Ecophytochemistry journal of Medicinal Plants
Year:2019 | Volume:7 | Issue:3 (27)|Papers Count:8

Teucrium polium L. is a native plant of Iran that is used in traditional medicine. This study was designed to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil in seven T. polium ecotypes with a range of 800 to 2500 altitudes in Fars province. To perform this study, the aerial parts of T. polium were collected in flowering stages and dried under laboratory conditions. Then, the essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation method and analyzed by GC/MS. The results showed that the most important constituents of essential oils varied in different habitats and the main components were germacrene-D (22. 6– 6. 7%), bicyclogermacrene (15. 1– 4. 4%), α-pinene (16. 6– 0. 8%), β-Pinene (9. 2– 0. 8%), myrcene (9. 5– 1. 7%) and (E)-Caryophylle (13. 9– 4. 2%). Comparison of the major constituents of the essential oils showed that the ecotypes collected from higher altitude areas had higher sesquiterpene than monoterpenes. Data analysis of the main constituents of the essential oils using Minitab software led to the identification of three distinct groups, indicating the existence of intra-species phytochemical diversity in this plant.

Drying is the most common way to preserve medicinal and aromatic plants and protect their biochemical compounds. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of different drying methods on the antioxidant and phytochemical activity of essential oil of aerial parts of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. gracile in 50 percentage of the flowering stage. This study was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four treatments in three replications at Research Farm of faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University (1365 m above sea level) during 2016. The aerial parts of the plant were dried using four types of drying methods, including room temperature (20-23 ° C), open air (direct sunlight), free air (shade) and oven temperature (40° C). The obtained essential oils by hydro-distillation method were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Total phenol, total flavonoid, antioxidant activity (DPPH), superoxide radical scavenging activity, and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity were measured by Folin– Ciocalteu reagent (FCR), aluminum chloride, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Tris-HCl buffer, and Griess Illosvoy reaction respectively. Based on the results, there was significant difference among different drying methods. The highest amount of essential oil, total phenol content, total flavonoid, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and superoxide radical scavenging activity were observed in shade drying method. However, carvacrol and thymol as the main constituents of essential oil had the highest amount of drying in open air under direct sunlight. After carvacrol and thymol, compounds obtained in a shad-drying method including β-mersin, α-terpinene, γ-trypinene and M-simol had the highest amounts. We concluded that essential oil composition and antioxidant activity of oregano were greatly affected by the drying method and among the different methods of drying, shade drying was the best for the oregano plant to preserve its chemical composition.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Clevenger-microwave and ultrasound extraction methods on the quantity, quality, chemical composition and antioxidant nature of the essential oil of Ferulago angulata (Schlechat) Boiss. In the Clevenger-microwave method, the plant to water ratios of 1: 10 and 1: 20 and the microwave power of 330, 660 and 990 w (30, 60 and 90%) were taken into account as the independent variables, while the indirect ultrasound pretreatment (at 20 and 45° C) was considered as the affecting factors for the extraction of the essential oil of Ferulago angulate. To identify the chemical compounds, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was employed and the impact of other parameters, including the efficiency, specific gravity, color, refractive index and antioxidant property of the essential oil were also evaluated. We found that application of microwave and increasing the power density led to decrease in the extraction initial time as well as a reduction in the extraction completion time and the time needed for the extraction curve to get constant from 4h to 1h. In both methods 25 constituents totally were identified in Ferulago angulate essential oil, among which β-phellandrene had the largest content (approximately 35%). Extraction time in the microwave method was significantly lower than clevenger method (p>0. 05). Ultrasound pretreatment at various temperatures, extraction by clevenger method, different power density in microwave method and the plant to water ratio did not have considerable effects on the essential oil refractive index, antioxidant activity and specific gravity.

Citrullus colocynthis L. belonging to the cucurbitaceae family, is used to treat many diseases such as inflammation, rheumatism, and diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total phenol and flavonoids content of different parts (leaf, seed, fruit pulp and peel) of C. colocynthis in Kerman, Iranshahr and Zabol habitats. All plant samples were collected from these habitats during June in 2017. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by using spectrophotometry method. Antioxidant activity of extracts was determined by using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging assay. Based on the results, the most phenol content was observed in leaf extract of C. colocynthis in Kerman (52. 19 mg/g DW) and Iranshahr (44. 86 mg/g DW), respectively. Most of flavonoid content were in leaf of C. colocynthis in Kerman, in addition, it had the highest antioxidant activity (86percentage). The present study shows the potential of C. colocynthis leaf as a pharmaceutical agent and we hope this study encourage further studies to investigate its phytochemistry and pharmacology.

Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort) is a perennial herb which contains precious metabolites such as hypericin, pseudo-hypericin and hyporforin widely used in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. In order to evaluate light density (three levels including full light condition, 75% and 50% of full light intensities) on plant height, gland number per leaf, stomata number, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight, as well as hypericin production of Topaz cultivar and Mishu ecotype of H. perforatum under hydroponic conditions in the greenhouse, an experiment was carried out as split plots based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the University of Tabriz in 2017. The chlorophyll and hypericin contents were used by spectrophotometry. The results showed that the light density significantly affected on fresh and dry weight, plant height, gland number per leaf, chlorophylls a and b, photosynthesis and total hypericin content in the H. perforatum. The highest fresh and dry weight, gland number per leaf, stomata number, photosynthesis and total hypericin content were belonged to the full light conditions (100% light). The highest plant height, chlorophyll a and b were belonged to the 50% of prevalent light intensity. The results indicated that Topaz cultivar is better than Mishu ecotype. In conclusion, increasing hypericin content in Hypericum perforatum by managing of light intensity is possible.

Citrus green mold, Penicillium digitatum is one of the most important postharvest diseases. Continuous application of chemical pesticides has serious long term effects on human health and environmental pollution that may result in emergence of resistance in pathogenic strains. In this study, antifungal activity of different concentrations (100, 200, 300, 400ppm) of four medicine plants essences including Thymus vulgaris, Cuminum cyminum, Allium sativum and Aloe vera collected from Ghorogh area of Golestan provience was evaluated. Essences were prepared by the steam distillation water using Clevenger apparatus. The main constituents' essences having the most antagonistic activity were analyzed by GC / MS. Antagonistic activity of bacteria isolated from orange epithelium including Bacillus, Pseudomonas sp., and Streptomyces sp. against Penicillium digitatum was also investigated in a completely randomized factorial model. The maximum percent inhibition (99. 95%) was observed by the thyme plant essence at 400 ppm concentration. Regression analysis of the effects of essences showed that by increasing the essences concentration, its inhibitory effect on fungi increased. Based on the results, thyme essence with having the important constituents of essences (carvacrol-45. 5%), (alpha-terpineol-22. 9%) and (endo-borneol 14. 3%) had the highest inhibitory effect (22. 3 mmol) against penicillium. Among 23 bacterial isolates, one of them, H7, had the highest inhibitory effect on penicillium. Using PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of 16S rRNA gene, it was identified as Bacillus cereus. Thus, thyme essence and Bacillus cereus (H7) are an appropriate substitutions to chemical control of orange postharvest diseases caused by Penicillium digitatum.

Environmental stresses such as salinity are one of the most important factors in the reduction of yield in medicinal plants. Salt stress is recognized as one of the important stressors that reduces the growth of medicinal plants and also the quantity and quality of their effective substances such as alkaloids, glycosides, steroids and volatile oils (essential oils). So far, many methods have been proposed to cope with salinity stress. In recent years, plant growth regulator materials such as growth-promoting bacteria, have been used as a way to reduce the effects of salt stress. The experiment was set up as factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with twelve treatments in four replications in spring of 2018 at greenhouse of Kashan University. The experimental factors included 3 levels of salinity of 25, 50 and 100 MM and Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Pseudomonas fluorescens which was used in four concentrations of 0 (as a control), 10-10, 10-8 and 10-6 CFU/ml. After deploying the plant in the flowerpot, the PGPR suspension was added to the soil prior to application of salinity stress. After 45 days, the aerial parts of the plant were harvested, and the essential oil extraction was carried out with an organic solvent using an SDE device. The results showed that increasing salinity stress had a significant effect on reducing the growth parameters including dry weight, root length, plant height, and essential oil yield. Also, with increasing salinity levels, the percentage of essential oil showed a significant increase at 1% level, so that essential oil percentage from 0. 45 in salinity treatment of 25 mm reached to 0. 96 in 100 mm treatment using a concentration of 10-8 CFU/ml bacteria. Based on the results, using growth-promoting bacteria strain increased the essential oil yield of this plant by reducing the effects of salt stress. Therefore, it seems these bacteria are an appropriate solution for coping with salinity stress.

Leonurus cardiaca L., commonly known as “ lion's tail” , is an herbaceous perennial medicinal plant belonging to Lamiaceae that is widely used in traditional medicine of Iran and other countries as a sedative, hypnotic, diuretic and hypotensive, especially for treating heart diseases. Important phytochemicals such as alkaloids, iridoids, saponins, flavonoids, cardenolides and diterpenoids have been previously extracted and identified from this plant. Due to the importance and distribution of this plant in Iran, this study was designed to isolate and determine the phytochemical structure of cardiac glycoside from Leonurus cardiaca L. extract. To conduct this study, the aerial parts of the plant were collected at flowering stages from hillsides of Damavand Mountain in August 2016 and extracted by maceration method. After defatting the extract with hexane solvent, chromatography column was used to separate the different constituents of the extract. Totally 32 different fractions were isolated; a natural crystal compound was appeared in fraction 8+9+10 of 10 + 9 + 10. Its chemical structure was identified using spectrophotometric methods (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR and DEPT Techniques). Based on the obtained spectra, this natural compound was Digoxin, a well-known cardiac glycoside that was extracted from this plant for the first time.