A study on the anatomical, morphological, micromorphological and biochemical properties of some Hypericum L. (hypericaceae) species distributed in the Black Sea Region

The aim of this study was to determine the morphological, anatomical and micromorphological characteristics of the taxa H. androsaemum L., H. linarioides ssp. linarioides Bosse, H. lydium Boiss, H. montanum L., H. perforatum L., and H. pruinatum Boiss et Bal. belonging to the genus Hypericum L. (Hypericaceae) distributed in the Black Sea Region, to reveal the similarities and differences comparatively and to investigate various biochemical activities. The specimens of the studied taxa were collected from different habitats in the Black Sea region. Anatomically, 40 characters including periderma, glandular ducts, root pith region, number and structure of wings on the stem, type of glandular ducts, mesophyll type on the leaf, presence of hairs, stomatal type were determined and analyzed. Micromorphologically, the presence of glandular glands, hair condition, and secretory ducts in leaves and flowers, and surface type and epidermis cell shapes in fruits and seeds were examined in detail. Cluster analysis (UPGMA), principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (LDA) tests were applied to all anatomical data. Plant extracts were prepared with three different solvents. Biochemical analysis of the prepared samples included determination of total phenolic content, determination of total flavonoid content, determination of total antioxidant activity, determination of DPPH free radical scavenging activity, determination of chelating activity with Fe2+, determination of inhibitory activity on ABAP-induced lipid peroxidation. In addition, phenolic contents of the above-ground parts of the plants were determined by HPLC analysis. H. montanum and H. perforatum were found to be the closest taxa with 85% similarity. H. androsaemum and H. lydium species differ from other taxa. According to the results of biological activity tests, when the ethyl acetate, n-hexane and aqueous extracts of the examined Hypericum taxa were compared according to the HPLC results, it was determined that the antioxidant capacity of the aqueous extract of H. montanum species gave better results than the other 5 taxa, and according to HPLC analysis, the amount of hypericin in the same species was higher and it was determined that it could be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of diseases.