مجله تحقیقات گیاهان دارویی و معطر ایران
سال بیست و چهارم شماره 1 (پیاپی 39، بهار 1387)

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) from Lamiaceae family is one of the most important medicinal plants, used in food, sanitary and cosmetic industries. A field experiment was carried out in Tabriz University in 2005. In this study, the effects of four plant densities (8, 12, 16 and 20 plants/m2) and microelements of two level (nonspraying, spraying) on yield and essential oil production of peppermint were evaluated at two cuttings. The data obtained from each harvests by factorial experiment on the basis of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and two cutting analysis of compound variance (split plot on time). The results of the first cutting showed that microelements of spraying dry yield, bush and leaf essential oil percentage and essential oil yield increased. In the first cutting dry yield, the oil yield increased by increasing the plant density. In second cutting, microelement spraying cause dry yield and leaf essential oil percentage and essential oil yield of significant affected. Also dry yield increased by increasing the plant density. The results of two cutting indicated that peppermint plants grown better in the first cutting than the second cutting. Plants harvested in first cutting had higher dry yield and essential oil yield, but had lower bush and leaf essential oil. The maximum leaf essential oil percentage (2.96%) obtained with spraying in the second cutting. The maximum essential oil yield was obtained (20.02 li.ha-1) in the first cutting.

In this research antifungal activities of the essential oils of Ferula gummosa Boiss.from three localities (Kashan, Ilam and Semnan) against two plant phytopathogenic fungi (B. cinereaandRhizopus stolonifer) were evaluated. The antifungal activities of essential oils against B. cinereashowed that the essential oil of all samples were effective against the growth of this fungus. As the control with 0 ppm concentration of the essential oil showed the highest and the 1200 ppm the lowest growth of B. cinerea. In contrast, the effect of the essential oils on the growth of Rhizopus stolonifer revealed a relatively positive effect on the higher concentrations. Our results showed that the increasing amount of the essential oils of F. gummosa can conclude different effects on different fungi.

In order to study the effects of super phosphate triple, water deficit stress and Glomus hoi biological fertilizer on some quantity and quality characteristics of Coriander, this experiment was conducted at Iran Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands in 2006. Field experiment was carried out by a split factorial design with 4 replications. The factors which studied were 0, 16 and 32 kg ha-1 P2O5 (super phosphate triple) and two levels irrigation, irrigation after 30 mm water evaporation from evaporation pan (without stress conditions), irrigation after 60 mm water evaporation (drought stress conditions) and application and non-application of mycorrhiza (Glomus hoi). The results showed that drought stress has significant effect on biological yield, flowering shoot yield and essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield, root length, root diameter, essential oil percentage of flowering shoot (α=1%). Highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield and root diameter were achieved without stress conditions and highest essential oil percent of flowering shoot and root length were achieved under stress conditions. Also phosphorus significant effects on biological yield, flowering shoot yield, essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield, essential oil percentage of flowering shoot and root length (α=1%) and root diameter were not significantly affected due to phosphorus. Comparison of means showed that highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield and root length were determined under application of 70 kg ha-1 phosphorus and highest essential oil percentage of flowering shoot were achieved under application of 35 kg ha-1 phosphorus. Mycorrhiza significant effect on biological yield, flowering shoot yield, essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield (α=1%) and root length (α=5%) and root diameter and essential oil percent of flowering shoot were not significant. Highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield and essential oil yield of flowering shoot, root yield and root length were achieved under application of mycorrhiza. The result showed that quantity and quality characteristics of Coriander increased by mycorrhiza and decreased application of phosphorus.

Chamazolene, a-bisabolene oxide A and a-bisabolol oxide A and B are important and valuable sesquiterpens in the flowers of Anthemis and Matricaria genus that are noticed because of their different usage in cosmetic and hygiene materials. In this research, the flowers of 3 specimens of Matricaria recutita L. (from Khuzestan, Booshehr and Fars provinces), M. aurea (Loefl.) Schultz-Bip.(fromTange eram) and Anthemis hyalina DC.(from Dashtestan) were collected. After drying the flowers in room temperature, the essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation. Chemical composition of the oils were investigated by analytical GC, GC/MS and computing retention indices. The oil yield of M. recutita (Booshehr) was 2.85%, in specimen of Khuzestan 0.68% and in specimen ofFarswas 2.35%, in M. aurea 0.63% and in A. hyalina was 2.54%. Nine compounds were recognized in different specimens of M. recutita that their main components were a-bisabolene oxide A (63.4%-92.4%), a-bisabolol oxide A (3.3%-15.4%) and chamazolene (2.6%-10.6%). Seven compounds were identified in M. aurea that a-bisabolene oxide A (59.0%), a-bisabolol oxide A (22.3%) and chamazolene (8.8%) were main components. Six compounds were recognized in essential oil of A. hyalina that major compounds were a-bisabolene oxide A (66.1%), a-bisabolol oxide A (15.5%) and chamazolene (6.9%).

Avicenniaceae family is a member of true mangrove plants which has one genus, 11 species and several sub species. Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. is the most current species among these plants in Iranian mangrove forest. Regarding to the presence of some active biological constituents in this species and their applications in traditional and alternative medicine, an attempt was made to evaluate the antiviral effects of leaf extract on vaccine strain of polio virus (sabin) in Vero cell line. Glycerin 10% solution was used as solvent for leaf extraction. Cytotoxicity of the extract on Vero cells was studied. Also effect of the extract on the infectivity of vaccine strain of polio virus before and after its attachment to Vero cells were assessed. In this experiment, cytotoxic concentration 50(CC50) was estimated 5750.96 µg/ml and subsequently inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of the extract before and after the virus attachment were 145.7 µg/ml and 314.3 µg/ml, respectively. Finally, selectivity Index (SI) of the extracts were calculated 39.5 and 18.3, respectively. According to the obtained SI values, it could be concluded that hot glycerin extract of Avicennia marina leaf showed the significant inhibitory effect on infectivity of polio virus in Vero cell line and it is justified to be suggested for further research in order to formulate natural compounds with antiviral qualities.

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) is a perennial herbaceous essential oil bearing plant belongs to Astraceae family. This plant is a valuable and important medicinal herb which has many therapeutic properties. Recent investigations have shown its excellent anti-migraine effects of it. Other properties of this plant are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, promote menstrual flow and reduce fever, antiseptic and anti-rheumatic effects. This investigation was conducted to study the antibacterial properties of feverfew essential oil, as well as determination of the content and composition of essential oil before doing antibacterial assessments. The aerial parts of Tanacetum parthenium were harvested in summer when the plants were in full blooming stage. The collected aerial parts were then dried in the shade. The essential oil of aerial parts was extracted by hydro-distillation technique using Clevenger apparatus and was analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS method. Anti bacterial properties of the essential oil on four pathogenic bacteria were determined by using broth dilution and well diffusion agar methods. The essential oil showed the maximum anti bacterial effect on E. coli and the minimum on S. aureus and P. aeuroginosa. The essential oil content of aerial parts was 0.66% (w/w) based on dry weight. The amount of camphor which is the main constituent of the oil and as an antiseptic component was 48.9%. In conclusion the results of this study showed thatthe essential oil of feverfew is rich of camphor and is considerable as an anti-bacterial agent in drug and food industries.

Oliveria decumbens Vent. (Umbelliferae) is a shrub commonly found in the South East of Iran. Its aerial part is extensively used in herbal medicine. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of O. decumbens essential oil extracted from aerial parts of plant against a panel of microorganisms including gram positive, gram negative bacteria, yeast and fungi were assessed by disc diffusion method and micro broth dilution assay. The chemical constitutes of this oil was analyzed by GC. The main components of essential oil are thymol (26.9%), carvacrol (0.25%), p-cymene (13.3%) and γ-terpinene (11%). This oil exhibited strong antifungal activity against filamentous fungi and yeast with average of inhibition zone (AIZ) 34.86 and MIC≤0.25µl ml -1. The effect of 2 µl of essential oil (IZ≥27.3 mm) is larger than Amphotricin B (IZ≤17) against fungi. The gram positive bacteria are more sensitive than gram-negative bacteria (21.9 Vs 18.4). Spore forming bacteria (Bacillus sp.) are resistant to essential oil and the effect of oil against Bacillus sp. had inhibitory effect (MIC>2 µl ml-1). Pseudomonas aeruginosa were more resistant than others (IZ<8 mm). Thus, microorganisms differ in their resistance to O. decumbens oil, i.e. bacteria are more resistant than fungi and gram negative bacteria are more resistant than gram positive bacteria. These effects are more concerned to phenol components especially thymol. Therefore, further studies are required to evaluate in vivo efficacy.

Hypercholesterolaemia is among the most common health problems treated with traditional remedies. Nigella sativa is an effective plant for hypercholesterolemia treatment. However the effect of this herb on hematologic factors and hemostase system has not been elucidated. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Nigella sativa on these factors in both normal and hypercholestderolemic rabbits. In this research, twenty rabbits were randomly distributed into four groups of five each. Having normal diet and normal diet + Nigella sativa (5٪), hypercholesterolemic diet (1٪) and hypercholesterolemic diet + Nigella sativa groups. Animal groups received their own diets and water and libitum for a period of 8 weeks. The results indicate that Nigella sativa diet only significantly increase numbers of platelet and do not effect on white and red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit and VII factors. Dietary use of Nigella sativa except increasing platelet number that may be causes increase coagulation don’t have effect on other hematologic factors. Thus these results call for more research on effect of different diet (hypercholesterolemic and normal diet) supplemented with Nigella sativa on different coagulation factors and hemostase system.

One of the most important intestinals, especially in developing countries is Salmonella infection. Today, antimicrobial resistance is increased and we need new antimicrobial drugs. One of these drugs is herbal drugs. The effects of garlic extract on Salmonella typhimurium infection were studied. 60 Dutch-polish rabbits were divided in 3 equal groups. The rabbits inoculated with 1011 colony forming unit orally. After 48 hours, two groups treated with 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg aqueous garlic extracts three times a day. Clinical manifestations are heart rate, weight, temperature and bowel habitus were evaluated after 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 hours after treatment and at similar times in untreated group. Heart rate, temperature and bowel habitus status were significantly different in 3 groups and different days (p=0.000). Weight did not change significantly (p>0.05). Garlic extract decreased clinical manifestations in salmonella typhimurium infected rabbits. As a result, clinical trials for further studies.

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is one of the most important essential oil bearing plants that its essential oil constituent (Chamazulene, Bisabolol and Bisabolol oxide A, B) is used in different medicinal industries. In this research, effect of different levels of vermicompost and irrigation was evaluated on morphological characteristics and essential oil content of “Goral” an improved German chamomile. The research was conducted in pot and greenhouse system. The treatments included four amounts of vermicompost (0, 5, 10 and 15% w/w) and three irrigation regimes (2 mm per week, 4mm per 2 weeks and 2 mm per 2 weeks). The studied factors were flower dry yield, plant height, flowering time, anthodia height, anthodia diameter, oil content (%) and essential oil yield. The results indicated that the vermicompost application improved plant height, early flowering, flowers dry weight, anthodia height and diameter significantly. Irrigation also affects plant height, flower dry weight and flowering time significantly and 2mm irrigation per two weeks was the best method and 2mm irrigation per week increased anthodia height and diameter significantly. The interactions between vermicompost and irrigation was significant as plant height (64.82 cm), flowers dry weight(7.84 gr per pot) and flowering time (35.5 days) as concerned and the best treatments was 15% vermicompost and irrigation 2mm per two weeks. The highest essential oil yield detected in 10% vermicompost and irrigation 4mm per two weeks (2.23 mg/pot). According to the results, it appears that 15% vermicompost plus 2 mm irrigation per two weeks was the best treatment to produce the flower yield in Goral cultivar of German chamomile in organic system.

Infections diseases afflict millions of people every day inflicting over thousands of death each day. Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria has been occurring with increasing proportions in all parts of the world. This can complicate therapeutic approaches especially in people with immunodeficiencies, AIDS patients, and in cancer victims. This problem also necessitates introduction of new antimicrobial agent with increased potency or trying to maximize therapeutic potencies of the available drugs in order to counter the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Plant extracts have been used in the last two decades to increase the antimicrobial potencies of various antibiotics. In this survey, the synergistic effect of Noscapin on Ofloxacin has been tested on a range of clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates which were resisted to fluoroquinolones. Twenty five Escherichia coli strains isolated from sick people which were resistant to ofloxacin according to agar diffusion NCCLS advised methods were collected. Subsequently, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each of the isolate, performed by serial dilution method, was determined toward Ofloxacin alone or in combination with Noscapin. The results indicated that the MIC of the 25 E. coli isolates towards Ofloxacin alone was in the range of 8-128 µg/ml. The MIC values to Noscapin alone were in the ranges of 0/5-1.0 µmol/ml. According to these results, Noscapin was used at the final concentration of 0.25 µmol/ml for all of the synergestic studies. Combination of Noscapin with ofloxacin was able to decrease the MIC values 2-8 fold for the E. coli isolates. This clearly points to the additive and synergistic effect of Noscapin on Ofloxacin against drug-resistant bacteria. By performing further studies, the additive effects of other plant extracts on various antibiotics can be studied.

In order to study the effect of water deficit stress and nitrogen on oil yield of Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.), an experiment was conducted at research field of Islamic Azad University of Takestan branch in 2006. Field experiment was carried out as split plot design with 4 replications. Water deficit stress set as main factor with three levels (Irrigation after 40, 80 and 120 mm evaporation from pan class A) and Nitrogen level was 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1. The results showed that water deficit stress had significant effect on oil yield, seed yield, oil percent, seed weight, seed per capitulum and capitulum diameter (α=1%). Means comparison showed that irrigation with 40 mm evaporation had and the highest oil yield and seed yield with 505.3 kg ha-1 and 3044 kg ha-1 and highest oil percent with 24.15% was achieved under irrigation with 120 mm evaporation. Moreover nitrogen had significant effect on oil yield, seed yield, oil percent, seed weight, seed per capitulum and capitulum diameter (α=1%). Means comparison showed that highest oil yield and seed yield with 377.4 kg ha-1and 1998 kg were achieved under application of 90 kg ha-1 nitrogen and the highest oil percentage with 22.16% was achieved under application of 60 kg ha-1 nitrogen. The results showed that water deficit stress and 60 kg ha-1 nitrogen increased oil percent, while oil yield of calendula decreased in this condition.

In this study since 2004 to 2005, 16 accession of Persian shallots were collected from Lorestan province andevaluated to determine the diversity among them. The studied morphological characters were: Bulb weight, number of bulb, plant height, bulb diameter leaf length and leaf width. Duncan’s multiple range tests showed that the accession of Persian shallot were significantly different in all evaluated parameters except bulb diameter and leaf length. Correlation coefficients showed that bulb weight was positively correlated with number of bulb (r = 0.474) and bulb diameter (r = 0.624), which is useful for indirect selection of accession with high number of bulb and bulb diameter and therefore high amount of bulb weight. Cluster and principal component analyses based on six morphological traits separated the accession into four main groups, but did not indicate significant relationship between genetic diversity and geographical origins.