Phytochemical and Biological Characteristics of Apiaceae Species from Turkey

Turkey has a rich biodiversity having about 12.000 taxa. Species of the family Apiaceae are distributed in most parts of the world with 466 genera and about 3820 species. In Turkey, the family is represented by 500 species belonging to 100 genera or 531 taxa among them 196 endemic species. Apiaceae species are generally rich in essential oils. They may contain essential oils in different organs of the plants such as leaves, flowers, fruits, stem, roots and rhizomes. Chemical diversity may vary significantly regarding underground and aboveground parts of the plant material. Commercially important species of this family include: anis, cumin, fennel, coriander, caraway etc. Since the members of Apiaceae are present in nearly all types of habitats, it is well distributed in Turkey. Some of the members of the family are grown as vegetables and spices. Due to their content of toxic substances, some representatives can be dangerous for both animals and humans. Due to the rich chemical diversity of family Apiaceae, it is promising for utilization by the health and industries. In this chapter we survey recent literature regarding studies on Apiaceae taxa of Turkish origin.