Comparison of alkaloids of male and female stems of Ephedra major Host and Ephedra intermedia Schrenket

Different types of Ephedra have two bases, and these two bases are similar in appearance. These medicinal plants are rich in secondary metabolites such as alkaloids. The aim of the present research was to study the dibasic alkaloids of two species to identify the male and female bases in the early growth period. In June 2017, male and female shoots of Ephedra major Host from Bijar Kurdistan and Ephedra intermedia Schrenket were collected from Saveh. Alkaloid extracts were prepared from the shoots of male and female bases and the compounds of the extracts were studied by thin layer chromatography and mass gas chromatography. Chromatography of the alkaloid thin layer of the shoots of the male and female stems of Ephedra major Host and Ephedra intermedia Schrenket showed that the two stems differ from each other in terms of the type of alkaloid. Mass gas chromatography showed that there are more than 24 and 28 alkaloids in the alkaloid extract of the bases of the female and male Ephedra major Host, respectively, and 19 and 20 alkaloids in the Ephedra intermedia Schrenket, respectively, with more than 0.2 mgg-1dw. The most alkaloids in Ephedra major Host female base were 2-Oxazolidinone and three important medicinal alkaloids ephedrine, amphetamine and serotonin and the most alkaloids in the male base were psedovaphedrine, ephedrine and 2-Oxazolidinone. Most alkaloids were different in two bases. Alkaloids ephedraoxane, tetramethyluric acid, ergotamine, and phendimetrazine were the four important medicinal alkaloids in the base of Ephedra intermedia Schrenket substance. Most of the base alkaloids of male and female Ephedra intermedia Schrenket were different. It was not observed in both bases of Ephedra internesia Schrenket, ephedrine and psedovaphedrine. two species of Ephedra and male and female bases, each of them are different in terms of alkaloids and other effective substances, and by considering a different alkaloid, they can be identified in the early stages of growth.