Ecophytochemistry journal of Medicinal Plants
Year:2013 | Volume:1 | Issue:2 (2)|Papers Count:8

In this research, essential oil content and composition of Artemisia spicigera was investigated. In addition, the antimicrobial effects of the essential oil, methanol extract and it’s different fractions were studied. The aerial parts of A. spicigera in blooming were collected from Ribeh (Mazandaran Province). The plant materials were dried in shade and powdered for extraction. The essential oil was obtained by hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The results showed presence of 20 components. The main constituents were camphor (39.6%), 1, 8-cineole (34.3%), camphene (5.7%) and borneol (5.2%). The methanol extract was prepared by maceration, then the butanol, chloroform and water fractions were prepared from methanol extract. Finally the antimicrobial effects of the essential oil, methanol extract and the fractions were studied against Escherchia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Kelebsiell penomonia, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica. The antimicrobial effect of the essential oil of Artemisia spicigera against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria showed the oil produced inhibition zone more than 20 mm on all bacteria except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. So the essential oil showed strong effects against these bacteria equal to or higher than tetracycline and erythromycin. The results of antimicrobial study of the extracts and fractions showed different effects. For each bacterium some fractions with special polarity showed larger inhibition zones. Methanol extract produced the biggest inhibition zone on Y. entrocolitica and s. aureus. Butanol fraction had strong effect on Y. entrocolitica, Escherchia coli and Bacillus subtilis. So it seems the essential oil and extract of Artemisia spicigera and special fraction can be used in drug formulation for treatment of some diseases.

In this investigation essential oil chemical composition of Calligonum comosum L`Her. and Calligonum bungei Bois s. from Aran & Bidgol area have been staudied. These species were endemic of desert sand dunes area and in Rig-Boland sand dunes of Aran & Bidgol area have natural habitates. The branches of flower these species were collected in spring 2009 and dried in shade (at room temperature) and subjected to volatile fraction were isolated by hydrodistillation using an all-glass Clevenger-type apparatus. The analysis of the essential oils were performed by using GC and GC-MS.27 components were identified in C. comosum essential oil. Major components of plant essential oil were Z-3-hexenyl benzoate (13.73%), methyl jasmonate (12.32%), e, e-a-farnesene (8.08%), phenyl ethyl isobutanoate (6.69%) and 5-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid lactone (5.58%). 17 components were identified in C. bungei essential oil. Major components of plant essential oil were ethyl octadecanoat (42.31%), e, e-a-farnesene (10.19%), limonene (9.79%), piperitenone (5.34%) and methyl jasmonate (5.16%). The comarison of terpenes components in essential oil of two species showed percent of monoterpenes of two species were higher than sesquiterpenes. The most parts of essential oil chemical composition of two species include of Ketones, Acides, Esters and Alcholes.

Satureja bachtiarica Bunge. as a medicinal plant belongs to Lamiaceae family. In order to evaluate the effects of different plant spacing and irrigation intervals on yield and quality of essential oils of plant foliage, a study carried out during 2010 to 2012 at research farm of Agriculture College, Ilam University, using a factorial design. factors were four plant spacing (15×15, 15×20, 20×20 and 20×25 cm) and four irrigation intervals (every day, every other day, after four days and after six days). Analysis of variances showed that irrigation intervals and planting distances had significant effects on dry weight, total antioxidant and oil yields. The highest dry and fresh weights were observed in treatment of every day irrigation and 15×15 cm planting space. The highest essential oils yield recorded in treatment of every four days irrigation and 20×20 cm planting space. However, oils yield of different treatments varied from 0.30 to 0.87 percent. The highest antioxidant activity (78.49 percent) obtained with the treatment of every four days irrigation and 20×20 cm spacing.

Thymus belongs to Lamiaceae family and consist over 215 different Species throughout the world. Eighteen species grow naturally in Iran of which four species are endemic. Then cultivate of 6 species of Thymus including: Thymus kotschyanus, T. fedchenkoi, T. lancifolius, T. pubescens, T. daenensis and T. migricus in station of medicinal plants. Research in Shahedieh Yazd in 2008, with the coordinates of Longitude and Latitude 55 31 49 northly, 21 15 54 east to heigh of 1210 meters above sea level. The aerial parts of plants were collected before and full flowering stages and then were dried in shadow and hydro-distilled for obtaining their essential oil. Analysis and identification of chemical composition of the oil were performed by GC and GC/MS. That determined the best time to harvest with regard to oil yield and oil production is flowering time. The highest amount of oil yield was related to species Thymus daenensis (3.52%). The highest amount of oil production was related to species T.lancifolius (20.88Kg/ha). Maximum composition of essential oil at full flowering para-cymene, 1, 8-cineol, gamma-terpinene and carvacrol, respectively 11.19%, 12.14%, 10.74 was related to T. fedchenkoi and highest of borneol 12.7% wasreleted to T. pubescens, and heghiest of thymol 73.26% was releted to T. daenensis and highiest of number compound 25 was releted to T. pubsens and T. lancifolius. The highest amount of oil yield (before flowering) 2.36% was related to T. daenensis and highest amount of oil production was related to species T. fedchekoi 10.03 Kg/ha. and highest carvacroi, thymol, borneol, gamma terpinene, cineole and para-cymene respectively 62.7%, 69.4%, 14.41%, 8.41%, 8.48% and 11.94% were related to respectively T. kotschyanus, T. lancifolius, T. fedchekoi, T. fedchekoi, T. pubsens, T. migricus and highest of number compound 25 was related to T. fedchekoi. Generally with regard oil yield and oil production and highest amount of thymol T. daenensis was selected as superior species.

The peel oil composition and juice quality of tangerine (Citrus reticulata) cultivars was investigated in this study. Peel oil components were extracted by cold-press and eluted using N-hexane and analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Total soluble solids, total acids, pH and density were determined in the juice obtained from the tangerine cultivars. Forty three, forty three and forty seven components were identified and quantified in Bam, Mahalli and page cultivars, respectively, including: aldehydes, alcohols, esters, ketones, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and other components. The major flavoring components were linalool, limonene, g-terpinene, (E) -b-ocimene, b-myrcene, a-pinene. Among the examined cultivars, Bam showed the highest content of aldehydes and page showed the highest content of TSS/TA. Since aldehydes and TSS/TA content of citrus are considered as two of the most important indicators of high quality, cultivar has a profound influence on citrus quality.

Use of biofertilizers is very important in medicinal plants production under a sustainable agriculture aiming to omit or suppress the use of chemical materials. In order to investigate the effect of planting date and Mycorrhiza fungi on the physiological characteristics and active compounds of fennel varieties (Yekta, Vahshi and Barzak), an experiment was conducted in completely randomized block design as split-split testing with three replications at 3 different times (5th February=T1, 3rd April=T2 and 4th May=T3) at Semnan agricultural research center in 2010-2011. The main plot was planting date (5th February, 3rd April and 4th May), the sub plot was cultivar (Yekta, Vahshi and Barzak) and the sub-sub plot was Mycorrhiza fungi (0 and 3 kg/ha). The essential oil yield, the contents of protein, carotenoids, chlorophyll a and b were determined. Results showed that, the planting date affected all studied characteristics at P=0.01. Also, the cultivar affected chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids at P=0.01. The maximum seed protein content was observed in 3rd April. Mycorrhiza fungi affected and improved the studied characteristics. Considering that the maximum seed and essential oil yield was obtained from the samples planted in 3rd April, the best time for sowing fennel in Damghan is 3rd April.

Hypericin is the most important active compound of Hypericum perforatum. Thus, the knowledge of changes in hypericin level in the nature helps to recognize the requirement of H. perforatum under agricultural conditions. Two sites of Golestan National Park in the west and Ramian the East of Golestan Province was selected according to the distribution of the in the province. For sampling, first, four altitude classes of 300, 600, 900 and 1200 m were considered in the range that the plant was observed at the location. The samples were collected from the 20-25 cm terminal part of flowering shoots, at the full-flowering stage. Methanolic extract of the samples were obtained by cold maceration method and the hypercin content was determined by HPLC in the sample of different sampling sites. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. The results showed that at both studied sites, hyperacin content increased along with increase in altitude. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in hypercin content between the sampling sites as samples collected from Ramian had higher (2.18%) hypercin content compared to the samples collected from Golestan National Park (1.75%). Results of the investigation of soil physical and chemical properties at two habitats indicated that there was a significant difference at 5% and 1% level between two habitats.

The study has conducted based on the development and application of a novel extraction technique to determine the phenolic compounds in Echinacea purpurea herbal extract. A composite adsorbent based on solid-phase micro-extraction techniques using sol-gel was prepared. The composite was homogeneously injected into a polypropylene hollow fiber. Finally, the device was used as a selective sorbent to extract the chlorogenic acid as a phenolic compound in E. purpurea. Thereafter, the chlorogenic acid amounts in the extract was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Main factors affecting the synthesis of the composite and factors affecting the microextraction process were studied and optimized. The detection limit of the technique was 0.08 ng. mL-1. Linear range and relative standard deviation were 0.2-1000 ng. ml-1 and 0.38% (n=3), respectively. The average relative recovery of the analyte added to the sample at four concentration levels were between 84.4 to 97.2 percent. This method was proposed as a new method to determine chlorogenic acid and other phenolic compounds in E. purpurea and other plants.