The aim of this work is the isolation, identification and evaluation of the antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi from the Algerian medicinal plant Marrubium vulgare L. The isolation of endophytic fungi is carried out by the method of sterilization of surface to eliminate epiphytes then incubation of the fragments treated according to a precise protocol. The identification of the grown isolates allowed us to obtain three fungal strains belonging to three genera: Fusarium, Alternaria and Chaetomium, which are generally of the Deuteromycete phylum. The antibacterial capacity of the fungi was tested against five human pathogenic bacteruim using the agar-fungi disk diffusion method. With an inhibition zone (IZ) spanning from 7.5 to 25 mm, all isolated fungal strains showed antibacterial activity against at least one of the bacteria tested.. However, Fusarium sp has the highest antibacterial activity with an IZ of 19 and 24 mm against S. aureus and B. subtilis, respectively. Finally, our results clearly confirm that the medicinal plant M. vulgare L. presents a reservoir of endophytic fungi, which can be used in various fields, especially pharmaceutical fields.

Many different natural materials are used in complementary medicine. Among natural products, herbal materials are used quite a lot. Centaurea rigida Willd. was used as material in this study. The antioxidant and oxidant potential of the plant was determined. The aerial parts of the plant sample were extracted with ethanol in a soxhlet device. Antioxidant and oxidant potentials were measured with Rel Assay kits. As a result of the studies, the total antioxidant value of the plant was determined as 3.522±0.166, the total oxidant value as 15.424±0.281 and the oxidative stress index as 0.440±0.020. It was determined that the plant has antioxidant potential, but its oxidant values are high. As a result, it was determined that C. rigida could be used as a natural antioxidant source.

The study aims to report the ethnobotanical significance of medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases, phytochemical constituents of those plants, their allelopathic effect, and impact of those plants on the socioeconomic aspect in Gulmi and Okhaldhunga district of Nepal. Altogether 41 species of medicinal plants from two areas were documented, using a semi-structured questionnaire. They have been using those species for the treatment of different ailment ranging from gastrointestinal problems, respiratory tract related problems, cuts and wounds, and dermatological problems. 18 of the potentially valuable medicinal plants were brought for performing secondary metabolites tests in methanol extract. The extracts have shown the presence of alkaloid, carbohydrate, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, oil and protein, out of which alkaloid was found to be present in every sample. In contrast, only 5 possessed protein. Out of 18 plant extracts, 11 most valued ones were isolated to carry out allelopathy tests on mungbean seed. Only the control treatment bored germination of the mungbean with full radicle and plumule development. This study also reports the impact of the use of medicinal plants in people’s daily life.

Plants have been used for centuries to treat various diseases. In this study, Marrubium globosum Montbret & Aucher ex Benth. plant was used as a material. The extract of the plant was extracted with the help of soxhlet device using ethanol, which is a good polar solvent, and Rel Assay kits were used to determine the oxidant and antioxidant levels in the plant extract. Antifungal and antibacterial activities of M. globossum were tested against standard bacteria and fungus strains by agar dilution method. As a result of the analysis, TAS value of plant extract was determined as 7.677±0.231, TOS value as 12.387±0.083 and OSI value as 0.162±0.004. In this context, it has been observed that the plant has an important antioxidant potential. In addition, the plant extract was found to be effective against test microorganisms at 50-200 μg/mL extract concentrations. As a result, it has been determined that M. globossum can be a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial source.

Plants are important antioxidant sources. In our study, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) of endemic Helleborus vesicarius Aucher ex Boiss.were determined. The aerial parts of the plant samples were dried and extracted with ethanol (EtOH). TAS and TOS values of plant extract were determined using Rel Assay Diagnostics kits. As a result of the studies, the TAS value of H. vesicarius was determined 5.548±0.23, the TOS value was 13.778±0.119 and the OSI value was 0.249±0.009. In this context, the plant has been shown to have significant antioxidant potential.

Nowadays, whitening of stained teeth has become the most popular topic in aesthetic and cosmetic dentistry. Because of the side effects of materials that were used for bleaching, in this study the effects of some plants which were used in Anatolian folk medicine on the treatment of tooth staining were examined. In this study, upper central incisors which were extracted for periodontal reasons were used. The colour values of numbered teeth were obtained and the teeth were immersed into three different essential oils of medicinal plants (Mentha piperita, Ocimum basilicum, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis) for different time periods (1 day, 1 week, 1 month). At the end of the immersion periods, colour measurements of all samples were made and the colour changes were analysed. Obtained data were statistically analysed by using ANOVA and Duncan test. As a result of the variance analysis, plant species and the duration of immersion was found to be statistically significant. Within the limits of this study, we can indicate that tested medicinal plants has a whitening effect by resulting significant change in tooth colour.

In this study, antioxidant, oxidant and oxidative stress index of Thymbra spicata L. collected from Duhok (Iraq) region were determined. The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with ethanol. Rel Assay Diagnostics kits were used for detect TAS, TOS and OSI values. As a result of the studies, it was determined that TAS value of plant extract was determined 8.399±0.102, TOS value was 6.530±0.115 and OSI value was 0.078±0.001. As a result, it was determined that T. spicata has high antioxidant potential and in this context, can be used as a natural resource.

The present study was conducted in the province of Duhok (Northern Iraq) between 2011-2012. The study attempted to determine the use of certain indigenous and cultivated plants in Duhok province in alternative medicine and place of these plants in systematics. Thus, 49 taxa in 27 genera and 46 species were identified. Two taxa belonged to Coniferophyta, one belonged to Pteridophyta and 46 belonged to Magnoliophyta dividions. It was determined that the family with the most numerous taxa in the region was Rosaceae with 5 taxa, followed by the Fabaceae and Lamiaceae family with 4 taxa and Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Cucurbitaceae and Poaceae family with 3 taxa each. Certain ethnobotanical features of the identified taxa, such as systematics, habitats, flowering times, local names and alternative uses in medicine were presented.

Herbal plants are using for folk medicine since immemorial times. Hippocrates who is the father of medicine, refer to 400 medicinal plants and advised ‘‘let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food’’. Most of plants are using today for medicine. It is still acceptable today that prevention is more important than treatment. Saffron was utilized in folk remedy against scarlet fever, smallpox, colds, asthma, eye and heart diseases, tumours, and cancer.

Plants have been used for many purposes in different communities. Plants used in alternative medicine since ancient times have been the main material in the treatment of many diseases. In this context, it is very important to determine the biological potential of plants. In our study, total antioxidant status, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of Euphorbia eriophora Boiss. were determined. The aerial parts of the plant were extracted with ethanol in a Soxhlet device. TAS, TOS and OSI values of the plant extract were determined using Rel Assay kits. In addition, the free radical scavenging activity of the plant extract was measured by the DPPH method. As a result of the studies, the TAS value of the plant extract was 5.390±0.227, the TOS value was 20.971±0.348, and the OSI value was 0.390±0.014. The DPPH activity of the plant extract was determined to have an inhibition value of 68.721±1.694% at 2 mg/mL concentration. As a result, in our study, it was determined that E. eriophora has antioxidant potential and can be used as a natural antioxidant agent in this context.