نشریه اکوفیتو شیمی گیاهان دارویی
سال هشتم شماره 1 (پیاپی 29، بهار 1399)

This study was performed in 2018 to investigate the effect of edaphic conditions on latex yield of (Ferula assa-foetida L.) in two natural habitats of Kerman province located in elevation of 2600 m. Soil and This plant samplings were done using completely randomized method. After extraction of later essential oil by hydro-distillation method, and were analyzed by using GC-MS. The results of T-test showed that moisture, silt, organic matter, phosphorous (p<0.01) and nitrogen (p<0.05) parameters had a significant increase in Paseeb habitat but in Sardar habitat other parameters including sand percentage, calcium carbonate and potassium were significant (p<0.01). Total amount of latex and the essential oil content indicated a significant increase and decrease in Paseeb habitat (66.86 gr and 6%) compared to Sardar habitat (56.37 gr and 8%), respectively. The main compounds percentages such as (E)-1-propenyl sec butyl disulfide (51.48%), α-Pinene (6.92%), β-Pinene (9.34%) and Cis-Ocimene (7.65%) in Sardar region was more than Paseeb habitat (49.75%, 3.22%, 5.87% and 7.64%, respectively). Both habitats had the most latex yield in 10 incisions. Based on the results, there was positive and significant correlation between latex yield with the moisture, silt, organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous. There was a negative correlation between essential oil contents, sulfurous compounds, α-Pinene, β-Pinene and Limonene with moisture but a positive correlation between these parameters with lime amount (p<0.01).  The results indicated that the difference in latex yield, quantity and quality of essential oil can be due to edaphic conditions or genetic changes. In order to maintain and sustainable use of this plant, harvesting is recommended during 10 stages of razor cutting.

Considering the adverse effects of synthetic antioxidants, antibiotics, and anti-cancer drugs on human health and increasing the antibiotic resistance of pathogens, it is a necessity to find safe alternative sources for these compounds. For this purpose, Melissa officinalis L. was collected from Marivan, Kurdestan province, and its chemical compositions and bioactivities were determined. Aerial parts of self-sowing M. officinalis were harvested during the flowering stage at 1320 meters above the sea level in 2016 summer. Using solvent-free microwave extraction methodessential oil of M. Officinalis was obtained and their component was identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The antioxidant and cytotoxicity activity of the essential oil were determined via β–carotene bleaching assay and brine shrimp lethality test, respectively. The antibacterial activity of the essential oil was evaluated by agar well diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentrationdetermination against various types of standard and clinical microbial strains.Extraction yield of the essential oil was 1.18%, and the main componentswere geraniol (30.39%) and geranial (26.19%).Based on the results of β–carotene bleaching assay, inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation by the essential oil and BHT were 72.48% and 96.48%, respectively.Using the brine shrimp lethality test, LC50 of theessential oil and vincristine sulfate were obtained 62.76 μg/ml and 0.751 μg/ml, respectively.Thus, this study revealed that essential oil of M. officinalis had good antimicrobial activity against testedmicroorganisms, especially Gram-positive bacteria.In addition, it showed significant antioxidant, antibacterial and anticancer activities, so it seems that essential oil of M. officinalis may have potential use as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants, antibiotics and anticancer drugs.

Present study was done to investigate the ethnobotanical knowledge in south Kerman which contains 7 cities. Data were collected from 129 herbal healer using semi-structured questionnaires and open interviews. Information including local name, scientific name, ailments treated, part used, mode of preparation, and life form were recorded. A total of 251 plant species belonging to 63 families were identified and recorded as the medicinal herbs. Identification of the 103 plant species as the medicinal herb for the first time in this region was the highlighted result of thisg; study. Gastrointestinal, skin, general and unspecified, and respiratory diseases, respectively ranked as the most utilized ailments category for medicinal plants in this region. Asteraceae, Apiaceae, and Lamiaceae, respectively were the top medicinal plants families. Also, Ferula, Artemisia and Nepeta were the mostly used plant genera. Rhazya stricta, Calotropis procera, Artemisia spp., Zataria multiflora, and Berberis integerrima as the medicinal plants with high use report showed the most uses for wounds, skin disorders, stomach ache, respiratory disorders and diabetes, respectively. The most commonly plants part used were Leaf, flower, seed, and fruit. The commonly crud drug administration was decoction and poultice. In general, the findings suggested that valuable information is available within cultures and subcultures of the folk communities from different parts of the country and with recording of this knowledge could preserve them. Also, could be as the beginning of the applied research in the pharmaceutical and healthcare studies.

Medicinal plants are a very rich source of antioxidant compounds. Endophytic fungi of medicinal plants, due to long-term coexistence with these plants produce plant secondary metabolites. Therefore, in this study, the antioxidant properties of endophytic fungi isolated from 7 medicinal plants of the Asteraceae family includeing Matricaria chamomilla, Anthemis triumfetii, Anthemis parthenium, Anthemis altissima var. Altissima, Achillea millefolium, Achillea filipendulina, Cichorium intybus was investigated. The samplings were done from healthy plants and free of any diseases from most areas of Golestan province during 2016 spring. After morphological and molecular identification of endophytic fungi, the antioxidant property of 37 species of endophytic fungi was evaluated by DPPH free radicals metod. Based on the results, a significant difference of 99% was observed between the antioxidant properties of endophytic fungi. The lowest (32.1% ) and highest (98.8%) antioxidant activity were related to the Stemphylium amaranthi and Trametes versicolor  fungi isolated from Anthemis triumfetii leaf and Achillea santolina stem tissues, respectively. In addition, the Schizophyllum commune with 98.8% antioxidant activity was placed in the same group with T. versicolor. The Cladioporium spp. such as Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium ramotenelum showed a high antioxidant activity of about 97%. Considering short-term production and the high growth rate of fungi, endophytes maybe a good choice for the production of antioxidant substances.

Fenugreek (Trigonellafoenum- graecum L.) is one of the significant medicinal plants and application of organic materials is very important for achieving maximum yields of that. In this study, the effects of applications of humic acid and planting density on biochemical characteristics of fenugreek were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were of three levels of humic acid (0.5 and 10 kg ha-1) and two plant density (25 and 50 plants/m2). This experiment was carried out as factorial based on randomized completely block design with three replications in research farm of University of Birjand, Iran, during growing season 2016.The leaves` antioxidant compounds (antioxidant activity, total phenol and anthocyanin) were recorded at flowering stage. The results were showed that humic acid had significant effect on most biochemical characteristics(antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, total phenol and carbohydrate). The highest of antioxidant activity (64. 67%) and carbohydrate (6.73 mg/g) were observed in 10 kg/ha humicacid, while the lowest antioxidant activity (50.03%) and carbohydrate (3.45 mg/g) were recorded in control. Also, the humic acid uses significantly increased photosynthetic pigments (total chlorophyll, a, b and carotenoids). The highest and the lowest total chlorophyll content were observed (4.51 mg /g) in 10 kg/ha humic acid andcontrol (3.18 mg/g), respectively. Based on the results, the highest flavonoid content (6.43 mg/g) was obtained in the plant density of 25 plants /m2, whereas the lowest flavonoid content (5.46 mg /g) was in planting density of 50 plants /m 2. There were significant differences in the total phenolic and flavonoid content due to interaction plant density and humic acid treatments, in which the highest amount of total phenolic content (42.07 mg/g) was observed in 10 kg/ha humic acid with the plant density of 25 plants /m2.and the lowest content was recorded (41.86 mg /g) in the control with density of 25 plants /m 2. According to the results, using 10 kg ha-1 of humic acid and planting density of 25 plants/ m2 had a significant role in increasing biochemical characteristics of fenugreek.

Growth and generation of plants in different ecosystems and natural habitats are influenced by various factors. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the phytochemicals and antioxidants of three widely-used medicinal plant species including Zataria multifolia Boiss, Matricaria chamomilla L. and Achilla millefolium L. which grown in five natural habitats (Fasa, Firoozabad, Kazeroun, Farashband and Dehram) located in Fars province, South of Iran . Phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts obtained by maceration (soaking) method were determined via Folin-Ciocaltiu and Aluminum chloride colorimetric, respectively. The antioxidant properties were also investigated through DPPH method. Based on the results, there is a positive correlation between plant secondary compounds and their antioxidant performance, and this relationship was quite significant for all three plant samples. Among the regions under the study, the highest phenolic and flavonoid compounds yields were detected in Farashband and Dehram regions, respectively. Among the results, the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as antioxidant properties were identified in Achillea eriophora DC and Zataria multifolia Boiss species from Farashband and Dehram regions had the highest values. The differences observed in phenolic and flavonoid contents as well as antioxidant properties could be attributed to the effects of climatic conditions such as height above sea level on the investigated plants.

Basil (Ocimum basillicum L.) belonging to the Lamiaceae familyis an important herbal medicinal plant that essential oils from the aerial parts of the plant have been used in food industry as an antibacterial agent and perfumery. This study was conducted in 2014 at the research farm of Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The treatments were arranged a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The experimental treatments were two basil populations including Varam in and Qaen and different amounts of macro and micro-elements in nine levels. The traits in this study included plant height, leaf length, leaf width, dry weight, number of leaves, number of sub branches, Chlorophyll a and b, Carotenoid and essential oil. The results revealed that the majority of these traits affected by experimental treatments.The result of mean comparisons were showed that the highest dry weight (77.66 g/m2) belonged toVaram in population by application of nano- zinc chelate fertilizer at 1.5 kg/h. Based on the results, the highest chlorophyll a (6.5 g/mg FW) was obtained in Qaen population using urea fertilizer at 60kg/ha. The Varam in population with 0.93 percent essential oil had a significant superiority to the Qaen population with an average of 0.77%V/W essential oil. In addition, application of nitrox in fertilizer at 3 kg/ha had the highest amount of essential oil (1. 09%). The Varam in population with 0.93% essential oil was better than Qaen population. Application of nitroxin bio fertilizer at 3 kg/ha also had the highest essential oil (1. 09%). The results of the present study showed that different treatments concentrations had different results on the measurement traits. It seems that application of nano chelate fertilizer and nitroxin bio fertilizer can be effectively used to improve soil, environment and human health and serve as a good substitute of chemical fertilizers.