An ethnobotanical study in Midyat (Turkey), a city on the silk road where cultures meet.

Background: Studies of ethnobotanical usages in south-eastern Turkey are rare. To widen this field of knowledge, we conducted an ethnobotanical study in Midyat (Mardin Province), Turkey.

Methods: The field study was completed during three years (2007-2010).

Cycloartane and oleanane-type glycosides from Astragalus pennatulus.

Four new cycloartane and one new oleanane-type glycosides were isolated from Astragalus pennatulus along with five known cycloartane-type glycosides. The structures of the new compounds were established as 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β-trihydroxy-24-oxo-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane (1), 3-O-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-3β,16β,24α-trihydroxy-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane (2), 3-O-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-xylopyranosyl]-3β,16β,25-trihydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane (3), 3,25-di-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-3β,6α,16β,25-tetrahydroxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane (4), 29-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-abrisapogenol B (5) by 1D and 2D-NMR experiments along with ESIMS and HRMS analyses. The aglycone of compound 1, 3β,6α,16β-trihydroxy-24-oxo-20(R),25-epoxycycloartane, is reported for the first time.

Revision of the species of the Merodon nanus group (Diptera: Syrphidae) including three new species.

The nanus group of the genus Merodon Meigen (Diptera, Syrphidae) is revised, yielding an illustrated key, a discussion of taxonomic characters and morphological diagnosis for the five species of this group. Three new cryptic species are described, Merodon kopensis Vujić et Hayat sp. n.

Monoterpenoid glucoindole alkaloids and iridoids from Pterocephalus pinardii.

A new secondary metabolite, pterocephaline, along with the known cantleyoside, 7alpha-morroniside, 3beta,5alpha-tetrahydrodesoxycordifoline lactam, 5S-5-carboxyvincoside, sweroside, and loganin have been isolated from the aerial parts of P. pinardii (Dipsacaceae). Moreover, cantleyoside-methyl-hemiacetal and cantleyoside-dimethyl-acetal were obtained as seco-iridoid artifacts.

Triterpene glycosides from the roots of Astragalus flavescens.

Six new triterpene saponins, 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (1), 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (2), 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (3), 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (4), 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (5), and 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-22-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-21-epi-kudzusapogenol A (6), were isolated from the roots of Astragalus flavescens, together with the known trajanoside B, azukisaponin V, and astragalosides IV, VII, and VIII. Their structures were established mainly by 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry.

Chionaeosides A-D, triterpene saponins from Paronychia chionaea.

Four new triterpenoid saponins, chionaeosides A-D (1-4) were isolated from the roots of Paronychia chionaea. On the basis of their spectroscopic data, the structures of the new saponins were established as 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylgypsogenic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylgypsogenic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylgypsogenic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), and 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylgypsogenic acid (4).