Currently, increased attention is paid to plant raw materials as a source of biologically active substances. As a consequence of this great scientific interest is dog rose (lat. Rosa), a genus of wild plants of the Rosaceae family (Rosales) and it is widely used as a medicinal, vitamin source and food raw material. The species of Rosa genus have rich vitamin content and different chemical structures. Dog rose has medicinal value as a multivitamin remedy. Many works have been devoted to the study of the dynamics of the accumulation of vitamins depending on the forms and types of dog rose, geographic location, meteorological conditions, soil, fertilizer application and other environmental factors. The most economically valuable part of the dog rose is the pulp of the fruit. Rosa is used in official and traditional medicine. They also have anti-inflammatory, choleretic, diuretic properties and a beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism and, they regulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, enhance tissue regeneration, the synthesis of hormones. In this review article, antioxidant, pharmacological, medical properties and chemical content of the Rosa genus has been discussed in detail.

HIGHLIGHTS The phenolic composition, antioxidant activity and cytotoxic potential of the extracts of C. solstitialis and U. picroides were investigated. Caffeic acid was found as the most abundant phenolic compound in the extracts. Both species showed promising antioxidant activity towards different assays. The highest cytotoxic potential was observed in the extract of C. solstitialis.

Andricus quercustozae (Bosc, 1792) is a cynipid gall wasp, which induces gall on oaks (Quercus spp.). It is known that both cynipid galls and oaks are used in traditional medicine. In this study, some biological characteristics of various extracts (acetone and ethanol) of A. quercustozae asexual gall and its host plant, Quercus infectoria Olivier, were investigated. The antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated using radical scavenging activity (ABTS and DPPH assays), the β-carotene-linoleic acid method, the phosphomolybdenum method, and the reducing power (CUPRAC method). Total phenolics, flavonoid and tannin contents were measured in the gall and the oak leaf extracts. Moreover, ethanol extracts of the gall and the host plant were evaluated using HPLC for the composition of phenolics. Generally, the gall extracts (acetone and ethanol, respectively) exhibited the strongest radical scavenging (DPPH, IC50 value of acetone extract: 11.00 μg/mL and IC50 value of ethanol extract: 8.67 μg/mL; ABTS, 52.27 μg/mL and 44.97 μg/mL) and antioxidant activities with the highest level of phenolics. The antioxidant activity of the gall extracts was in the range of 80.74 to 87.49 % for β-carotene-linoleic acid method, while and it was ranged from 75.68 to 78.20 mgAEs/g for phosphomolybdenum method. In the results of some antioxidant methods (ABTS and β-carotene-linoleic acid), it is observed that the host plant extract has values close or high to the gall extract. In this context, our results suggested that the cynipid gall extracts could be used as a natural agent in food, medicinal and pharmaceutical applications.

Soil salinity, which affects plant photosynthesis mechanisms, significantly limits plant productivity. Soil microorganisms, including cyanobacteria, can synthesize various exometabolites that contribute to plant growth and development in several ways. These microorganisms can increase plant tolerance to salt stress by secreting various phytoprotectants; therefore, it is highly relevant to study soil microorganisms adapted to high salinity and investigate their potential to increase plant resistance to salt stress. This study evaluated the antioxidant activity of four cyanobacterial strains: Spirulina platensis Calu-532, Nostoc sp. J-14, Trichormus variabilis K-31, and Oscillatoria brevis SH-12. Among these, Nostoc sp. J-14 presented the highest antioxidant activity. Their growth-stimulating effects under saline conditions were also assessed under laboratory conditions. These results indicate that Nostoc sp. J-14 and T. variabilis K-31 show significant promise in mitigating the harmful effects of salinity on plant size and weight. Both strains notably enhanced the growth of Oryza sativa plants under saline conditions, suggesting their potential as biostimulants to improve crop productivity in saline environments. This research underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms by which cyanobacteria increase plant tolerance to salt stress, paving the way for sustainable agricultural practices in saline areas.

Son yıllarda tarım alanlarında kimyasal insektisitlerin yaygın kullanımına bağlı olarak hastalık ve zararlı türlerde ortaya çıkan dayanıklılık, çevre kirliliği, kalıntı ve benzeri sorunlar bitki koruma çalışmalarında çeşitli alternatif yöntem ve insektisitlerin aranmasını zorunlu hale getirmiştir. Bitkilerden elde edilen ve spesifik olan bitkisel insektisitler doğada bulunmaları nedeni ile doğada ek toksik madde yaymamakta, kısa zamanda dekompoze olarak çevre kirliliklerine yol açmamakta, ürünler üzerinde kalıntı oluşturmamaktadır. Bu avantajlardan dolayı uzun yıllardır zararlılarla mücadelede kullanılan bitkisel insektisitlere son yıllarda yenileri eklenmiş olup, araştırmalar devam etmektedir. Özellikle entegre mücadele ve organik tarım anlayışının geliştiği son yirmi yılda çeşitli bitkisel kökenli sekonder bileşikler tarım alanlarında kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada insektisit aktivite gösteren bitkisel sekonder metabolitler, uçucu yağlar ve etki mekanizmaları hakkında bilgiler derlenmiştir.

The aim of this study was to determine the immunostimulant effects of geophyte plant extract on non-specific defence mechanisms of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). For this purpose, Muscari comosum was collected in Muğla region and extracted in ethanol. Then, The plant extract applied into fish by intraperitonal injection in two different concentrations (0.5mg/ fish and 2.0 mg/fish). The average fish weight was 140 g. Following the injection on the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th days the blood and serum samples were collected from fish in each group and examined for various parameters including percentage of hematocrit, the counts of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) positive neutrophils, total leukocyte counts, percentage of white blood cells and serum lysozyme activity. The results indicated that the counts of NBT (+) neutrophils, percentage of monocyte and neutophil and total leukocyte counts increased in the group with injected 0.5mg plant extract /fish compared to control group (P<0.05). It has been revealed that this dose of M. comosum can be suggested to use to enhance non-specific immune system for rainbow trout aquaculture. However, immunostimulant effects of oral administration of this plant extract in rainbow trout are needed to be determine in future studies.