The investigation of antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of some plant species growing in turkey

In this study, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Alkanna macrophylla Boiss. & Heldr., Sphaerophysa kotschyana Boiss., Gagea villosa var. villosa (Bieb.) Duby, Erysimum sintenisianum Bornm. and Polygonum sivasicum Kit Tan & Yıldız growing naturally in Turkey were investigated. In this context, dried above-ground parts of the plants were extracted with methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform and ethanol.. Antimicrobial activity was observed in all species except P. sivasicum. E. sintenisianum was determined as the plant with the broadest spectrum activity. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of the extracts were found to be generally 0,2 mg/mL, 0,4 mg/mL and 0,8 mg/mL.. All extracts of plants exhibited antioxidant properties. Higher free radical scavenging activity than ascorbic acid used as standard antioxidant compound was observed in various extracts of P. sivasicum, G. villosa var. villosa and A. macrophylla. The total phenolic content of the extracts was found to be between 9,67 mg GAE/g and 918,56 mg GAE/g, and the total flavonoid content of the extracts was between 6,19 mg QE/g and 68,57 mg GAE/g. These results have shown that the species we have studied have the potential to be used as antimicrobial and antioxidant and need to be investigated in more detail. Keywords: Alkanna macrophylla, Sphaerophysa kotschyana, Gagea villosa var. villosa, Erysimum sintenisianum, Polygonum sivasicum