Determination of the chemical and biological activity of leucojum aestivum (Göl soğanı) plants growing in Turkey

In this study, Polyphenolic content of l. aestivum was determined by spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. Total phenolic content in leaf extracts of l. aestivum was 12,937 ± 0,057 mg GAE / g DW and 3,947 ± 0,023 mg GAE / g DW in bulbs extracts. Total flavonoid content was 10,620 ± 1,670 mg CAE / g DW in leaf extracts and 0.820 ± 0,624 mg CAE / g DW in bulbs extracts. DPPH, ABTS+ and RPC analyzes were performed to evaluate antioxidant potential. Leaf extracts of l. aestivum were found to have more antioxidant activity than bulbs extracts. This result showed that the leaves of l. aestivum are an important source of antioxidants. Phenolic compounds were identified by HPLC. The antimicrobial activity of methanol extracts of l. aestivum against five different pathogenic bacterial strains was investigated. It was observed that the extracts had no activity against these strains. The antifungal activity of the extracts against eight fungal strains was also investigated. Methanolic leaf extracts were found to be most effective antifungal against Alternaria citri, Penicillium glabrum and Cladosporium cladosporioides. Anatomical studies were performed on leaf transplantation and surface and onion cross section of l. aestivum. Tetracytic type stoma was found on both surfaces of isobilateral leaf. Stomata were observed to be aligned parallel to the axis of the leaves and were determined to range from 4 to 5 per leaf in a 20x magnification lens. It was observed that the mesophyll contained isometric parenchymal cells and crystalline inclusions with large lysigenous spaces, especially intercellular spaces. Midvein did not develop. The presence of large amounts of starch grains in the parenchyma cells in the onion was determined. Micromorphological leaf elevations were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM observations revealed that the leaf surface was glabrous, the epidermal cells had borders, and that there were striated membranes on the periclinal walls.