Turhan Baytop (June 20, 1920 – June 25, 2002) was a Turkish

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

and

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English, is a healthcare professional who is knowledgeable about preparation, mechanism of action, clinical usage and legislation of medications in ...

from

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

. He was born on June 20, 1920, at

Üsküdar Üsküdar () is a municipality and district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 35 km2, and its population is 524,452 (2022). It is a large and densely populated district on the Anatolian (Asian) shore of the Bosphorus. It is border ...

, Istanbul. His father was a military officer and a keen amateur botanist. He then started studying at the 'University College of Pharmacy' in Istanbul in 1945 he graduated. He later served as a pharmacist in the medical corps during his military service. In 1948, Baytop returned to the college and gained his doctorate with a chemical investigation of Ephedra, the group of plants that contain important drugs such as

ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and sympathomimetic agent that is often used to prevent hypotension, low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred ...

. This was followed by a similar study of a Turkish species of

liquorice Liquorice ( Commonwealth English) or licorice (American English; see spelling differences; ) is the common name of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'', a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring is ...

Glycyrrhiza glabra Liquorice (Commonwealth English) or licorice (American English; see spelling differences; ) is the common name of ''Glycyrrhiza glabra'', a flowering plant of the bean family Fabaceae, from the root of which a sweet, aromatic flavouring is ...

. He started working as an assistant at the Institute of

Pharmacognosy Pharmacognosy is the interdisciplinary scientific study of natural drugs and bioactive compounds from plants, animals, and minerals—originally focused on identifying crude drugs but now expanded to molecular, chemical, ecological, and medicin ...

of the school. With a thesis prepared in 1949 by Dr. pharm. Turhan Baytop winning the title, he went in 1951 to Paris to study pharmacology. In 1952, he returned to Turkey, the associate Baytop next year, ten years later, in 1963 received the title of professor.

Istanbul University Istanbul University, also known as University of Istanbul (), is a Public university, public research university located in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded by Mehmed II on May 30, 1453, a day after Fall of Constantinople, the conquest of Constantinop ...

was the first dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy. Five-time dean did in different periods, 1969 - Between 1987 Pharmacognosy moment found at department chairman. Who retired in 1987. Prof. Turhan Baytop Turkey's

medicinal plants Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times. Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various functions, including Plant defense against h ...

, flora of Turkey and the Turkish pharmaceutical research and did study history. Books and over 300 published research. Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy of the "History of Pharmacy Museum," which established the Professor Baytop, many historical items in 1990 conferred this museum began regulation of the Turkish History of Pharmacy Meeting between 1984 -1996 in "Pharmacy History and Ethics" course, giving wrote a textbook. Botanical Turhan also interested in the science Baytop studied the tulips and roses of the past, this He wrote a book about it in English and translated into Japanese. He was married to fellow botanist

Asuman Baytop Asuman Baytop (27 March 1920 – 18 February 2015) was a Turkish botanist, plant collector, pharmacologist, and educator known for her research regarding the medicinal properties of the flora of Turkey. In 1964, she founded the Department of Ph ...

Notable publications

*''Türkiyenin Tibbi ve Zehirli Bitkileri'', 1963 *''Türkiye'de Bitkiler ile Tedavi'', 1984, *''The Bulbous Plants of Turkey'', 1984 (B.Mathew ile birlikte) *''Türk Eczacılık Tarihi'', 1985 *''İstanbul Lalesi'', 1992 *''Türkçe Bitki Adları Sözlüğü'', 1994 *''Eczahane'den Eczane'ye'', 1995 *''Laboratuvar'dan Fabrika'ya'', 1997 *''İstanbul Florası Araştırmaları'', 2002, *''Türk Eczacılık Tarihi Araştırmaları, Anadolu Dağlarında 50 Yıl'', 2000 *''Türkiye'de Eski Bahçe Gülleri'', 2001 *''İstanbul Florası Araştırmaları'', 2002 *''Türkiye'de Eski Bahçe Gülleri'', 2001

References

External links

Prof. Turhan Baytop

International Plant Names ref
Turkish non-fiction writers Turkish pharmacologists Turkish botanists 1920 births 2002 deaths Academic staff of Istanbul University Istanbul University alumni Burials at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery Recipients of TÜBİTAK Science Award Turkish expatriates in France {{Turkey-botanist-stub