The impact of the environmental factors on chemical composition of Hymenocrater elegans Bunge. (Case study: Baladeh, Noor, Mazandaran province, Iran)

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of environmental factors, altitude and soil, on the quantitaty and quality of essential oils of aerial parts of Hymenocrater elegans species at the full flowering stage. Plants were selected from three heights of its natural habitat located in Baladeh Noor region (Mazandaran province). The plant aerial parts were collected at the flowering stage and dried at room temperature; essential oils were extracted by hydro-distillation method using Clevenger-type apparatus. The composition of the essential oil was determined by combined GC/MS and GC. Soil properties and its relationship with the quantity and quality of the species, samples were taken in three plots put alongside of three transects on selected elevations. Samples were taken from a depth of 0-30 cm and the parameters of organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu were measured. Based on the results, 43 compounds were identified in the essential oil of Hymenocrater elegans at three Baladeh altitudes. The most compounds at altitudes of 1000-800 m with silty soil texture were Labda, Methanonaphthalene, Butenamide and Tetramethyl tricycle. For altitudes of 1700-1500 m, with silty soil texture were Heptadecanamine, Acetaldehyde Ethanal, Ethylamine, Isopropylidene-3-methyle 2000-200 m. Heights of 2000-2200 m with silty-loamy soil texture were Pyridinepropanoic acid, alpha, Ethylene oxide, Oxirane Epoxyethane, Cyclopropane, 1-bromo. The relation between the altitude above the sea level and essential oil components significantly found negative. This means the higher the altitude, the lower essential oils percentage.