¹Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mersin University, 33169, Mersin, Turkey
²Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Uşak University, 64200, Uşak, Turkey
³Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mersin University, 33169, Mersin, Turkey
⁴Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Adıyaman University, 02040, Adıyaman, Turkey
⁵Department of Child Development, School of Health, Kırsehir Ahi Evran University, 40100, Kırşehir, Turkey DOI : 10.12991/jrp.2019.182 Salvia L., the largest genus of the family Lamiaceae, is composed of many well-known plants of medicinal value. This study provides the first data on micromorphology, myxocarpy, mineral content and in vitro antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities of mericarps of Salvia pilifera, considered to be a vulnerable endemic species from Turkey. The macro- and micromorphological mericarp traits were documented and illustrated via stereo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Mineral content of mericarps was analyzed using ICP-MS. Ethanol extract of mericarps was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Aeromonas hydrophila, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata using broth microdilution method. Antimycobacterial activity was performed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using resazurin microtiter plate method. Ampicillin, Ethambutol, Isoniazid, and Fluconazole were chosen as reference drugs. Antiproliferative effect of the extract was tested against A549 human lung cancer cell lines using MTT test. The size of the mericarps was 4.38±0.17 mm in length and 3.28±0.13 mm in width. The general shape was elliptic to widely elliptic. The abscission scar was nearly rounded. The ornamentation pattern of the surface was colliculate with polygonal exocarp cells. Myxocarpy was observed on the surface of the mericarps when they become hydrated. Transparent mucilaginous cells showed a moderate reaction with extensions more than 0.1 mm long. Potassium and calcium were determined as major minerals (80.662±0.234 and 41.892±0.399 μg/g, respectively). The extract showed greater antibacterial activity against A. baumannii compared to Ampicillin (62.5 and 125 μg/mL MIC values, respectively). Cell viability level of the extract (100 μg/mL) was found to be statistically lower than control group against A549 human lung cancer cell lines (P<0.05). Keywords : Salvia pilifera; SEM; fruit; mucilage; morphology; mineral content; antimicrobial activity; cell viability