Morphological, anatomical, palynological, antibacterial and anticancer characteristics of spartium junceum L.

In this thesis study, the morphological, anatomical, and palynological characteristics of the Spartium junceum L. species, as well as its antibacterial and anticancer activities, have been investigated. Due to the limited literature research available on the Flora of Turkey, the taxonomic description of the species has been expanded, and the characteristics of the species such as roots, anthers, filaments, ovary, and seeds have been detailed for the first time. The micromorphological structures of fruit and seed surfaces have been studied in detail. The anatomical structure of S. junceum has been examined, determining how the structures of roots, stems, leaves, and seeds adapt to water storage and transport mechanisms. Pollen characteristics have been studied in detail using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and a palynological description has been made. These findings play an important role in the systematic and taxonomic relationships of the species. Antibacterial effect of the S. junceum methanol extract has been shown to exhibit strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when examined using Disk Diffusion and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration as well as Minimum Bactericidal Concentration methods. Additionally, the S. junceum methanol extract has demonstrated antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on the MCF-7 cell line, exhibiting potential anticancer properties. Furthermore, the potential of S. junceum extract to ameliorate toxic effects in Allium cepa root cells treated with CuSO₄ has been investigated, revealing remedial effects on the mitotic index and the chromosomal abnormalities. In conclusion, this study has shown that the S. junceum species has significant biological potential, bearing antibacterial, anticancer, and protective properties against toxic effects. Moreover, these findings suggest that S. junceum could serve as a potential source for pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.