Source Identification of Potentially Toxic Metals in Plants of Alpine Ecosystems of Mt. Madra by Positive Matrix Factorization.

In this study, the concentrations of cadmium (Cd), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in plants sampled from Mt. Madra were investigated. Furthermore, the distribution characteristics and source identification of potentially toxic metals were investigated with the application of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) modelling. Samples of 26 different plant species were taken from Mt. Madra at elevations ranging from 177 to 1347 m using the multi-point sampling approach. The metal quantities measured by ICP-OES are the following sequences (mean ± SD) (mg/kg): Fe (974.96 ± 29.6) > Mn (111.81 ± 2.6) > Zn (27.28 ± 0.2) > Ni (2.17 ± 0.03) > Pb (0.77 ± 0.01) > Cd (0.12 ± 0.01). According to the plant samples in which the highest values were determined, the metals are as follows: Cd (Lathyrus laxiflorus, 0.401 mg/kg), Fe (Ajuga orientalis, 7621.207 mg/kg), Mn (Castanea sativa, 724.927 mg/kg), Ni (Prunella laciniata, 6.947 mg/kg), Pb (Crataegus stevenii, 3.955 mg/kg) and Zn (Prunella laciniata, 50.802 mg/kg). The results of the PMF model showed that Cd had an atmospheric transport factor originated and transported from industrial activites, Ni had a substrate factor, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were influenced by different anthropogenic factors.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the local people of Alasehir (Manisa) in Turkey.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: This paper represents the first large-scale ethnobotanical study in the Alasehir and its surrounding (Manisa/Turkey). There are scarcely any studies for using plants. There is urgency in recording such data. This is the first ethnobotanical study in which statistical calculations about plants are done by ICF (Informant Consensus Factor) method. This study aimed to identify plants collected for medicinal purposes by the local people of Alasehir, located in the Aegean Region of Turkey, and to document the traditional names, preparation and uses of these plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Field study was carried out over a period of approximately 2 years (2010-2012) in Alasehir. During this period, 137 vascular plant specimens were collected. Demographic characteristics of participants, local plant names, utilized parts and preparation methods of the plants were investigated and recorded. In the scope of the study, medicinal plant species and related information were collected; herbarium materials were prepared; and the specimens were entitled. Field research was conducted by collecting ethnobotanical information during structured and semi-structured interviews with native knowledgeable people in territory. In addition, the relative importance value of species was determined and ICF was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 137 medicinal plants belonging to 58 families were identified in the region. Among them, 105 species are wild and 32 species are cultivated plant. The most dominant medicinal plant families were Asteraceae (>13%), Lamiaceae (>11%), Rosaceae (>7%), and Fabaceae (>4%), again; the most common preparations were infusion and decoction. It was found that Origanum onites L., Urtica urens, Thymus zygioides Griseb., Matricaria chamomilla L., Salvia tomentosa Mill., Cerasus avium (L.), Tilia argentea Desf. ex DC., Hyoscyamus niger L., Urtica pilulifera L., Anethum graveolens L., Euphorbia rigida Bieb., Hypericum perforatum L., Paliurus spina-christi Mill., Rosa canina L., Viscum album L. subsp. austriacum (Wiesb.) Vollman, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Elymus repens (L.) Gould and Juglans regia L. were the most commonly used species. The traditional medicinal plants have been mostly used for the treatment respiratory tract diseases (14.1%), gastro-intestinal diseases (10%), kidney problems (7.3%), diabetes (7.1%), cholesterol (5%), rheumatism (4%), cancer various (4%), cardiovascular problems (3.1%) and burn (3%). CONCLUSION: Gathering, processing and consuming wild edible plants are still practiced in all the studied Alasehir areas. These plants, used in the treatment of many different diseases, are freely harvested in this region at abundant amounts. Due to the increasing health service facilities in the area, herbal medicine, seemed to be more related to health care and disease prevention than cure.

Fatty acid composition and chemotaxonomic evaluation of species of Stachys.

The fatty acid composition of the seed oil of 23 Stachys taxa was analysed by GC/MS. The main compounds were found to be linoleic (27.1-64.3%), oleic (20.25-48.1%), palmitic (4.3-9.1%), stearic (trace to 5.2%) and 6-octadecynoic (2.2-34.1%) acids. The latter compound could be used as a chemotaxonomic marker of the genus Stachys. A cluster analysis was performed for comparison and characterisation of the seed oil from Stachys species.