Ranunculus arvensis (corn buttercup) is a plant species of the genus Ranunculus that is frequently used in the Far East to treat rheumatic diseases and several dermatological disorders. In Turkey, the plant is seen in the eastern and southeastern Anatolian highlands, which are underdeveloped areas of the country. Herein, we report three patients who used Ranunculus arvensis for the treatment of arthralgia and osteoarthritis. A distinctive phytodermatitis developed on the right thumb in one patient (48-year-old male), on the anterior aspect of both knees in another patient (70-year-old female) and all around both knees in a third (59-year-old female). The patients were treated with topical antibiotics and daily wound dressing, and none of them experienced any complications. Ranunculus arvensis was confirmed as the cause of the phytodermatitis in the three cases. Poultices of plants applied to the skin demonstrate beneficial effects on many dermatological and rheumatic diseases; however, they have several adverse effects that should not be ignored. In this study, we also present a review of 25 cases reported in the literature.

Background: Mastalgia is common among women and its aetiology is still not fully understood. Studies are conducted to reveal the relationship between breast pain and psychosomatic disorders. The goals of the project are to compare the interaction of psychological symptoms and health related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with mastalgia between East and West of Turkey. Materials and Methods: Seventy-four women from the General Surgery Clinic of Diyarbakır Ergani Hospital (Eastern group) (n=39) and Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine (Western group) (n=35) were included in the study. The symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) scales was used to evaluate physiological findings and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scales was used for evaluating health related quality of life (HRQL). Results: Median age of patients from Eastern group was 27.54 (18-39) years and 35.57 (18-70) years in Western group (t=-4.585, P<0.0001). Average Global Severity İndex (GSI) scores of the eastern group were statistically significantly higher than the western group (P<0.01). When the SCL-90-R values ​​of the eastern and western groups are compared, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, psychoticism, depression and anxiety in the eastern group are higher than the western group. According to SF-36 results, the mean scores in the eastern group tended to be lower than in the western group. Conclusion: The results revealed that psychological symptoms differ between east and west of Turkey. This may indicate that socio-economic differences may also have effects on psychological symptoms. In addition, mastalgia negatively affects women's quality of life.