نشریه اکوفیتو شیمی گیاهان دارویی
سال دهم شماره 2 (پیاپی 38، تابستان 1401)

Citrus aurantium L. seed is a by-product of fruit juice industries. In this research, the main fatty acids and phytosterols in C. aurantium seed oil were evaluated with the aim of nutritional evaluation and its biological properties. The C. aurantium oil extracted by two methods of cold pressing and using hexane solvent.The C. aurantium seed fatty acids composition was analyzed by GC-MS, 1HNMR, and 13CNMR. In addition, the effects of ultrasonic waves and air pressure on the C. aurantium pulp obtained from cold press extraction by n-hexane was studied. The findings showed that the highest oil yields were obtained using ultrasound-assisted extraction (25%) compared to other methods. The five fatty acids including 9-oleic (18.07%), Linoleic (36.69%), palmitic (21.90%), stearic acid (6.6%) and 10-oleic acids (1.1%) were the most phytosterols in C. aurantium seed oil. According to the obtained results, C. aurantium oil can be considered as a new food source.

In this split plot study, the morphological and phytochemical changes of Iranian Salvia (Salvia mirzayanii L.) under drought stress and cerium oxide nanoparticle treatment in a randomized complete block design with three replications were investigated. The main plot included drought stress at 4 levels of 25, 50, 75 and 100 (control) percentage of the field capacity (FC).  The sub-plot was foliar spray of Cerium oxide nanoparticle at five levels of non-consumption (control), 125, 250, 500 and 1000 ml/l. Essential oils were extracted from the organs using water distillation method and the compounds were separated and identified using GC/MS. The results showed that the interaction effect of conditions without drought stress × 1000 ml of nanocerium oxide compared to the control treatment had the greatest effect on increasing plant height (35%), root length (22%), root dry weight (14.9%), essential oil (19%), chlorophyll a (32%), chlorophyll b (31%) and catalase (16%). In addition, drought stress at the level of 25% in 125 ml nano cerium oxide decreased plant dry weight (12%), root length (13%), root dry weight (19%), essential oil percentage (10%), and chlorophyll a (14%). Based on the GS/MS results, decane compound (19.53%) in the condition without drought stress, the compounds of spatholeol (35.86%), docane (18.4%), butanic acid (19.8%) and linalool (25.03%) under condition of stress dryness of 50% field capacity and octane (13.76%) were included. Therefore, the concentration of 1000 mg/liter of cerium nanooxide had the greatest effect on improving the morphophysiological characteristics of Salvia. However, in the condition of 50% field capacity, the secondary compounds of spatholeol, dodecane, butanic acid and linalool were the highest, but in the condition of 75% of the field capacity, the highest amount belonged to the secondary compounds of octane, trimethyl and hexylisovalerate.

Sesqui-terpene lactone - parthenolide in Tanacetum parthenium L. is known as the most important medicinal substance with anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasm and especially anti-migraine effects. In this study, the content of parthenolide in the flowering branches of some natural populations of T. parthenium L. from different habitats in Gilan (Masoleh), Mazandaran (Chalos), Qom (Vishnu) and Tehran (Ahar) provinces were collected at the full flowering stage and compared with their flowered seedlings under in vitro conditions. In vitro seedlings were seeded and cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium enriched with hydrolyzed casein (100 mg/l), salicylic acid (2 mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (5 mg/l). The parthenolide content of flowering branches of all samples was measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results of variance analysis of the data showed that the effect of population and cultivation conditions as well as their interaction at the probability level of 1% on parthenolide content was significant. The parthenolide content in self-grown populations ranged from 0.13±0.007 to 1.03±0.113 mg/g dry weight and in tissue culture seedlings from 0.23±0.011 to 1.21±0.148 mg/g dry weight was variable. The highest and lowest parthenolide content was observed in Qom (Vashno) and Gilan (Masuleh) populations, respectively. Parthenolide content for all populations was higher in tissue culture samples than in natural samples. The findings of this study can be considered and exploited for the commercial production of parthenolide pharmaceutical composition under controlled conditions.

To investigate yield and morphological traits of 32 populations of 7 species of the genus of Alyssum shop including 3 populations of desert alyssum (Alyssum desertorum), 3 population of dwarf Alyssum (A. marginatum), 15 populations hairy Alyssum (Alyssum hirsutum), 8 populations of Shirazian Alyssum (A. stapfi), and one population from each of species of Alyssum szowitsianum, A.dasycarpum and A. linifolium were cultivated and evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the field of Alborz Research Station  in 2018 and 2019. Based on data analysis and comparison between species and populations within each species, late lowering species such as A. linifolium and A. Stapfi had higher aerial and grain yield than early flowering species including dwarf alyssum (A. marginatum), desert Alyssum (A. desertorum), Araraty Alyssum (A.szowitsianum).The simple correlation between the studied traits showed that there was a positive correlation between plant height and  aerial yield and grain yield. The rate of plant establishment was positively correlated with plant height and negatively correlated with the stems number. Result of principal component analysis (PCA) obtained three main components considering the eigenvalues greater than one that justified 90% of total variance. The results of cluster analysis led to the grouping populations into five groups. The species of A.stapfi, A. hirsutum and A.desertorum were placed in a one group. The studied populations provided a suitable genetic background for selecting superior populations with important traits from different clusters, so that they can be used in breeding improved varieties.

European mistletoe (Viscum album L.) a semi-parasitic plant that often grows on forest trees and shrubs, is used in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer due to its valuable active ingredients. The quantity and quality of active ingredients in parasitic and semi-parasitic plants in addition to genetic and environmental factors, are also affected by the host tree. This study was conducted in a completely randomized design with the aim of investigating the phytochemical diversity of 20 populations of mistletoe on different hosts by collecting samples from different regions of Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, and Alborz provinces in the summer of 2017. The extracts were obtained by reflux method with 70% ethanol. The content of syringic acid, total flavonoids, phenolic compounds, protein, and antioxidant activity were measured by a spectrophotometer and HPLC methods in the leaves of plants in different populations. The results showed that the amount of chemical composition of mistletoe populations was affected by environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and altitude, and the type of host tree. These populations were classified into 3 distinct groups. The mistletoe collected from Gilan and Alborz provinces did not have much phytochemical diversity. Populations of Guilan province had the highest mean of total flavonoids, protein, and antioxidant activity. The mistletoe collected from Mazandaran and Golestan provinces had more phytochemical diversity. It seems that in addition to environmental conditions, the host tree type was also responsible for creating the phytochemical diversity of European mistletoe in these provinces.

Essential oil is one of the most important natural products of damask rose petals (Rosa damascena Mill.). The presence of higher concentrations of aromatic compounds (β-citronellol and geraniol) in the damask rose essential oil indicates an important quality and standard indicator that foliar spraying may be effective in promoting this effective substance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alcoholic and ketone foliar application on the chemical composition of R. damascena essential oil during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 in a completely randomized design in a rose garden located in the south of Shahrekord, southwestern Iran. The essential oil obtained by hydro-distillation was analyzed using GC/MS. In this regard, 29 compounds were identified in the essential oil, the most important of which were β-citronellol and geraniol (alcoholic monoterpenes) and henicosan and nonadcan (alkane hydrocarbons). The results indicated that the best foliar treatment was 20% ethanol solution during two experimental years; the highest levels of β-citronellol (33%) and geraniol (18%) were obtained from the ethanol spraying (at 20%) compared to other treatments and controls. In addition, this treatment was at the lowest level in terms of the concentration of alkane hydrocarbons in essential oil as a negative indicator of aromatic compounds of the rose essential oil. The acetone foliar spraying had the highest amount of alkane hydrocarbons and the lowest percentage of aromatic compounds compared to control and other treatments. In correlation's Pearson coefficients analysis, the highest significant positive correlation was obtained between aromatic compounds (alcoholic monoterpenes) with each other and between alkane hydrocarbons, meanwhile negative and significant relationships were observed between these two groups of important compounds in the rose essential oil. Finally, it is suggested that to obtain the highest quality of the R. damascena essential oil under similar climatic conditions (cold and semi-arid), the ethanol foliar application with a concentration of 20% can be useful.

Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) from the Ranunculaceae family is considered one of the best sources of natural antioxidants. Due to the positive effect of chitosan on various medicinal plants, in this study we investigated the vegetative and chemical performance of this plant under the treatment of chitosan nanoparticles. Experimental factors included solubilization of chitosan and its nanoparticles with concentrations of 0.01, 0.05, 0.2, 1, 4 (pH 5) percent. Assays were performed on the seed and leaf extracts of the treated plant at Razi Laboratory of Azad University, Science and Research Branch of Tehran in 2021. Extraction was done by cold pressing method. Some traits such as germination (number, percentage, index and germination rate), growth parameters (radicle and plumule length, fresh radicle and plumule weight and radicle and plumule dry weight), pigments, total leaf phenol content (Folin-Ciocalteau) total leaf flavonoids (aluminum chloride colorimetric assay), leaf antioxidant activity (DPPH), leaf membrane lipid peroxidation (MDA concentration) and soluble protein content Seeds and leaves (Bradford) were evaluated. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with 3 replications and the comparison of data means was performed using Duncan's test at a probability level of 5%. The results showed that the treatment percentages had a significant effect on all evaluated traits (except the fresh weight of the radicle). Treatment of 1% and 0.01% of chitosan nanoparticles increased the growth and germination parameters. In addition, the amount of phenol, flavonoids and antioxidant activity increased compared to the control showed that the highest increase was observed in concentrations of 1% and 0.01% chitosan nanoparticles. The maximum increase in the amount of pigments was due to the concentration of 1% and 0.2% of chitosan nanoparticles. Both treatments at a concentration of 1% reduced the amount of MDA compared to the control. The amount of total protein in leaves and seeds decreased under the influence of the treatments .In general, it was concluded that the treatment of chitosan nanoparticles as a bio stimulant has a positive effect on improving the quality characteristics of black seed and they are also suggested as a suitable stimulus to increase growth.

Secondary metabolites in chamomile flower essential oil are widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and health industries due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-bacterial effects. In this study, for comparative evaluation of phytochemical and antioxidant properties of Matricaria chamomilla L. flower essential oil, plant flowers were harvested from the research farm of Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran and after matching the plant with herbarium samples in the herbarium section of the institute were completely dried. Essential oil extraction was performed by two different methods of distillation with water and ultrasonic method.. The most important effective compounds of essential oils were evaluated using GC and GC / MC devices. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was also evaluated using the DPPH method. The results showed that by simultaneously application of ultrasound (0.1%) and water distillation methods (0.05%), the essential oil of this plant was obtained with higher efficiency. In the water distillation method, the most important secondary components of the essential oil including: alpha-bisabolone 66.08% and camazoline 6.46% were obtained, while in the method coupled with ultrasound, the amount of alpha-bisabolone the amount of alpha-bisaboline increased up to twice and camazoline up to 17.23%. In both methods, the main compounds: camazoline and bisabolol were optimally identified and determined using the proposed method as an efficient application method to separate the most important secondary pharmaceutical compounds of essential oil from chamomile samples.