نشریه اکوفیتو شیمی گیاهان دارویی
سال ششم شماره 4 (پیاپی 24، زمستان 1397)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a native plant of Iran which cultivated throughout the country. Various metabolites and bioactive compounds have been reported from it. This plant has highly antioxidant potentials and possesses considerable phenolic ingredients. In order to study physico-chemical properties and qualitative attributes of pomegranate fruit juices in 25 genotypes of cultivar Malas, as the most famous Iranian cultivar, the experiment was accomplished in Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute in Isfahan at October 2015. The fruits were harvested from Pomegranate genotypes in genetic resources of Iran ( yazd ). The anthocyanin and polyphenol contents were measured by Folin-Ciocalteu  method, antioxidant capacity were obtained by DPPH  and then the total soluble solids and total acidity as the biochemical traits and taste, aril color, peel color, quality of aril color and aril quality as the qualitative characteristics were measured. Results were showed that the highest acidity found in Malas Zoodras Kan and total soluble solids in Malas Naalout Baneh (18.53 Brix). Malas Nar Poost Ghermez Marivan had maximum antioxidant capacity. Malas Daneh Siah Bafgh and Malas Larz Galoubarik Ardestan had the highest contents of anthocyanin and polyphenols, respectively. Study of simple correlation among the attributes had no significant differences. According to the same conditions subjected to all plants in the collection, it concluded the premier genotypes could be used as applied purposes such as pomegranate anthocyanin production and/or high antioxidant.

Aromatic herbs are considered the most valuable antioxidant source in nature. In this research, 3 different ecotypes of Oliveria decumbens vent. were collected from three important regions in Khuzestan province, including Behbahan, Shushtar and Masjed Soleyman in flowering stage. Essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation method (Clevenger apparatus) and d were analyzed by GC /Mass and the antioxidant activities were specified by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Results were showed that the highest thymol (29.67) and carvacrol (27.88%) were dominanted in Behbahan region oil. The percentage of degradation of DPPH free radicals in different concentrations of essential oil including 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 μl were calculated to determine the antioxidant activity of the essential oil. The IC50 values were calculated 34.21, 26.85 and 21.23, respectively from Shushtar, Masjed Soleyman and Behbahan regions. Finally, Behbahan ecotype with the highest source of thymol, carvacrol and antioxidant properties can be considered as a new best natural source of antioxidant supply.

This study was designed to investigate the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of fruits methanolic extracts from Momordica charantia L., Ecballium elaterium (L.) A.Rich, Cucurbita pepo L. cultivar pumpkin, Lagenaria siceraria L. cultivar Marankka belonging to Cucurbitaceae family. For this purpose, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. The matured fruits were harvested from the research farm in Zanjan University during the September to December 2017. Phytochemical characteristics of total phenol content (Folin– Ciocalteu method), total flavonoid (Aluminum Chloride method) and antioxidant activity (DPPH method) were evaluated. The highest level of phenolic and flavonoid contents was recorded for the fruit methanolic extracts  from the Ecballium elaterium (L.) and Momordica charantia L., with 85.5±3.5 mg GAE/g and 12.13±0.8, respectively. The results of DPPH test were showed that the methanolic extract of Momordica charantia exhibited potent activity (97.09%±0.96), followed by Ecballium elaterium (87.8%±1.5) and the lowest antioxidant activity related to methanolic extract of pumpkin fruit (58.02%±2.7). Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between flavonoids content and antioxidant activity (P=0.87) and also there was a positive correlation between phenolic content and antioxidant activity (P=0.54). Generally, the phytochemical analysis showed that, Ecballium and Karella extracts here rich in polyphenol compounds against other sspecies and can be used as food.drug-

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a perennial plant that belongs  belongs to Asteraceae family. It has a special place in the pharmaceutical and food industries in the world. In order to evaluate some phytochemical characteristics of artichoke leaves at different growth stages, an experiment was conducted by using a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications in Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources center during two consecutive years (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). In the second year, the leaves were collected at three growth stages: vegetative, heading and flowering in the second year. After harvesting, some quality factors such as their total phenolic content (Folin–Ciocalteu method), total flavonoids (Colorimetric Method of Aluminum Chloride), chlorogenic acid content (HPLC method)and antioxidant activity (DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power) were measured. The results showed that the phytochemical and antioxidant properties of artichoke leaves were different at the three growth stages. The highest amount of phenolic content (76.25 mg GAE g-1 DW), total flavonoid (1.28 mg QE g-1 DW), chlorogenic acid content (2.25 % DM), DPPH (92.34 %) and reducing power (2.16) of methanolic extract was observed in heading stage. There was a positive and significant correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Also, the relationship between chlorogenic acid content and DPPH and reducing power was positive and significant. According to the results, the harvesting of artichoke leaves at the heading stage is better than other growth stages due to their favorable characteristics.

Due to secondary metabolites such as thymol and carvacrol,  which are presence in Thymus and Zataria genus, which they are widely have been  used as medicine plant. This study was carried out to evaluate and compare the quantity and quality of the active ingredient of three genotypes of Zatariamultiflora, one genotype of Thymus daenensisand Thymusarmeniacus under uniform environmental conditions at Shahrekord University. In this regard, at 50% flowering stage, each genotype was collected from two-year-old plants and at a distance of five centimeters soil surface. The analysis of secondary metabolites was done by using Headspace Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry method. The results were showed that most of the identified compounds were in the form of mono terpenoid compounds. The mean of thymol and carvacrol in the three genotypes of the species Z. multiflora was higher than the Thymus species. a-pinene and β-pinene materials were observed in three genotypes of Z. multiflora, and a-terpineol, linalool and trypinolen in Z. multiflora were comparatively more than two species of Thymus. In contrast, some compounds such as beta-bisabolin, alpha-terpinen and para-cymene, were only presented in Thymus species and were not seen in three genotypes of the Z. multiflora.

In order to investigate the effects of industrial contaminants on some physiological and biochemical reactions of Malva neglecta L.a factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in farms around the Bandar Gaz  Industrial Estate in Golestan province at spring, 2013. The first factor was the distance from the source of contamination in four levels (control, 100, 200 and 300m) and the second factor was the plant’s organ on two levels (shoot and root). The control plot was also located in the same area at a distance of 1000 meters from the source of contamination. In this study, the amount of Anthocyanin, total soluble sugar, flavonoid, protein, activities of Catalase and Peroxidase enzymes, Glycine Betaine, Arsenic and Cadmium of soil and plant were measured. The highest amount of Anthocyanin (6.37 µmol g-1 of shoot dry weight), total soluble sugar (42.04 mg g-1 dry weight), Proline (15.55 µmol g-1 of shoot dry weight) and Glycine Betaine (46.97 μg g-1 dry weight) were related to the treatment of 200m distance from the source of contamination. The highest amount of protein (0.099 g kg-1 dry weight), Flavonoid (1.305 mg g-1 of shoot dry weight), Arsenic (515.37 mg kg-1 dry weight) and activities of Catalase and Peroxidase enzymes (8.84 and 25.62 μmol H2O2   min-1 respectively) were obtained in the treatment of 100m distance from the source of contamination.

Drought stress is as one of the most important limited factors that in agriculture systems can cause damage to growth, yield and secondary metabolites in medicinal and aromatic plants. A filed experiment to study on effect of irrigation frequencies, including 4, 6, and 8 every days on quantity and quality of the essential oil from the aerial parts of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) was done based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications at the research field at Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord, southwestern Iran in 2016. The leaves of plant samples were harvested at early flowering stage and the essential oils were obtained by  hydro distillation by using the Clevenger-type apparatus d by GC/MS. Results indicated that irrigation frequencies levels had significant effects on essential oil yield and percentages of 1,8-cineole (as the main constituent in the oil), limonene and α–humulene. The highest yield oil and the maximum contents of 1,8-cineole (11.05%), limonene (2.67%) and α–humulene (1.32%) were obtained from treatment of eight every days of irrigation. Probably, it seems that increased irrigation intervals (mild drought stress) can be effective in quantitative and qualitative properties of essential oil from sage (Salvia officinalis L.).

Presence of seconder metabolites and some elements in medicinal and aromatic plants led to they played important role as a source of medicines all over the world. The objective of this study was to investigate on levels of some elements and carbohydrates kind in which six Astragalus gossypinusFischer.The gums were collected from six different provinces (West Azerbaijan, Hamedan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Yazd, Kerman, and Isfahan), Iran. The plants gum were collected during June to September, 2013. Elements content such as phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium and zinc were measured by using Flame photometer, spectroscopy and atomic absorption. To determine carbohydrates kind such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used. The results were showed that in terms of elements, potassium (93.28 mg per gram of DM), and iron (0.000119 mg per gram of DM) were the highest and lowest content respectively. In terms of carbohydrates kind, glucose (87 units) and sucrose (23 units) were recorded as the highest and lowest respectively. According to the results of this study, the tragacanth gum can be used in various industries such as pharmaceutical, healthcare and food.