Ethnopharmacology, quantity, and quality of flower and leaf of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. in four habitats in Semnan, Khorasan Razavi, and North Khorasan provinces

Stachys lavandulifolia is a medicinal plant growing in different parts of Iran. Its flower and leaf infusions are used for treating diseases related to stomach and also as sedative for insomnia and stress. This research was carried out based on a completely randomized design with three replications to investigate the essential oil contents of leaf and flower obtained from four different sites (Shahrud, Ghuchan, Nyshabur, and Mashhad). Ethnopharmacological data were obtained from local people and the plant samples were collected from their habitas during flowering stage in spring 2014. Essential oils of the sample leaves and flowers were distilled using a Clevenger apparatus to determine essential oil percent and yield in each site. Furthermore, the essential oil components were determined with a GC/MS tool. Results of ethnopharmacological study showed that this plant has different local names in the sites under study but its general application was for reducing stress. The highest essential oil yield and percent and also dry weight were obtained from Mashhad. Also, the highest numbers of essential oil components of Stachys lavandulifolia flower (n=72) and leaf (n=82) were extracted from Nyshabur and Ghuchan, respectively with a maximum essential oil weights of 92.692 and 96.818, respectively. The highest values of major components including betapinene, betaphellandrane, and caryophyllene were obtained from Shahroud and the highest values of spathulenol and alfathujene were obtained from Ghuchan and Mashhad, respectively and these components were higher in leaves than in flowers. The highest quality of the essential oils was obtained from plants grown in Mashhad and Ghuchan habitats.