The study of effects of some characteristics of the soil habitat on total alkaloids in Leontice leontopetalum and L. Armeniaca tubers from four different regions of Iran

Alkaloids are a large group of molecules with biological, physiological and chemical activities. Plants of the genus (Podophyllaceae) are the known sources of alkaloids. In the present study the amount of total alkaloids of tubers of from two different regions of Iran, Marivan - Sanandaj and of from Sanandaj -Naghadeh was determined by spectrophotometry, on the reaction of alkaloid with bromocresol green (BCG). Moreover, the effect of some characteristicts of the soil habitat such as, soil pH, total nitrogen, potassium, altitude, texture soil, and nitrate content of tubers on the amount from total alkaloids was measured. The results of data analysis showed the significant differences between total alkaloid content of Marivan (27.12 ±1.18 mg/g D.W) with Sanandaj (17.42 ±0.77 mg/g D.W) and of Sanandaj (15.38 ±0.65 mg/g D.W) with Naghadeh (7.4 ±0.32 mg/g D.W). Also there was a significant difference between the species in different regions other than of Sanandaj (17.42 ±0.77 mg/g D.W) with of Sanandaj (15.38 ±0.65 mg/g D.W). Furthermore, the results show that nitrate content of was higher than that of. The soil texture of Sanandaj (L. armeniaca) was loam sand and soil of the rest regions was clay loam. All of soils were mildly alkaline. Results from the effect of environmental factors on the total alkaloid content showed that with increasing amount of total nitrogen and potassium of soil and nitrate content, total alkaloids will be reduced, whereas pH, texture soil and altitude had not significant influence on total alkaloid contents.