Since Astragalus is a genus with many important medicinal plant species, the present work aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and some biological activities of Astragalus gymnolobus. The methanolic fractions of four organs (stems, flowers, leaves, root and whole plant) were quantified and identified by Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) analysis. Hesperidin, hyperoside, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-coumaric acid were identified as main compounds among the extracts. Among all cells, leaf methanol (Lm) extract had the highest cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells (IC₅₀ = 0.069 μg/mL). Hesperidin, the most abundant compound in A. gymnolobus extract, was found to show a strong negative correlation with the cytotoxic effect observed in HeLa cells according to Pearson correlation test results and to have the best binding affinity to targeted proteins by docking studies. The antimicrobial activity results indicated that the most susceptible bacterium against all extracts was identified as Streptococcus pyogenes with 9–11 mm inhibition zone and 8192 mg/mL MIC value. As a result of the research, it was suggested that A. gymnolobus could be considered as a promising source that contributes to the fight against cancer.

Gypsophila pilulifera Boiss. & Heldr., an endemic and endangered species is an economically important plant that has a potential used in medicine thank to the saponins it contains. It is also an ornamental plant. In this study, the production was carried out under in vitro conditions in order to protect and economically evaluate the species, which is in danger of extinction due to its distribution in a very narrow area open to anthropogenic effects. For this purpose, seed and shoot tip explants of G. pilulifera were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Explants were obtained from two different locations of the natural habitats of G. pilulifera and more plants were obtained in the tissue culture from both explant types taken from the 1st location. Propagation from seed gave better results, and 96.67% of the seeds cultured in hormone-free MS medium were germinated and rooted. The shoot tip showed lower regeneration in vitro than the seed explant. Especially the rooting percentage is quite low and the highest rooting and shoot formation was obtained in MS medium containing 2 mg/L BAP + 2 mg/L IAA. In this medium, 10.50 ±0.17 shoots were obtained per plant, and rooting (1.67 ±0.09 per plant) was also achieved only in this medium. Seedlings obtained in tissue culture continue to develop successfully in field conditions, and this method has been determined as a suitable method for ex-situ conservation and economically rapid production of the species.

Gypsophila pilulifera Boiss. & Heldr. is an economically important critically endangered (CR) endemic species of Turkey. This species is a Mediterranean element and type sample is located in square C3 (Antalya). Plants are much more sensitive to abiotic stress factors, especially during germination and seedling development stages. In this study, in vitro germination and seedling growth properties of G. pilulifera Boiss. & Heldr. (Caryophyllaceae) were investigated under salt and drought stress. The seeds were cultured in hormone-free MS media containing increasing doses of NaCl (50, 100, 150, 200 mM) and PEG 6000 (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Germinated seeds were counted every three days for the first week and every day for the second week. The root and hypocotyl length, number of leaves, fresh weight and vigor index of the plants were determined at the end of 21 days. A negative correlation was determined between increased salt and drought stress and all vegetative growth parameters. Although germination was obtained on MS medium with the highest level of drought (20%), there was no germination on MS medium containing 200 mM NaCl. As a result, it was determined that the plant was more sensitive to salinity stress than drought and high salt concentrations inhibited the germination by 100%.

A detailed study of the Turkish endemic Gypsophila pilulifera were presented by both morphological and molecular investigations of several sites (each one divided in four biotopes). The characteristics were investigated using statistic analyses, i.e. t-Test and One-way ANOVA tests, as well as Discriminant analysis (á=0.05). Some differences were detected among the individuals in the locations stufied where the species was distributed in terms of morphological characteristics and obvious similarities/differences were determined among the biotopes as a result of the discriminant analysis. Morphological characterization was supported by molecular data. Four individuals from two different locations were analyzed by PCR using twenty-four ISSR primers. Analysis of PCR products on agarose gel yielded three primary reproductive band profiles, and the similarity frequencies calculated with the Jaccard coefficient were found to be among 0.229 and 0.769. In this context, according to the results, there was no difference in species, subspecies or variety level between individuals between the two locations. But the obtained molecular differences support the morphological differences. It is predicted that this may change towards speciation as ecological changes increase in the locations where the species is distributed.

Background/Objectives: Astragalus L. is a genus of the Fabaceae family, encompassing over 3000 species globally, with 380 species found in Turkey. This is the inaugural examination of the phytochemical, antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic properties of Astragalus pisidicus. Methods: The water and methanolic fractions of four parts (stems, flowers, leaves, root) as well as the whole plant were quantified and identified by Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) analysis. Cell death was assessed using the WST-1 assay, while apoptosis was identified by colorimetric protease assay for caspase 2, -3, -6, -8, and -9, as well as cellular DNA fragmentation assay. Antioxidant activity of A. pisidicus water and methanolic extracts was investigated with eight different assays. Antimicrobial activities of the extracts were evaluated against 16 bacterial strains by disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Results: A total of 13 phytochemicals were detected in the extracts at various concentrations. Hesperidin (147–40,174 µg/g extract) and hyperoside (363–2677 µg/g extract) comprised the principal constituents among the extracts. Fm (IC₅₀ = 9.57 µg/mL), Rm (IC₅₀ = 14.89 µg/mL), and Sm (IC₅₀ = 9.57 µg/mL) were evaluated as active crude extracts on H1299, HT-29, and Panc-1 cells, while Rm (IC₅₀ = 32.057 µg/mL) and Fm (IC₅₀ = 64.25 µg/mL) were assessed as moderately active on MCF-7 and 22RV1 cells, respectively. The elevation of caspase 2, 3, 6, 8, and 9 enzyme activities, along with DNA fragmentation, signifies that the mode of cell death is apoptosis. According to the disc diffusion test results, Fm, Lm, Sm, and WPm extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against gram (+) bacteria. Conclusions: A. pisidicus elicited apoptotic cell death in cancer cells selectively by the activation of caspases and subsequent DNA fragmentation and may serve as a novel source of an apoptosis-inducing anticancer drug.