Browsing by Author "Ergen, Nuri"

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    Evaluation of the lifespan extension effects of several Turkish medicinal plants in Caenorhabditis elegans
    (2018) Ergen, Nuri; Biyoteknoloji Enstitüsü
    Research on longevity is important to both prolong lifespan and support healthy aging. Natural products are widely being utilized and used as new resources for drug molecules. Caenorhabditis elegans is an advantageous organism for longevity research and age-related diseases. In this study, we tested a number of plant extracts for their effects on C. elegans longevity. In lifespan assays, agesynchronized wild-type C. elegans specimens were treated with different concentrations of plant extracts. Plant extracts were prepared as either infusions or decoctions, similar to their traditional utilization. Hedera helix L. (Araliaceae) extended lifespan in worms in a concentration-dependent manner. The mean survival rates in the H. helix-treated groups were significantly higher, by 23.7% when applied at 1000 µg/mL, 16% when applied at 500 µg/mL, and 16% when applied at 250 µg/mL, compared to the control group. HPLC analysis identified chlorogenic acid as the major component of H. helix. Salvia verticillata L. (Lamiaceae) and Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae) treatments resulted in median lifespan extension. Maximum lifespan was extended in worms by Rubus sanctus Schreb. (Rosaceae) treatment. This study provided the first evidence demonstrating the possible lifespan-extending effects of a group of Turkish medicinal plants in an in vivo model, C. elegans.
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    Türk halk ilaçlarının C.elegans ömür uzunluğu üzerine etkisinin araştırılması
    (Biyoteknoloji Enstitüsü, 2012) Ergen, Nuri; Atalay, Arzu; Biyoteknoloji
    Aging is a process, which contributes to the functional loss of an organism and ultimately carries it to death with the passage of time. For many years, medical science, is working to improve the quality of life. In addition to improving the quality of life, increasing the maximum life expectancy was also intended. The incidence of age related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, cancer, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer and depression was observed to be increased with the improvement of life quality and increase in life expectancy. Research in the field of aging is getting important not only it is related to the prolongation of life expectancy, but also related to prevention of the diseases that occur with aging.The use of model organisms is quite common for the elucidation of biological processes. Caenorhabditis elegans is a model organism that is commonly used in aging studies since its genome is well-known, it shows 60-80% homology with human genome, can be easily manipulated in laboratory conditions and it has nearly 20 days of survival time.As it is well known that vast majority of the drugs are obtained from plant sources. There is a high probability of developing a drug candidate molecule from a plant used as a folk medicine. Turkey has a very rich flora most of which are endemic and has a rich folk medicine culture. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Turkish folk medicines to aging and some age related diseases. 12 plant extracts with antidiabetic and antibacterial activities, which are believed to be panacea, were chosen form previously reported folk medicine inventory studies and their effects on C. elegans longevity was investigated. Additionally, some pathway analysis was also conducted with the experiments performed with mutant strains.