Journal of Medicinal Plants and By-products
Volume:6 Issue: 2, Winter and Spring 2017

There are distinct varieties of basil types in the genus Ocimum L. which makes them very special. Genus Ocimum L. is widespread over Asia, Africa, Central and Southern America. All basils are member of the Lamiaceae family. The colors of the leaves vary from bright green to purple-green and sometimes almost black. Fresh basil leaves have a strong and characteristic aroma, plant which is used in several traditional medicine systems to cure various diseases. The Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens where green cultivated and collected from three different locations (Alborze, Shahr-e-Rey and Golestan provience) in Iran. The essential oils were extracted by water distillation, and then injected to Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Main chemical composition of essential oils of leaf sample of Alborz were chavicol 81.41%, methyl acetate 2.89%, and sample of Shahr-e-Rey were chavicol 57.69%, linalool 16.43%, and sample of Gorgan city were chavicol 63.51%, and linalool 19.80% yield. In this study, extracted essential oil was investigated on bacterial with definition of MIC and MBC. essential oil of Alborz sample was examined on Gram-positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Basilus subtilis and Gramnegative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, which it has growth inhibitory effect (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC), with a concentration of 5% and it has a stronger effect on Basilus subtilis (MBC = 5%, MIC = 2.5 %) too. Essential oil of Shahr-e-Rey was examined on the same bacterias which it has growth inhibitory effect (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC), with a concentration of 5% and it has a Stronger effect on Basilus subtilis (MBC = 5%, MIC = 2.5 %) too. Essential oil of Gorgan city was examined on the same bacterias which it has growth inhibitory effect (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) with a concentration of 5% and it has a Stronger effect on Basilus subtilis (MBC = 5%, MIC = 2.5 %) too.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) are used as traditional medicines, culinary herbs and food flavorings. All samples collected from Khuzestan province, Iran and plant extracts prepared using Clevenger apparatus. Antioxidant capacity and major parameters affecting antioxidant properties including total phenolics, flavonoids and vitamin C were evaluated using aqueous extract. Chemical composition of essential oil was evaluated be GC/MS analysis. Results showed high antioxidant capacity of thyme (IC50=103.78), followed by spearmint and oregano (IC50 of 143.87 and 164.01 respectively). As previous studies confirmed high correlation of total phenolics, flavonoids and ascorbic acid with antioxidant capacity, thyme had the highest bioactive compounds comparing to other extracts. The highest chemical compounds in thyme, oregano and spearmint were menthol (58.3%), menthol (40.1%) and thymol (39%) respectively. By increasing public interests to natural components, the aim of our study was evaluating antioxidant and bioactive components of plants used locally and try to find and screen new and natural compound for substituting synthetic antioxidant like, BHT.

Some natural compounds of plants including phenols and alkaloids induce mitosis depressive that are blocked cell division. Field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunck.) and eastern dodder (Cuscuta monogyna Vahl.) are the most widespread obligatory parasitic species. In the present study, end of summer 2015, field dodder and eastern dodder are collected from Alhagi maurorum Medik. host and Vine (Vitis sylvestris C.C.Gmel.) host respectively from Markazi province of Iran and identified by department of botany of Islamic Azad University of Saveh. The aerial parts of dodders were used for aqueous extract. Dodders alkaloid and poly phenol were visualized by TLC and Dragendorff (for alkaloid) and ferric salt (for poly phenol) reagents. Total phenols and alkaloid were measured by using the calibration and spectrophotometry methods. Root length and roots tip meristem model of onion bulbs and barley seedlings were utilized to allelopathy and antimitotic effects of dodders aqueous extracts. Standard cytotoxic 8-Hydroxyquinoline served as controls. The bulbs and barley seedlings were treated at various concentrations: 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mgml-1 (dw) of and aqueous extract of dodders and 8Hydroxyquinoline for 6 and 12 h. The inhibitory effect of dodders extract were evaluated on the growth and mitotic activity (Mitotic index) of barley seedlings and onion root meristems and the effect was compared with standard 8-Hydroxyquinoline. The One Way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. The poly phenols of field dodder was condensed tannins (include flavonoids) but for eastern dodder hydrolysable tannins. Like 8-Hydroxyquinoline, both field and eastern dodders extracts significantly inhibited the growth of roots and mitotic activity in incubation time and dose-dependent manner. However, C. campestris extract was more allelopathy and antimitotic potent in this regard and produced root decay and mitosis arrest. The extract of dodders had inhibitory and mitosis depressive effect on root tip meristem cells. In the present study we found, the dodders aqueous extracts can been used to produce desirable effects as it pertains to chromosome condensation and spread, and though the roles of these chemicals in spindle fiber inhibition have been elucidated, as 8-Hydroxyquinoline.

Salvia sclarea L, is an important medicinal plant that its oil has been evaluated for antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, anticholinesterase and antiviral. Yield of plants are influenced by environmental and agricultural management factors such as drought stress and nutrition. Plant nutrition is one of the most important factors that positively influence plant production. Nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient is the most recognized in plants for its presence in the structure of the protein molecule. This experiment was conducted in 2011 in Alborz Research Station, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Karaj, Iran. In order to evaluate the effect of drought stress and nitrogen on traits of Clary Sage, The experiment was conducted in split plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor was irrigation period (every 3, 6 and 9 days) and the sub factor was nitrogen application (0,100 and 200 and 400 kg/ha). Results indicated that irrigation interval significantly affected all the measured traits except for petiole yield, chlorophyll b and RWC. Nitrogen significantly affected all the measured traits except for leaf yield, chlorophyll b and RWC. The interaction of irrigation×nitrogen had also a significant effect on all the measured traits. Shoot yield was the highest in the interaction of 3 days×200 kg/ha (3680kg/ha). Oil percentage was the highest in the interaction of 9 days×0 kg/ha (0.05%). This experiment briefly indicated that clary sage can be cultivated in areas with low water supply, and it can produce the highest essential oil yield about 1400 kg/ ha when irrigated every 9 days without fertilizer.

Saffron production will be increased in arid regions by providing sufficient water through appropriate agronomic strategies. Therefore, in this investigation the impact of different rates of super absorbent polymer (SAP) including 0,10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kg ha-1 was studied on saffron flowering traits during two growth cycles. Results showed that the influence of experimental factor was significant on almost all studied indices in both years. Number of flower was on average 22% more than control when 30-40 kg ha-1 SAP was used. Flower yield in the first growth cycle was higher in 40 kg ha-1 (24.9 g.m-2) and in the second one in 30 kg ha-1 (89.4 g.m-2) SAP application, while these values in control treatment were 19.7 and 71.2 g.m-2 for the first and second seasons, respectively. Altogether in two years application of 40 kg ha-1 SAP produced the highest fresh stigma style yield (4.54 g.m-2) compared with the control (3.47 g.m-2). SAP application at the rates of more than 30 kg ha-1 increased dry stigma yield in average of two years (0.45, 0.50, 0.49 and 0.44 g.m-2 for 0, 30, 40 and 50 kg.ha-1 treatments, respectively). In addition, SAP usage at the rate of 40 kg ha-1 produced the highest number (12.6) and weight (86 g per plant) of replacement corms at the end of second growth season. In total, it seems that SAP consumption can be considered as a suitable option for improvement of saffron flowering in areas affected by drought stress.

Asparagus breslerianus a wild species in Iran, exhibited tolerance to salt in dry gypsum hills and dry lands. In order to check for salt tolerance threshold via in vitro conditions, the A. breslerianus callus was subjected to NaCl (sodium chloride) treatments. Six weeks old calli derived from male spear bud, were exposed to 0, 21.88, 43.76, 65.64, 76.58, 87.52, 109.40, 131.28, 153.16 and 175.04 mM NaCl in MS (Murashige and Skoog) basal medium supplemented with 0.88 µM BA (6-Benzylaminopurine) and 1.07 µM NAA (1Naphthalene acetic acid). According to results, friable and compact type, green and white green calli were obtained up to 87.52 mM NaCl. Soft type, yellow and cream calli were observed with increasing salinity further 109.4 mM NaCl. Calli growth and plantlets regeneration were high in media up to 109.4 mM NaCl. In term of mineral accumulation, sodium content increased with an increase in NaCl levels. It indicates that A. breslerianus calli could acclimatize to salt stress by high osmotic adjustment. These suggested that, under in vitro salt-induced osmotic stress, A. breslerianus is reflected as salt resistant which tolerate NaCl up to 109.4 mM.

The present study was investigated the effects of two elicitors methyl jasmonate (0, 125, 250 and 500 µM) and chitosan (0, 50, 150 and 250 mg L-1) on shoot and callus growth of Iranian Hypericum perforatum L. in vitro cultures in separate experiments. The experiment was done in the base of completely randomized design with five replications and five explants in each replication. Methyl jasmonate significantly reduced the regeneration of cultured shoots and developed shoots necrosis as well as the growth of treated calluswith methyl jasmonate was ceased. In spite of methyl jasmonate, chitosanwas more effective in stimulating the growth of cultured explants. Chitosan significantly increase the regeneration of H. perforatum shoots and the highest regenerated shoots number (9.29 shoots per explant) and shoot weight (1.82 g) were obtained in 250 mg L-1chitosan. The growth of callus in response to chitosan was higher than control treatment and the treated calli with 250 mg L-1 chitosan showed the highest diameter and weight. The essential oil content and chemical compositions of in vitro proliferated Iranian H. perforatum shoots were also investigated. The essential oil content was 0.02% (w w-1). The characterization of essential oil by GC and GC/MS analyses, allowed the identification of 35 volatile constituents, accounting for 97.01% of the total oil composition and sesquiterpenes (51.72%) represented by γ– gurjunene (22.34%) were the main compounds.

Studies have shown that phenolic compounds are important in human health. The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of rootstocks on phenolic compounds. The content of individual phenolic compounds in fruits was determined by HPLC. Total flavonoids content was measured using colorimetric method. Free radical scavenging activity on stable DPPH radicals was also evaluated. HPLC analysis of the peel compounds extracted from Clementine mandarin allowed identification of 7 phenolic components. Hesperidin was the main component for all rootstocks. Among the six rootstocks examined, Flying dragon showed the highest content of phenolic compounds. As a result of our study, we can conclude that the rootstock can influence the quantity of phenolic compounds present in fruit.

Evening Primrose oil (Oenothera biennis L.) is a rich source of Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and other useful unsaturated fatty acids. Despite the diversity of sources of GLA, due to better absorption in the human body, evening primrose oil is the main source of GLA. In this study, the effects of pollination, harvesting method and application of salicylic acid on yield, yield components, and quality of evening primrose oil were studied. A factorial experiment as a randomized complete block design with three treatments including pollination (pollination by bees, no pollinators and free pollinators), salicylic acid (0 and 200 ppm) and harvest method (normal harvest, pre harvest by flame) and four replications was performed. The effect of treatments on the oil yield, oil content, fatty acids composition and the content of free fatty acids of oil were studied. Results showed that the oil yield and oil percentage of plants which visited by bees were at the highest amount (1.87 gr/ plant and 33.6%, respectively). Compared to the control, the oil yield of plants which treated with salicylic acid significantly increased. Between two different harvest methods, the highest oil percent (31.6 %) was observed in plants treated with flame. Under the interaction effect of treatments, the highest oil yield (2.24 g/plant) was observed in combination of bee and salicylic acid 200 ppm and the highest free fatty acids (2.19%) accumulation was recorded in the open cage with 200 ppm salicylic acid. Since pollination increases the number of formed seeds per capsules, therefore, it is expected that simultaneous application of pollinator and pre-harvest treatment by flame increases seed yield, oil yield and quality which is partly shown in the obtained results of present study.

Seed dormancy is a serious limiting factor in revenue of an economically important species to its fullest. Because of the importance of medicinal plants in curing diseases and the shortage of natural habitats, little reproduction rate and mass cutting of trees, it is necessary to program cultivation and naturalization of medicinal plants. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of different treatments on seed germination in two medicinal species (Oregano and Khorasan thyme). Both species are known to have low seed germination. An experiment was performed with 9 treatments and 4 replications in a completely randomized design in the Seed Laboratory of Agriculture Faculty, Higher Education Complex of Shirvan in 2016. The treatments applied are: (1) Three concentrations of gibberellic acid (100, 500 and 1000ppm), (2) Potassium nitrate (KNO3 (0.2%)), (3) Thiourea 1 Molar, (4) Three prechilling periods (10, 20 and 30 days at 2 °C) and (5) distilled water as control. The seeds were sown in Petridishes for 15 days. Results of the analysis indicated that the effect of various treatments on the percentages of Thymus transcaspicus Klokov and Origanum vulgare L. seeds germination were highly significant (p

Using Agrobacterium rhizogenes due to create hairy roots is a useful method to product secondary metabolites in many medicinal plants. The transgenic hairy roots were induced from Peganum multisectum (Maxim) Bobrov a medicinally important species, by infecting leaf and stem explant with wild type Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain ATTCC 15834, which led to the induction of hairy roots from 19% of the explants. Polymerase chain reaction with primers for rol A confirmed the integration of T-DNA fragment of Ri plasmid of A. rhizogenesis into the genome of hairy roots obtained after transformation. Four transformed lines of hairy roots were established. Doubling time of the faster growing hairy root lines was about 11 days and these cultures showed about 12-fold increase in biomass at the end of 6 weeks as compared to non-transformed roots. The hairy roots showed an ability to synthesize harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid of medicinal value. The effect of the initial sucrose and ammonium nitrate concentration in biomass and harmine production of the liquid MS cultural medium cultures was studied. The highest values for harmine accumulation and fresh weight were obtained between 30-45 g l-1 of sucrose. The results also showed that the addition of extra ammonium nitrate up to optimum level (2475 mg l-1), as a source of nitrogen was significantly effective than standard ammonium nitrate in MS basal medium for growth of hairy roots and harmine production. This is the first report on the induction of hairy roots in P. multisectum (Maxim) Bobrov.

Ecological study of behavior is essential elements of the renewable natural resources. The study area in this research was Deh Bala where is one of the main habitat of N. asterotricha Rech. f. This plant is one of the 34 endemic species of Nepeta L. in Iran. In the study area, different parameters were determined such as essential oil, climate factors, phenology, co-dominant plants, morphology, vegetation variation, and physical and chemical properties of the soil. Results have showed that the plant is distributed in regions with pH=7.5±0.1, EC=0.633±0.06 ds/m with silt-loam texture. The average rainfall is 308.7 millimeters and average annual temperature is 12.2 centigrade in 10-years period. Density, frequency, and production were 0.7, 36.67%, and 46.78 (gr), respectively. The plant grows in March, flowering stage occurs in May and seeding happens at midJune. The main component in flowering stage was 4aα,7β,7aα-nepetalactone (33.9%). 1,8-cineole, and cissabinene hydrate are the other main constitutions. Because of the importance of the plant, domestication and breeding program are urgently required.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) is one of the important and oldest cultivated medicinal plant used to extract morphine, papaverine, thebaine, codeine and other alkaloids. This study aimed to determine general and specific combining abilities of F1 hybrids obtained from various crosses and their parental lines for developing appropriate breeding material for future breeding programs. The results confirmed significant differences (p

This study describes morphological diversity and relationship of 14 cultivars and 133 wild fig accessions from central Zagros Mountains located in the west of Iran, based on 58 morphological characters. Among all characters, secondary drooping branches, number of bark tubers, shape of central lobe, length of central lobe/length of lamina, little lateral lobes, shape of leaf without lobed, fruit shape, fruit weight, fruit neck length, fruit skin over color and fruit pulp cavity showed higher coefficient of variation (CV) indicating a high level of variation. The existence of high CV in the evaluated characters indicates that there is a high diversity among the studied cultivars and accessions. One of the important wild figs that called 'Ghir-vahshi' was found in 'BabaHeyran 2' location showing very diverse characters. Cluster analysis divided the 147 genotypes into five main clusters. The results of principal components analysis showed that the first three components explained 33.22% of total variation in data. According to the factor analysis, eighteen factors justified about 75.62% of the total variation found among genotypes. The factor analysis showed that the most of discriminator variables were depend on leaf, fruit size and growth form. The obtained results revealed that central Zagros Mountains in the west of Iran is a rich source of fig genetic diversity which could be used for fig breeding programs.

This study was conducted to assessment the antibacterial activities of different part of basil essential oil on the standard gram-negative bacteria include Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, and gram-positive ones including Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogen. The basil essential oil was provided from two part of the plant (leaf and herb) at the two different developmental stages. The antibacterial properties of basil essential oil was studied on the standard bacteria by agar disk diffusion, then minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were detected. The results of agar disk diffusion tests showed the inhibition zones as follow: Listeria monocytogen 17.11-17.42 mm, St. aureus 29.20-30.56 mm, B. cereus 14.73-16.06 mm, E. coli 21.60-23.58 mm, Salmonella typhi 21.6324.80 mm and for P. aeruginosa the maximum inhibition zones were observed on leaf essential oil. From the herb part of basil almost similar results were obtained: Listeria monocytogen 17.02-17.67 mm, St. aureus 29.6030.41 mm, B. cereus 10.66-16.11 mm, E. coli 17.48-23.54 mm, Salmonella typhi 21.58-21.64 mm and for P. aeruginosa the maximum inhibition zones were observed. The MICs for gram-positive bacteria were as: B. cereus ranging 36-18 μg/mL, S. aureus 18 μg/mL, Listeria monocytogen 18-36 μg/mL and for gram-negative bacteria of E. coli, Salmonella typhi and P. aeruginosa were 18-9 μg/mL. Some of basil oil component increased by water stress. Amount of the main constituents of the oil such as linalool, methyl chavicol, 1,8– cineole and trans α-bergamotene significantly affected by water stress.

To assess the phytotoxicity of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) on seed germination and seedling growth of Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.), experiments were performed in different aqueous concentrations (50, 100 and 150μM) of aforementioned heavy metals over the period of 14 sequential days. The results showed that heavy metals adversely affect the normal growth of plants by decreasing seed germination, reducing root and shoot length, and decreasing root and shoot weight. The toxicity effects of chosen heavy metals on seed germination can be organized by the grade order of inhibition as: Cr>Cd>Cu>Ni>Zn. The minimum root and shoot length were observed in Cd (150μM) and Cr (150μM) respectively. The minimum of fresh and dry root weight were recorded at Cd (150μM) and the minimum of fresh and dry shoot weight were observed at Cr (150 μM). These results illustrate a model system for different concentrations of heavy metals for their phytotoxicity effects and also for the seeds’ ability to negate the harmful effects of heavy metals in different types of irrigation waters and soils.