Medicinal Plants
Sepideh Houshmand; Saeideh Alizade; Sahebali Bolandnazar; Elyas Aryakia
Abstract
IntroductionTaking into account Iran's unique meteorological and biological characteristics due to its geographic position. This has contributed to the variety and abundance of plant species cultivated there. The Artemisia species, which are among Iran's most valuable plants, are members of the Asteraceae ...
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IntroductionTaking into account Iran's unique meteorological and biological characteristics due to its geographic position. This has contributed to the variety and abundance of plant species cultivated there. The Artemisia species, which are among Iran's most valuable plants, are members of the Asteraceae family and are found across the country in reasonably large numbers. Antioxidants now play an indisputable role in the food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries. Given that the antioxidant capability is greatly influenced by the kind of solvent used, the technique used to extract the plants that were harvested from each location, as well as other factors like the weather, altitude, and light. The substantial antioxidant activity of phenolic and flavonoid compounds and their protective significance in cancer illnesses are caused by these compounds' regenerative properties. Materials and MethodsIn this work, Artemisia aucheri, a medicinal plant, was gathered from Semnan, Mazandaran, and Isfahan in Iran, and the antioxidant activity of these ecotypes was assessed. In this study, the quantity of total phenol and flavonoids in polar (ethanol) and non-polar (ethyl acetate) extracts, as well as the proportion and diversity of essential oil components, were assessed. Antioxidant content was also determined using the DPPH and FRAP techniques. Results and DiscussionThe most active antioxidant is found in the Semnan ecotype. The polar solvent of ethanol showed the strongest inhibition whereas the non-polar solvent of ethyl acetate shown stronger reducing activity, proving the importance of the extraction solvent on antioxidant activity in various processes. The non-polar extract (ethyl acetate) from the Mazandaran ecotype had the greatest flavonoid concentration, while the polar extract (ethanol) from the Isfahan ecotype had the highest phenolic content. The ethanolic extract performed the best when assessing total phenol. The most crucial elements of essential oils are oxidized monoterpenes. Oxygenated monoterpenes are present in 54.82% of the Semnan ecotype, 38.81% of the Mazandaran ecotype, and 24.41% of the Isfahan ecotype. In comparison to other ecotypes, the Semnan ecotype exhibited the most oxygenated monoterpene compounds and the greatest number of essential oil-containing compounds. ConclusionThese findings suggest that A. aucheri possesses abundant natural antioxidant sources and is useful in both the food and pharmaceutical industries. A key aspect is the act of extraction, which is focused on the extraction's goal. The solvent used during extraction significantly affects the outcomes. Regarding the chemical makeup of the compounds, the solvent's polarity directly affects the solutes that are extracted. Since phenolic chemicals are more attracted to polar solvents, they are found in plant samples. The kind of flavonoids found in plants and their degree of polarity determine the variation in the quantity of flavonoid content between polar and non-polar extracts. On the other hand, a variety of ecological, genetic, regional, and dietary variables may have contributed to the variation in phenolic contents, essential oils, and antioxidant chemicals found in the three analyzed ecotypes.
