[Investigation morphological characteristics and essential oil component of 2 ecotypes of watermint [Mentha aquatica L.]]

The Mentha spices can growth and adaptation with different climatology. This research was performed to investigate adaptation, suitable growth period, identification of suitable agronomy characters and identification of essential oil compounds of 2 ecotypes of water mint. This research was performed in Research Institute of Forest and Rangelands during 6 years in 1999 to 2004. Was conducted as a split plot at time by using of randomized complete block design [RCBD] with 3 replications. Main and sub factors were ecotype and year, respectively. There was difference significant between ecotypes on plant height, leaf long and total essential oil yield [alpha

Phytobiological characteristics of Rosa hemisphaerica Herrm. extract

Roses are one of the most important groups of ornamental plants referred to as the queen of flowers and their fruits and flowers are used in a wide variety of food, nutritional products and different traditional medicines. A large diversity is expected to be found in Iranian Damask rose landraces with different biological properties. The antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Rosa hemisphaerica Herrm. were studied. Methods: The agar disc diffusion method was employed for the determination of antimicrobial activities. Total phenol contents of both extracts were estimated. Antioxidative properties of the extracts were determined by bleaching of beta carotene or 2, 20-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl [DPPH]. The Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power [FRAP] was expressed as gallic acid equivalents. Cytooxicity of the extracts were tested using Hela and human healthy peripheral blood cells. of various microorganisms tested, only S. aureus was found susceptible. The total phenol contents of the methanolic and aqueous extracts were 138.33 +/- 11.37and 129.67 +/- 4.51 micro g Gallic acid equivalent/mg sample respectively. DPPH scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition effects were higher than those of the synthetic antioxidants. Ferric-reducing antioxidant power [FRAP] of the methanolic and aqueous extracts were determined as 96.134 +/4.25 mg/g and 98.63 +/- 2.51 mg/g respectively. The 50% cytotoxic concentrations were found to be 0.327 mg/ml 0.177 mg/ml for Hela cells and human lymphocytes respectively. It can be concluded from the above results that R. hemisphaerica extract exhibited antimicrobial activity only against S. aureus. The extracts provided better antioxidative activity as compared with synthetic antioxidants. The extracts were toxic to the Hela cells as well as human lymphocytes. Hence, the R. hemisphaerica extract may be exploited as a natural antioxidant and health promoting agent

[Determination of flavonoid compounds in Rosa damascene mill]

Flavonoid components are the largest phenolic groups in nature. Pigments are primarily responsible for the color of rose petals, it is colorless flavonoids aid in the intensification and stabilization of color. The aim of this research was extraction and determination of flavonoid compounds kaempferol and Quercetin in petals of Rosa damascena from central location of Iran and cultivated in Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands. Samples were collected on late April 2006. A 5 g fresh flower petals was blended with 30 ml of 9: 1 methanol - acetic acid, the extract was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography [HPLC]. Two flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin glycoside compounds were extracted from 15 samples. The highest kaempferol content were obtained from Kamoo 4 [482 ppm], Arak [421 ppm], Ghohrood [420 ppm], Mashhad -e- ardehal 1 [412 ppm], and the lowest from Ghamsar 3 [131 ppm], Kamoo 3 [164 ppm], Kamoo 2 [169 ppm], and Ghamsar 1 [188 ppm]. The highest quercetin glucoside contents were obtained from Kamoo 4 [358 ppm], Ghohrod [337 ppm], Ghamsar 2 [324 ppm], and Arak [318 ppm], and lowest were from Qum [82 ppm], Tehran [91 ppm], Ghamsar 3 [122 ppm] and Kamoo 2 [172 ppm]. According to the results the samples were obtained from Kamoo 4 [482 ppm kaempferol, 358 ppm quercetin], Ghohrod [420 ppm kaempferoi, 337 ppm quercetin] and Mashhad -e -ardehal 1 [412 ppm kaempferol, 300 ppm quercetin]

Phytoprevention of aflatoxin production

Consumption of mycotoxic foods is associated with several cases of human poisoning, or mycotoxicosis, sometimes resulting in death. Phytopreventive inhibition of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and its aflatoxin production by the essential oils extracted from Thymus kotschyanus Boiss and Hohen and Zataria multiflora Boiss. is reported in this study. Minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC], minimal fungicidal concentration [MFC] and fungicidal kinetics of the oils were determined and compared with each other. The oils from the above mentioned plants were found to be strongly fungicidal and inhibitory to aflatoxin production. Both oils inhibited aflatoxin B[1] [AFB[1]] production by A.parasiticus. T. kotschyanus and Z. multiflora oils at 25 ppm concentration, reduced AFB1 levels by 100% and 47.87% respectively. Aflatoxin production was significantly inhibited at lower than fungistatic concentration of both oils. The analysis of oils by GC and GC/MS led to identification of 27 and 22 components in T. kotschyanus and Z. multiflora Boiss. respectively which were very similar to each other. Prevention of fungal growth and aflatoxin production by natural compounds is recom

Volatile oil constituents of the Eucalyptus viridis R. T. Baker and Eucalyptus oleosa F. Muell. Leaves from Iran

The genus Eucalyptus [family Myrtaceae] comprises well-known plants of over 600 species of trees. Although most of the plants are native to Australia, numerous species have been introduced to other parts of the world, including Iran, as economic and ornamental trees in forest trial provenances, where the plants have become source of important fast-growing hardwood trees and Eucalyptus oils. Aim of this studu is to determine chemical composition in essential oils of Eucalyptus for medicinal uses. The essential oils isolated by hydrodistillation from the leaves of two Eucalyptus viridis R. Baker and Eucalyptus oleosa F. Muell. were analysed by GC and GC/MS. The main components identified in E. viridis oil were 1,8-cineole [84.7%], alpha - pinene [4.4%], trans-pinocarveol [2.2%] and in E. oleosa were 1,8-cineole [89.4%], beta - pinene [1.2%] and alpha - pinene [1%]. The chemical composition of the oils with high content of 1,8-cineole [84.7 and 89.4%] are classified as a "eucalyptol or medicinal" type

Determination of hypericin content in flowers and leaves of eight Hypericum species

Hypericum genus is one of the most important medicinal plant that contains 17 species in Iran, three of them are endemic. In this research hypericin content of flowers and leaves of eight Hypericum species was determined. Plant material was extracted with chloroform by Soxhlet until chlorophyll ceased extracting, after removal of chloroform, the thimble was re-extracted with methanol until the red pigment, hypericin, ceased extracting. The analysis of hypericin use of a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography [HPLC] method with UV detection on 590 nm. The mobile phase consisted of methanol 68%: ethyl acetate 20%: 0.1 M NaH[2]PO[4].2H[2]O 12% and with column C[18]. Identification of the compound was on extraction of 1 grams of flowers and leaves. Hypericin content obtained in H.dogonbadanicum [flower 36 and leaves 36 ppm] which are endemic, H. helianthemoides [flower 118 and leaves 22 ppm], H. hirtellum [flower 178 and leaves 26 ppm], H. hyssopifolium [flower 224 and leaves 120 ppm], H.lysimachioides [flower 1177 and leaves 178 ppm], H. perforatum [flower 1900 and leaves 813 ppm], H. scabrum [flower 13 and leaves 10 ppm] and H. triquetrifolium [flower 1460, leaves 1426 and stem 17 ppm]. Hypericin content in different Hypericum show that are different, highest are in H. perforatum with 1900 ppm and in H. triquetrifolium with 1460 ppm

Chemical composition of essential oils from leaves and flowers of Anthemis cotula L. from Gilan province

About 130 species of genus anthemis occur throughout the world. Thirty- nine of them could be found in flora of Iran which Anthemis cotula is one of them. According to literature, this species was not the subject of research up to now. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical composition of leaves and flowers essential oils of Anthemis cotula L. from Gilan province. In this study samples were collected from Rudbar in Gilan province on late June 2005. The volatile constituents of leaves and flowers of Anthemis cotula L. were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The major constituents of flower oil were n-nonadecane [10.8%], cedrane [9.2%] and [E, E] -alpha-farnesene [6%], while the leaf oil contained 1-eicosane [11%], benzyl salicylate [8.9%] and aromadendrene [7.1%]. This study indicated an obvious difference between chemical compositions in flowers and leaves of Anthemis cotula L. with other species of Anthemis