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This study provides first results on the antiproliferative and antioxidant properties and detailed phytochemical screening of O. vulgare ssp. viride (Boiss.) Hayek.

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Verbascum is one of the main genera of Scrophulariaceae, but delimitation and phylogenetic relationships of this genus are unclear and have not yet been studied using DNA sequences. Here, using four selected molecular markers (nrDNA ITS and the plastid spacers trnS/G, psbA-trnH and trnY/T), we present a phylogeny of Verbascum and test previous infrageneric taxonomic hypotheses as well as its monophyly with respect to Scrophularia. We additionally discuss morphological variation and the utility of morphological characters as predictors of phylogenetic relationships. Our results show that while molecular data unambiguously support the circumscription of Verbascum inferred from morphology, they prove to be of limited utility in resolving infrageneric relationships, suggesting that Verbascum ‘s high species diversity is due to rapid and recent radiation. Our work provides phylogenetic estimation of the genus Verbascum using molecular data and can serve as a starting point for future investigations of Verbascum and relatives.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer‐related death. Plant‐derived natural products and compounds are an inspiring source of chemotherapeutic agents. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is linked to the decline of acetylcholine (ACh) effects in the brain, so acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are important in the treatment of AD. In this study, the chemical components and bioactivity of ethanolic extract of Rhabdosciadium microcalycinum (RM) was investigated by various methods. The lipophilic components of RM was determined by gas chromagraphy‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Antioxidant activicty tests were evaluated with FCAP (Ferrous chelating antioxidant power assay), FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay), ABTS (2,2′‐Azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt assay) and DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl assay). The anticancer effect of RM was evaluated by WST‐1 (4‐[3‐(4‐iodophenyl)‐2‐(4‐nitrophenyl)‐2H‐5‐tetrazolio]‐1,3‐benzene disulfonate), colony formation, wound healing and CDDE (cell death detection Elisa) analysis on A549 lung cancer cells. Enzyme inhibition effects of RM was determined against AChE and α‐glycosidase (AG) enzymes. According to the results of molecular docking found in the study; With a docking score of −4.56 for HP5 protein, −6.23 for BXO protein, −5.25 for AFI protein, −3.90 for gly protein and −7.74 for AChE protein, Telecinobufagin molecule was found to have higher activity than other molecules. After docking calculations, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity (ADME/T) analysis was performed to examine the effects and reactions of molecules on human metabolism. RM inhibited the viability of A549 cells dose‐dependent manner (IC50=117.15±8.58 μg/mL), and it was also observed that RM suppressed colony formation, prevented cell migration and directed the cells to apoptosis. RM has important lipophilic components, and significant antioxidant and enzyme inhibition potential. IC50 values of RM for AChE and AG enzymes were found as 35.86 mg/mL, and 10.14 mg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, the findings of this study reveal that ethanol extract from the aerial part of Rhabdosciadium microcalycinum may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of human lung cancer and Alzheimer's disease, due to its phytochemical components.

The essential oil aerial parts of Nepeta baytopii Hedge and Lamond., Nepeta cataria L. and Nepeta fissa C.A. Mey. were investigated by GC and GC-MS. The yield of oils are ca. 0.40, 0.45 and 0.50 mL/100 g, respectively. Forty six, fourty seven and forty nine compounds were identified representing 92.4, 91.2 and 92.5 % of the oil, respectively. 1,8-Cineole (23.2 %) and nepetalactone (12.8 %) in N. baytopii, nepetalactone (27.5 %) -1,8-cineole (10.8 %) and germacrene D (9.2 %) in N. cataria, 1,8-cineole (24.3 %) and nepetalactone (17.6 %) were identified as major components in N. fissa. The chemical distribution of the essential oil compounds in the genus pattern were discussed in means of chemotaxonomy.

This study aims to identify wild plants used for medical purposes by local people of the Ballakayati district of Erbil in North Iraq, and to determine the local names and uses of those plants. The study was carried out for approximately 3 years between 2016 and 2018. During this period of time, 85 plant specimens were collected. Demographic characteristics of the participants, names of the local plants, used parts of these plants and their preparation methods were investigated and recorded. In the literature analysis of the plants used in this study, 85 plants were found to be used for medicinal purposes while 3 plants were not found in the literature records. Local plant names differ due to local dialects in North Iraq. Locals benefit from the wild plants growing in their districts. In this area, it was found that locals use 85 plants from 38 families for curative purposes. The medicinal plants were used for the treatment of many diseases, mostly for the treatment of a cold, shortness of breath, and heart and gastrointestinal diseases. It was determined that the plants we identified in this study were used directly or as infusion or decoction. The most considerable medicinal plants were Mentha longifolia (L.) L. subsp. noeana (Briq.) Briq. (UV:0.38), Urtica dioica L. (UV:0.38). Furthermore, plants used for medicinal purposes are dried and stored for using them in winter. The medicinal use of Rhaponticum repens (L.) Hidalgo and Tanacetum polycephalum Sch.Bip. subsp. argyrophyllum (K.Koch) Podlech. that we found in this area were recorded for the first time. Different use of those plants were observed in this study.