Global Journal of Medicinal Plant Research 2016. 4(4): 1-8 ISSN: 2074-0883 Journal home page: http://www.aensiweb.com/GJMPR/ RESARCH ARTICLE Antimicrobial Activities and Palynological Studies on Gladiolus kotschyanus Boiss. (Iridaceae) from Turkey 1Sayım Aktürk, 2Sevil Toroğlu, 1Sadık Dinçer, 3Menderes Çenet 1Cukurova University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Balcalı 01330- Adana, Turkey, 2Kahramanmaraş Sütcü İmam University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kahramanmaras 46100- Kahramanmaras, Turkey, 3Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, 80000- Osmaniye, Turkey ABSTRACT The genus Gladiolus includes 260 species of a perennial herb, and commonly called sword lily belonging to lily family – Iridaceae. Total of 9 Gladiolus species are grown in various region of Turkey, 4 of which are endemic to the country. The aim of this study is to verify and estimate if the parts of Gladiolus kotschyanus have any antimicrobial activities; and to show out pollen featuresof this plant, with a view to gaining some insight into the scientific basis for the use of this plant material in Turkey. In the study, methanol, DMSO, ethylacetate n- Hexan and chloroform extracts of flowers, leaves, branches and corms of the G. kotschyanus obtained from Aladağlar Mountain (Kayseri–Turkey), were tested for antimicrobial effect and pollen features. Antimicrobial activities were studied by disc diffusion method. These extracts were tested against fourteen bacteria and one fungi. The results showed that the DMSO extracts of G.kotschyanus corms (GKC) were active against all tested microorganisms except B. subtilis, but relatively the methanol, ethylacetate, n- Hexan and chloroform extracts of them were inactive against to all tested microorganisms. Interestingly, results of this study showed that the n-Hexan extracts of G.kotschyanus leaves (GKL) showed more antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (clinic) (16mm 50 µl-1) than standart antibiotic (Amp:30 µg/disc). Palynological researches carried out on these plants materials and photomicrographs of pollen grains were produced using by using light microscopes, Olympus CX21FS1 and Euromex PB4161 microscopes. G.kotschyanus polen size 74-60 µm, polen shape 1.23 subprolate, aperture monosulcate, sulcus membrane two banded opeculum, polen wall type tectate-columellate, ornamentation spinulate perforate. G.kotschyanus contain antimicrobial components against different microorganisms, which could be in various pharmaceutical preparations. But, the presence of cardiac glycosides in Gladiolus sp. for caution in its use. Key words: Iridaceae, Gladiolus kotschyanus, antimicrobial activity, palynology, Aladağlar mountains (Yahyalı/Kayseri-TURKEY) Address for Correspondence: Sevil Toroğlu, Kahramanmaraş Sütcü İmam University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kahramanmaras 46100- Kahramanmaras, Turkey E-mail:[email protected] Received 3 July 2016; accepted 16 September 2016; published 26 September 2016 INTRODUCTION Gladiolus L. (Iridaceae) is a large genus that occurs in Africa, the Mediterranean basin and Western asia, a member of Iridaceae, subfamily Crocoideae and comprises approximately 260 species (Ameh et al., 2010). The species of Gladiolus are of great horticultural value and are used in gardening and cut-flower production (Emek and Erdağ., 2007). There are nine Gladiolus species in Turkey and are grown in various regions of Turkey, four of which are endemic to the country (Üzen, 1999) : Gladiolus anatolicus (Boiss.) Stapf., G. humilis Stapf., G. micranthus Stapf., G. halophilus Boiss. and Heldr., G. italicus Miller, G. antakiensis A.P. Hamilton, G. kotschyanus Boiss., G. illyricus W. Koch., G. atroviolaceus Boiss. (Erol et al., 2006). Open Access Journal Published BY AENSI Publication © 2016 AENSI Publisher All rights reserved This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ To Cite This Article: Sayım Aktürk, Sevil Toroğlu, Sadık Dinçer, Menderes Çenet, Antimicrobial Activities and Palynological Studies on Gladiolus kotschyanus Boiss. (Iridaceae) from Turkey. Glob. J. Med. Plant Res, 4(4): 1-8, 2016 2 Sayım Aktürk et al., 2016/ Global Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 4(4): 1-8, 2016 The genus Gladiolus kotschyanus (Iridaceae) is one of the nine genera in the Iridaceae (Davis, 1982). Gladiolus consists of small and fairly tall herbs and thrive mainly in seasonally dry habitats in Turkey. Gladiolus kotschyanus is the perennial herb. The corms of Gladiolus species are ovate or globose to flattened and enclosed by several layers of brownish fibrous tunics. Lowest leaves are reduced to a subterranean sheathing cataphyll and cauline leaves may be two or many. Flowers of this genus are densely or laxly dipersed and they are either secund or not (Erol et al., 2006) and may be white, pink, purple or orange (Ameh et al., 2011). In Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Bostwana, Gladiolus corms are used either alone or in combination with other plant materials and used in food, and in ethnomedicines for treating infections of the skin, gut, urogenital system, and upper respiratory tract (Nguedia et al., 2004). In South West Nigeria the corms called “baka” are used in treating gonorrhea, dysentery and other infectious conditions. In Ghana the corms used to treat dysentery and a potent evacuate for constipation (the corms are mixed with ginger). In Idomaland, Benue State, Nigeria, corms of Gladiolus are used in the preparation of a non-alcoholic drink (Ameh et al., 2010). Bulb extracts of G. dalenii are one of the plants used by local communities in Kenyan Lake Victoria Basin to treat different infections such as meningitis, malaria, diarrhoea, ulcers and HIV related fungal infections (Odhiambo et al., 2010). Gladiolus can also be considered here in the light of the review of operculate pollen in the monocotyledons by Furness and Rudall (2003). Gladiolus pollen grains monosulcate, heteropolar, elliptical in polar view, medium to large in size. Exine pattern spinulose-perforate; exine tectate-columellate. Intine thickness, thicker in aperture region, Sulcus extends full length of grain, wide, almost equal to the short axis of grain, exine extends irregularly towards sulcus; a two-banded operculum, bands (Dönmez and Işık, 2008). Tan and Edmondson (1984) made studies of Turkish Gladiolus and described nine species. There is no report on antimicrobial activity and palynogical study of G. kotschyanus from Aladağlar mountain (Turkey). In the light data obtained, in the present research, antimicrobial activities and palynogical features of G. kotschyanus were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Palynological studies: For LM observations, the polen of Gladiolus kotschyanus was first treated with 70% ethyl alcohol to remove oily substances, and then embedded in glycerine-jelly, stained with safranin. The following parameters were measured: pollen size – long axis (LA), short axis (SA), and diameter; exine thickness and intine thickness. Palynological researches carried out on these plants materials and photomicrographs were produced using by using light microscopes, Olympus CX21FS1 and Euromex PB4161 microscopes. The photomicrographs of pollen grains identified in are shown in Figure I. Palynological studies were carried out according to Erdtman (1952) with at least 25-40 measurement for each character. Polen terminology used according to Erdtman (1952); Faegri and Iversen (1964); Walker and Doyle (1976). Plant collection and preparation of extracts: Gladiolus kotschyanus Boiss. was collected by Dr. E. Toroğlu from a step area in Aladağlar Mountain (Kayseri–Turkey), Gökoluk plateau (upland) at an altitude of 2000-2500 meter during the flowering stage in July 2006. The plant was identified by Dr. M. Çenet. A voucher specimen was deposited in the Herbarium of the Department of Biology, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Osmaniye, Turkey (Voucher no: 1808 OKUH). The plants were dried in the shade at ambient temperature. Morphological properties of Gladiolus kotschyanus were determined using stereo microscope (Nikon SMZ 1000 model) and the present results were compared with the previous data from the flora of Turkey (Davis et al. 1982). The plant parts (flowers, leaves, branches and corms) used were broken into small pieces under sterile conditions, and 20 g of this plant was extracted with 150 mL of methanol, DMSO, ethylacetate n- Hexan and chloroform extracts (Merck, Darmstadt) for 24 h by Soxhlet appartaus (Khan et al., 1988). Prepared extracts were dried at 30oC using a rotary evaporator until amount of each extracts was 1 mL. Microorganisms and media: Fourteen bacteria (1-Escherichia coli K-12 (Standard), 2-Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 29213 (Standard), 3-Bacillus subtilis B-354 (Standard), 4-Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Clinic), 5-Klebsiella spp.1 (Clinic), 6- Escherichia coli 9539994 (Standard), 7- Staphylococcus aureus ATTC 6538 (Standard), 8- Staphylococcus epidermidis B-4268 (Standard), 9-Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) (Clinic), 10-Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (BaL) (Clinic), 11-Enterobacter cloacea (2.6) (Natural), 12- Staphylococcus epidermidis (Clinic), 13- Escherichia coli (Clinic), 14- Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Natural)) were obtained from the Biology Department of Cukurova University, Science and Arts Faculty. Cultures of these bacteria were 3 Sayım Aktürk et al., 2016/ Global Journal of Medicinal Plant