Centaurea species are well known as a source of phytopharmaceuticals having both beneficial and harmful influences on human health. Centaurea scabiosa L. is a wild edible plant used in Mediterranean cuisine in the Dalmatian region of Croatia. We have assessed the volatile oil's chemical composition using GC/MS chromatography and its cytotoxic activity on human fibroblasts using the MTT test. Data on chromosome number, obtained by classical karyological methods, and genome size, assessed by flow cytometry, of the same plant material of C. scabiosa , were also given. The major chemical compounds found in C. scabiosa volatile oil were heptacosane, caryophyllene oxide, alloaromadendrene epoxide, α-cyperone, and α -bisabolol. This volatile oil showed no cytotoxicity on human fibroblasts in a dose range of 0.01-1 g/L. The chromosome number of a C. scabiosa sample from Croatia showed 2n = 20 + 2B chromosomes. The total genome DNA amount of 2C = 3.3 ± 0.01 pg or 1 Cx = 1628 Mbp presents the first report on the genome size of this species from Croatia. The presented results support the idea of using this plant in the human diet. To our knowledge, this is the first report on edible C. scabiosa species in general and in particular from Croatia.

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The flora of protected Shanjan rangeland in Shabestar district, Azerbaijan Province, NW Iran was studied using a 1 m × 1 m quadrate in spring and summer 2011. The climate of this area is cold and dry. In this area 94 plant species belonging to 25 families were identified as constituting the major part of the vegetation. The families in the area are Amaryllidaceae, Boraginaceae, Campanulaceae, Caryophllaceae, Cistaceae, Compositea, Cruciferae, Cyperaceae, Dipesaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Geraniaceae, Hypericaceae, Linaceae, Melvaceae, Orobachaceae, Papaveraceae, Paronychiaceae, Plantaginaceae, Polygolaceae, Ranunculaceae, Resedaceae, Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae and Valerianacea. Floristic composition is Irano-Turanian elements. Detailed analysis showed that Biennial plants were 3.19%, Annual 41.49% and Perennial 55.32%.

Makaleyi görüntüle