Study on phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and essential oil compounds of Chenopodium botrys L. from Raz and Jargalan region

To evaluate the biological potential and medicinal properties, the biochemical compounds and quantity and essential oil quality of Chenopodium botrys L. grown in the natural habitat located in Raz and Jargalan city, North Khorasan province was investigated. Leaves or flowering branches sampling was done at full flowering stage. The content of biochemical compounds, including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity, was measured. The essential oil of flowering branches and leaves together was extracted by water distillation method and Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed that the content of phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity of leaves or flowering branches methanol extracts was obtained 83.2 and 91.4 (mg GA.g-1 DW), 14 and 17 (mg QUE.g-1 DW), and 91 and 77 (μg.ml-1), respectively. Twenty-six compounds were identified in the essential oil. Elemol (17.2%), juniper camphor (7.9%), and bulnesol (6.9%) were the main compounds of essential oil. Also, the essential oil content was obtained 0.36% (w/w). Also, the leaves extract had significantly higher content of anthocyanin (3.1 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside.g-1 DW) compared to the flowering branches one. Overall, based on the results it can be concluded that Ch. botrys is a promising source of antioxidant compounds and is expected to be used in the food, medicine, and health products.