion radical scavenging activity. The results of the superoxide anion formation assay showed that the ethanol extract of Centranthus longiflorus was found to be most potent inhibitor (IC 50 0.77 mg/ml) and followed by Plantago major (IC 50 1.21 mg/ml), Juglans regia (IC 50 1.39 mg/ml), Ononis spinosa (IC 50 1.35 mg/ml), Teucrium polium (IC 50 3.10 mg/ml) and Lythrum salicaria (IC 50 5.00 mg/ml). All the extracts, excluding Ononis spinosa and Teucrium polium, showed concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation. IC 50 values of the effective ethanol extracts of plants on lipid peroxidation were as follows: Juglans regia (IC 50 3.3 mg/ml), Plantago major (IC 50 3.4 mg/ml), Centranthus longiflorus (IC 50 3.9 mg/ml) and Lythrum salicaria (IC50 5.3 mg/ml). The results showed that Centranthus longiflorus, Plantago major and Juglans regia extracts had the highest antioxidant capacities among the six species examined.