This study aims to put forth soil-plant interactions of Arbutus andrachne and Arbutus unedo in West Anatolia. Soil analysis showed that these taxa grow on different kinds of soils with sandy-clayey-loam,... more
This study aims to put forth soil-plant interactions of Arbutus andrachne and Arbutus unedo in West Anatolia. Soil analysis showed that these taxa grow on different kinds of soils with sandy-clayey-loam, clayey-loam, and loamy textures. Soils in general are not saline but neutral, slightly to moderately alkaline, moderate to rich in nitrogen, and have low levels of phosphorus and potassium. The soils differ in their calcium carbonate content. Regression analysis showed a negative relationship between plant potassium and total soluble soil salts, plant potassium and soil nitrogen, but a positive relationship between plant calcium and soil potassium in A. unedo. In A. andrachne a positive relationship exists between plant calcium and soil potassium.
The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of Andrachne cordifolia was evaluated by preparing its extracts in petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water and using agar well diffusion and dilution method. Minimum inhibitory... more
The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of Andrachne cordifolia was evaluated by preparing its extracts in petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water and using agar well diffusion and dilution method. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was performed. The maximum antibacterial activity was shown by leaf and bark extracts. The maximum potential was exhibited by petroleum ether extract of bark of A. cordifolia against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, i.e. 62.6 ± 1.5 mm. The least antibacterial activity was shown by aqueous extracts of both parts. The zones of inhibitions obtained against bacterial isolates were compared with zones obtained by standard antibiotic disc (positive control) to evaluate activity index (AI) of the respective plant and it was revealed that the highest AI was reported by petroleum ether extract of bark against P. aeruginosa. The MIC values for the leaf and bark were 0.122 ± 0.03 at 0.8 mg/mL concentration and 0.075 ± 0.02 at 0.6 mg/mL concentration respectively. The bark macerates of methanol of plant had exhibited best response to 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, i.e. 94.3 %. The leaf extracts of plant was potent for 2, 2'-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic Acid (ABTS) and metal chelating activity. The aqueous extract of leaf and bark of A. cordifolia showed highest Total Flavonoid Contents (TFC) content on aqueous extracts i.e. 3723.45 ± 1.1 and 3723.45 ± 0.5 µg/mL.
