Comparison of the essential oils of medicinal plant populations of Eryngium noeanum Boiss. and Eryngium iranicum Mozaff in Iran

In this study Eryngium noeanum Boiss. from four different regions of Alamot (AL) (Qazvin province), Ahuan Col (AH) (Semnan), Razaqan (RZ) (Markazi province), and Bashm Col (BA) (Semnan) and also, Eryngium iranicum Mozaff. from Nikpey village (NP) (Zanjan) at elevations of 1600, 1980, 2450, 2150, and 1400 m above the sea level were collected during the summer 2018. The shade-dried plant materials were hydro-distillated by a clevenger apparatus. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the essential oils were carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-FID, respectively. The essential oil contents were obtained as 0.3, 0.4, 0.55, 0.2, and 0.1% (w/w) for AL, AH, RZ, BA, and NP, respectively. The main components of essential oils were amorpha-4,11-diene (14.0, 17.6, 9.0, and 13.6%), δ-selinene (21.5, 40.5, 23.1, and 35.7%), spathulenol (4.6, 0.7, 6.4 and 5.5%), eudesm-7(11)-en-4-ol (3.4, 0.5, 6.7, and 4.4%), and cis-falcarinol (20.3, 1.0, 20.0, and 15.2%) for AL, AH, RZ, and BA, respectively. Also, the main components of the essential oils in NP sample were n-octanal (12.8%), myrtenol (12.5%), and cis-falcarinol (13.5%). The main compounds in different populations of E. noeanum and E. iranicum essential oils were sesquiterpenes (about 70-90%) and non-terpene (56%), respectively. Eryngium noeanum Boiss. is a medicinal rangeland and native plant of Iran, has not been given due attention. Despite prickly appearance, it has a big aerial part with considerable essential oil contents including valuable sesquiterpenes and polyacetylenic compounds ranking it among the highly commercial essential oils worldwide. This calls for many research studies in different fields as extensive biological studies on the essential oil components of this plant can greatly help determine and standardize its quality.