Modeling the Altitudinal Variation in Secondary Metabolite Contents of Hypericum orientale from Turkey

Hypericum orientale L. that is growing in high altitudes is used traditionally for hemorrhoids in Turkish folk medicine. In the present study, models were developed to estimate the altitudinal variation in secondary metabolite contents of Hypericum orientale growing wild in “Güldağı” mountain, Turkey. Aerial parts of 30 flowering individuals were collected at six different altitudes (500, 1150, 1650, 2100, 2720 and 3250 m). Actual secondary metabolite contents of plants were measured by high performance liquid chromatography method. Multiple regression analysis was performed for each altitude and chemical separately to develop multiple regression models. The R2 coefficient values between the predicted and observed contents of secondary metabolites were determined as 0.89 for hyperoside and neochlorogenic acid, 0.94 for rutin, 0.95 for avicularin, 0.97 for quercetin, 0.98 for hypericin, pseudohypericin, cholorogenic acid, and 0.99 for hyperforin, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, amentoflavone, isoquercitrin, quercitrin. catechin, and epicatechin. All R² values and standard errors were found to be significant at the P < 0.001 level and a very close relationship was found between the actual and estimated values of secondary metabolites, tested. Prediction of secondary metabolite composition by using simple equations may represent a complementary important topic for phytochemical and taxonomical studies.