title: Characterization of volatiles and anti-ulcerogenic effect of Turkish sweetgum balsam (Styrax liquidus).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sweetgum, Styrax liquidus (Turkish sweetgum) is a resinous exudate obtained from the wounded barks of Liquidambar orientalis Miller tree which belongs to Altingiaceae (Hamamelidaceae). The plant material has been used for the treatment of peptic ulcer symptoms in Turkish folk medicine since centuries. In order to evaluate the claimed activity, we studied the anti-ulcerogenic effect of Styrax liquidus by using an in vivo anti-ulcerogenic activity model and to determine the chemical composition of the balsam.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-ulcerogenic effects of the balsam "Styrax liquidus" itself and its fractions obtained by successive solvent extractions with chloroform and n-butanol, were investigated against the ethanol-induced peptic ulcer model in rats. The chloroform extract demonstrated a statistically significant gastroprotective effect. In addition, the chemical characterization of the volatiles obtained by microdistillation technique from the balsam and the sub-extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pharmacological experiments have clearly demonstrated that 150 and 300mg/kg doses of Styrax liquidus given orally to rats showed significant gastric protection. On GC-MS analysis of the resin, overall, 31 compounds representing 99.8% of the total oil were identified where styrene (81.9%), cinnamyl alcohol (6.9%) and α-pinene (3.5%) were identified as the major components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present study confirmed the anti-ulcerogenic activity of the local ethnobotanical usage of Styrax liquidus in Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, 06300 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gurbuz
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yesilada
authors.forename: Betul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sezik
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Kemal H C
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Baser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D032362:Styrax
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol