SavedAdd your journal

Journals / European Journal of Biology / 2026 / Volume: 85 Issue: 1

Endemic Plant Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. (Cistaceae) in Gypsum Habitats: Exploring its Elemental Composition and Antioxidant Properties

Ayşenur Kayabaş Avşar(CANKIRI KARATEKIN UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-3555-4399
Kadriye Uruç Parlak(AGRI IBRAHIM CECEN UNIVERSITY)0000-0002-1474-1868
Nuray Çiçek(CANKIRI KARATEKIN UNIVERSITY)0000-0001-5044-5276
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-02-26
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Conclusion: Enzyme activity was notably high in the roots and leaves, indicating the strong antioxidant capacity of the plant in adapting to stressful gypsum environments.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm., an endemic medicinal plant of Türkiye belonging to the Cistaceae family, grows naturally in gypsum habitats characterised by drought, nutrient limitations, and soil toxicity.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Materials and Methods: Elemental content, along with the activities of guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), as well as the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), were measured in the roots, stems, and leaves.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Conclusion: Enzyme activity was notably high in the roots and leaves, indicating the strong antioxidant capacity of the plant in adapting to stressful gypsum environments.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Antioxidant activity · Gypsum stress · Helianthemum germanicopolitanum

Abstract

Objective: Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm., an endemic medicinal plant of Türkiye belonging to the Cistaceae family, grows naturally in gypsum habitats characterised by drought, nutrient limitations, and soil toxicity. These severe abiotic conditions cause oxidative stress in plants by producing reactive oxygen species. Since the activation of antioxidant systems is a typical plant response to stress, this study aimed to assess the antioxidant potential of H. germanicopolitanum by examining nutrient distribution and antioxidant enzyme activities in various tissues. Materials and Methods: Elemental content, along with the activities of guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), as well as the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), were measured in the roots, stems, and leaves. Results: The leaves exhibited higher concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), whereas the roots contained greater amounts of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) ions. GPOX, APX activities and H 2 O 2 were highest in the leaves, whereas CAT and MDA were most concentrated in the roots. The SOD activity was consistent across tissues. Conclusion: Enzyme activity was notably high in the roots and leaves, indicating the strong antioxidant capacity of the plant in adapting to stressful gypsum environments.

🔖

Cite This Article

Avşar, A. K., Parlak, K. U., Çiçek, N. (2026). Endemic Plant Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. (Cistaceae) in Gypsum Habitats: Exploring its Elemental Composition and Antioxidant Properties. European Journal of Biology, Volume: 85 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.26650/EurJBiol.2026.1794863

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (65)

  1. Fourrier C, Luglia M, Keller C, et al. How raw and gypsum-modified bauxite residues affect seed germination, enzyme activities, and root development of Sinapis alba. Water Air Soil Pollut. 2021;232(8):309. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05232-x google scholar
  2. Venkatachalam P, Jayaraj M, Manikandan R, et al. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) alleviate heavy metal-induced toxicity in Leucaena leucocephala seedlings: A physiochemical analysis. Plant Physiol Biochem. 2017;110:59-69. google scholar
  3. Çiçek N, Yücedağ C. Vermicompost alleviates the growth, quality, photosynthetic and biochemical traits of Verbena officinalis under salt stress. Biol. 2023;78:3031-3038. google scholar
  4. Ochoterena H, Flores-Olvera H, Gómez-Hinostrosa C, Moore MJ. Gypsum and plant species: A marvel of Cuatro Ciénegas and the Chihuahuan Desert. In: Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert: Emphasis on the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020;129-165. google scholar
  5. FAO. Management of gypsiferous soils. FAO website.“http://www.fao.org/4/t0323e/t0323e00.htm. Accessed in June, 2025. google scholar
  6. Stout PR, Meagher WR, Pearson GA, Johnson CM. Molybdenum nutrition of crop plants: I. The influence of phosphate and sulfate on the absorption of molybdenum from soils and solution cultures. Plant Soil. 1951;3:51-87. google scholar
  7. Kacar B, Inal A. Plant Analysis. Ankara: Nobel Publishing; 2008. google scholar
  8. Chemam Y, Benayache S, Bouzina A, et al. Phytochemical online screening and in silico study of Helianthemum confertum: Antioxidant activity, DFT, MD simulation, ADME/T analysis, and xanthine oxidase binding. RSC Adv. 2024;14(31):22209-22228. google scholar
  9. Güner A, Aslan S, Ekim T, Vural M, Babaç MT. Turkey Plant List (Vascular Plants). Istanbul: Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanical Garden and Flora Research Association Publication; 2012. google scholar
  10. Yeşilyurt EB, Erik S, Özmen E, Akaydın G. Comparative morphological, palynological and anatomical characteristics of Turkish rare endemics Helianthemum germanicopolitanum and Helianthemum antitauricum (Cistaceae). Plant Syst Evol. 2015;301(1):125-137. google scholar
  11. Davis PH. Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands. Vol. I. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press; 1965. google scholar
  12. Maryam M, Te KK, Wong FC, Chai TT, Low GK, Gan SC. Antiviral activity of traditional Chinese medicinal plants Dryopteris crassirhizoma and Morus alba against dengue virus. J Integr Agric. 2020;19(4):1085-1096. google scholar
  13. Ozyigit II, Karahan F, Yalcin IE, Hocaoglu-Ozyigit A, Ilcim A. Heavy metals and trace elements detected in the leaves of medicinal plants collected in the southeast part of Turkey. Arab J Geosci. 2022;15(1):27. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-09264-9 google scholar
  14. Panou E, Graikou K, Tsafantakis N, Sakellarakis FN, Chinou I. Phytochemical profiling and biological activities of two Helianthemum species growing in Greece. Sci Pharm. 2024;92(3):42. https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm92030042 google scholar
  15. Akman Y, Quézel P, Aydoğdu M, Ketenoglu O, Kurt L, Evren H. A phytosociological research on the steppe vegetation of the Yaprakli mountains (Çankiri, Turkey). Ecol Mediterr. 1994;20(3):1-7. google scholar
  16. Kapdan E, Sezgin M. In vitro propagation to conserve the local endemic and endangered medicinal plant Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. Braz Arch Biol Technol. 2021;64:e21200760. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4324-2021200760 google scholar
  17. Hernánz SM, Albaladejo RG, Pérez ER, et al. A comparative karyological study of Helianthemum (Cistaceae): Karyotype size, karyotype symmetry and evolution of chromosome number. An Jard Bot Madr. 2023;80(1):4. doi: https://doi.org/10.3989/ajbm.576 google scholar
  18. Kılıç KD, Avşar AK, Özkanca C, Sal DH, Karabey F, Yılmaz ZS, Uyanıkgil Y. Cytotoxicity assay of Turkish rare endemic Helianthemum germanicopolitanum Bornm. plant extract on HT-29 cell line. Ege Tıp Derg. 2024;63(3):441-448. google scholar
  19. Özdeniz E, Akça H, Taban S, et al. The relationship between antimicrobial activities and mineral contents of narrow endemic gypsophytes and their chemical contents. Kastamonu Univ J For Fac. 2022;22(2):167-180. google scholar
  20. Bouyoucos GJ. A recalibration of the hydrometer method for making mechanical analysis of soils. Agron J. 1951;43:434-438. google scholar
  21. Gee GW, Bauder JW. Particle-size analysis. In: Klute A, ed. Methods of Soil Analysis: Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods. 2nd ed. Madison, WI: American Society of Agronomy; 1986:383-411. google scholar
  22. Richards LA. Diagnosis and Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils. Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office; 1954. google scholar
  23. Xing R, Yang Z, Zhou Y, Wang S. Rapid determination of total sulfur content in green liquors by turbidimetric method. BioResources. 2020;15(1):721-732. google scholar
  24. Johnson CM, Ulrich A. Analytical Methods for Use in Plant Analysis. New York: Bulletin of the California Agricultural Experiment Station; 1959. google scholar
  25. Wolf B. Improvements in the azomethine-H method for the determination of boron. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal. 1974;5:39-44. google scholar
  26. Bower CA, Reitemeier RF, Fireman M. Exchangeable cation analysis of saline and alkali soils. Soil Sci. 1952;73:251-262. google scholar
  27. Wang J, Hu Y. Translocation and accumulation of heavy metals from the rhizosphere soil to the medicinal plant (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) grown in Bozhou, Anhui Province, China. Environ Pollut Bioavailab. 2023;35: doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/26395940.2023.2223768 google scholar
  28. He F, Sheng M, Tang M. Effects of Rhizophagus irregularis on photosynthesis and antioxidative enzymatic system in Robinia pseudoacacia L. under drought stress. Front Plant Sci. 2017;8:183. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00183 google scholar
  29. Horneck DA, Miller RO. Determination of total nitrogen in plant tissue. In: Handbook of Reference Methods for Plant Analysis. CRC Press; 2019:75-83. google scholar
  30. Hou W, Chen X, Song G, Wang Q, Chang CC. Effects of copper and cadmium on heavy metal polluted waterbody restoration by duckweed (Lemna minor). Plant Physiol Biochem. 2007;45(1):62-69. google scholar
  31. Baycu G, Tolunay D, Özden H, Günebakan S. Ecophysiological and seasonal variations in Cd, Pb, Zn, and Ni concentrations in the leaves of urban deciduous trees in Istanbul. Environ Pollut. 2006;143(3):545-554. google scholar
  32. Beauchamp CO, Fridovich I. Superoxide dismutase: Improved assays and an assay applicable to acrylamide gel. Anal Biochem. 1971;44:276-287. google scholar
  33. Nakano Y, Asada K. Hydrogen peroxide is scavenged by ascorbate-specific peroxidase in spinach chloroplasts. Plant Cell Physiol. 1981;22:867-880. google scholar
  34. Aebi H. Catalase in vitro. In: Methods in Enzymology. Academic Press; 1984:121-126. google scholar
  35. Razinger J, Dermastia M, Koce JD, Zrimec A. Oxidative stress in duckweed (Lemna minor L.) caused by short-term cadmium exposure. Environ Pollut. 2008;153(3):687-694. google scholar
  36. Velikova V, Yordanov I, Edreva A. Oxidative stress and some antioxidant systems in acid rain-treated bean plants: Protective role of exogenous polyamines. Plant Sci. 2000;151:59-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9452(99)00197-1 google scholar
  37. SPSS IBM Corp. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics. 2012. google scholar
  38. OriginLab Corporation. OriginPro, Version 8 SR1. Northampton, MA: OriginLab Corporation. https://www.originlab.com. 2007. google scholar
  39. Golubkina NA, Kharchenko VA, Caruso G. Selenium: Prospects of functional food production with high antioxidant activity. In: Ekiert H, Ramawat KG, Arora J, eds. Plant Antioxidants and Health. Reference Series in Phytochemistry. Springer; 2021. google scholar
  40. Jones JJ, Wolf B, Mills HA. Plant Analysis Handbook: A Practical Sampling, Preparation, Analysis, and Interpretation Guide. Georgia: Micro Macro Publishing; 1991. google scholar
  41. Epstein E, Bloom AJ. Mineral Nutrition of Plants: Principles and Perspectives. Sunderland, U.K.: Sinauer Assoc. Inc.; 2005. google scholar
  42. Szechyńska-Hebda M, Ghalami RZ, Kamran M, Van Breusegem F, Karpiński S. To be or not to be? Are reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, and stress signalling universal determinants of life or death? Cells. 2022;11(24):4105. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11244105 google scholar
  43. Kacar B, Katkat AV. Plant Nutrition. Ankara: Nobel Publishing; 2023. google scholar
  44. Cera A, Montserrat-Martí G, Drenovsky RE, Ourry A, Brunel-Muguet S, Palacio S. Gypsum endemics accumulate excess nutrients in leaves as a potential constitutive strategy to grow in grazed extreme soils. Physiol Plant. 2022;174(4):e13738. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppl.13738 google scholar
  45. Cera A, Montserrat-Martí G, Ferrio JP, Drenovsky RE, Palacio S. Gypsum-exclusive plants accumulate more leaf S than non-exclusive species both in and of gypsum. Environ Exp Bot. 2021;182:104294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2020.104294 google scholar
  46. Cera A, Montserrat-Martí G, Palacio S. Nutritional strategy underlying plant specialization to gypsum soils. AoB Plants. 2023;15(4):1-6. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plad041 google scholar
  47. Bolukbasi A, Kurt L, Palacio S. Unravelling the mechanisms for plant survival on gypsum soils: An analysis of the chemical composition of gypsum plants from Turkey. Plant Biol. 2016;18:271-279. google scholar
  48. Taiz L, Zeiger E, Møller IM, Murphy A. Plant Physiology and Development. 6th ed. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates; 2011. google scholar
  49. Syman K, Turpanova R, Nazarova GA, et al. Role of oxidative stress enzymes in abiotic and biotic stress. Caspian J Environ Sci. 2024;22(2):521-528. google scholar
  50. Beyaz R. Morphological and biochemical changes in shoot and root organs of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) after exposure to drought stress. Sci Asia. 2022;48:51-56. google scholar
  51. Nawaz I, Mehboob A, Khan AHA, et al. Higher cadmium and zinc accumulation in parsley (Petroselinum crispum) roots activates its antioxidants defense system. Biometals. 2024;37(1):87-100. google scholar
  52. Chemingui H, Smiri M, Missaoui T, Hafiane A. Zinc oxide nanoparticles induced oxidative stress and changes in the photosynthetic apparatus in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2019;102(4):477-485. google scholar
  53. Platonova N, Belous O. Relationship between the activity of guaiacol peroxidase and the content of photosynthetic pigments in tea leaves. Slovak J Food Sci. 2020;14:1020-1026. google scholar
  54. Devireddy AR, Zandalinas SI, Fichman Y, Mittler R. Integration of reactive oxygen species and hormone signaling during abiotic stress. Plant J. 2021;105(2):459-476. google scholar
  55. Chen C, Galon Y, Rahmati Ishka M et al (2021) Ascorbate peroxidase 6 delays the onset of age-dependent leaf senescence. Plant Physiol. 185:441-456. google scholar
  56. Rodríguez-Ruiz M, Houmani H, Muñoz-Vargas MA, Palma JM, Corpas FJ. Detection of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity in plant tissues: Using non-denaturing PAGE and spectrophotometric assay. In: ROS Signaling in Plants: Methods and Protocols. Springer US; 2024: 223-234. google scholar
  57. Jarin AS, Islam MM, Rahat A, et al. Drought stress tolerance in rice: Physiological and biochemical insights. Int J Plant Biol. 2024;15:692-718. google scholar
  58. Uruç Parlak K, Çakılcıoğlu U. Evaluation of antioxidant enzymes and elements content of Centaurea kurdica Reichardt and Centaurea urvillei DC. subsp. hayekiana Wagenitz. Erzincan Univ J Sci Technol. 2019;12:74-86. google scholar
  59. Büyük İ, Soydam Aydın S, Aras ES. Molecular responses of plants to stress conditions. Turk Bull Hyg Exp Biol. 2012;69:97-110. google scholar
  60. Dixit V, Pandey V, Shyam R. Differential antioxidative responses to cadmium in roots and leaves of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Azad). J Exp Bot. 2001;52:1101-1109. google scholar
  61. Doğan M. Investigation of the effect of salt stress on the antioxidant enzyme activities on the young and old leaves of Salsola (Stenoptera) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). Afr J Plant Sci. 2012;6:62-72. google scholar
  62. Apel K, Hirt H. Reactive oxygen species: Metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. Annu Rev Plant Biol. 2004;55:373-399. google scholar
  63. İşeri ÖD, Körpe DA, Sahin FI, Haberal M. Hydrogen peroxide pretreatment of roots enhanced oxidative stress response of tomato under cold stress. Acta Physiol Plant. 2013; 35(6):1905-1913. google scholar
  64. Queval G, Hager J, Gakière B, Noctor G. Why are literature data for H2O2 contents so variable? A discussion of potential difficulties in the quantitative assay of leaf extracts. J Exp Bot. 2008;59(2):135-146. google scholar
  65. Slesak I, Libik M, Karpinska B, Karpinski S, Miszalski Z. The role of hydrogen peroxide in regulation of plant metabolism and cellular signalling in response to environmental stresses. Acta Biochim Pol. 2007;54(1):39-50. google scholar