Journal of Ethno-Pharmaceutical Products
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Winter-Spring 2021

Sulforaphane is produced through a hydrolytic reaction catalyzed by myrosinase from  glucoraphanin. It has recently attracted researcher's interest due to its anticancer activities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of various concentrations of yeast extract (YE) and silver ion (Ag+) on sulforaphane production level in Lepidium draba seedlings. Our results revealed that the sulforaphane content is increased in seedlings that treated with the both elicitors, but more significantly by Ag+. All elicitor influences are depend on the elicitor dose and time of elicitation and maximized with YE at 1 mg/mL for 8 hours and with Ag+ at 50 µM for 4 hours treatment. It seems that the promotion of sulforaphane content results in induction of glucoraphanin biosynthesis pathway which in turn is mediated by H2O2, as revealed by a significant increase in the activity of H2O2 scavenger enzymes.

Compounds which are able to reduce damaging effects of various stresses such as drought could be of great importance. In this research, arginine was used as a precursor of nitric oxide or polyamines and the effect of this compound on alleviation of oxidative damages under drought stress has been investigated. Experimental treatments included arginine at three levels (0, 10 and 20 µmol) and, drought stress (induced by polyethylene glycol 6000) at the levels of 0, 13.5% and 17% (W/V). This experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The application of arginine through the root medium, increased drought tolerance of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi) seedlings. Arginine profoundly induced the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and, polyphenol oxidase in plants which led to reduction in electrolyte leakage and increasing in relative water content, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and, carotenoids), polyphenol compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanin content and, soluble sugar content. It is concluded that the application of arginine appeared to induce pre-adaptive responses to drought stress, leading to promote protective reactions.

Cumin is one of the most agriculturally valuable plants, in the semi-arid tropical regions of Iran. In this research, drought tolerance of 49 cumin ecotypes were evaluated under irrigated, and rained conditions in the field during two years (2010 and 2011). Five drought tolerance/susceptibility indices including mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance (TOL) and susceptible stress index (SSI) were applied. Results of combined analysis based on the experiments showed a significant variation among ecotypes for grain yield and, it was decreased due to drought stress. The mean grain yield of Ardestan and Ravar in normal and drought stress conditions possessed the highest values respectively. According to the results derived from principal component analysis, bi-plot display and STS equation, Ravar was identified as the most drought tolerant ecotype. In conclusion, this suitable ecotype could be recommended for cropping in regions with limited water resources, also MP, GMP and STI indices were found to be more effective in identifying drought-tolerant and high yielding ecotypes in both conditions.

Caucasian whortleberry (Vaccinium arctostaphylos L.) is a useful medicinal plant with many seeded berries; the limits of germination rate and long dormancy of the seeds are as major barriers to the optimal use of this plant. To evaluation of some treatments on breaking seed dormancy and increasing germination rate, the experiment carried out using factorial design with three replications in research lab in Faculty of Agriculture in 2013. Treatments were including gibberellic acid, Nitrate potassium, heating, wet and dry chilling each with two levels and transferred to germinator 15 °C and 25 °C (day/night) and 12 hours light. Seeds were counted every two days within one month. The results revealed the highest germination rate were belong to gibberellic acid (500 ppm), potassium nitrate 1% (8 hr) and wet chilling (15 days) while heating had no significant effect on germination. The seeds have physiological dormancy in which could be removed by some treatments.

In this study the effect of altitude (in two provinces of Mazandaran and Golestan) on some morphological and biochemical properties of the stems, flowers and root of nettle plant was examined. Sampling was performed at the flowering time of plant. Extraction and identification of active ingredients were performed by using spectrophotometer and HPLC methods. This research was conducted based on completely randomized design by using statistical analysis software (SAS, 9.1). Results that altitude did not show significant effect on morphological properties, but in general it can be said that the height 1450m above the sea level in both provinces was the best height for morphological characteristics. Maximum size of stem diameter (7.05cm), root diameter (5.01cm), root length (31.1cm) and number of inflorescence (54.2) were observed in Golestan province at the altitude of 1450m and the highest size of inflorescence (5.52cm) in the Mazandaran province was related to the altitude of 1450m above the sea levels. The amount of total phenol, total flavonoids, Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and rutin in the stem and leaf, nettle root increased with increasing the height, so that the largest amount of total phenol (3.38 and 1.28 mg/g), total flavonoids (3.98 and 2.53 mg/g), Chlorogenic Acid (0.3 and 0.13 mg/g), caffeic acid (0.065 and 0.021 mg/g) and rutin (0.37 mg/g) were observed in stem, flower and root plant at altitude of 2250 m in leh koh region of Mazandaran province. Results showed that positive correlations exist between total phenol and flavonoid content and height of sea level. Many of morphological parameters such as stem diameter, root diameter, root length and number of inflorescence in Golestan province increased with increasing altitude up to 1450 m and the size of inflorescence in Mazandaran province in the same height showed the highest value.

The magnetic fields are one of the effective environmental factors on biological phenomena in living organisms especially plants. Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a medicinal plant that plays a good role in blood cholesterol reduction and liver disorders, this study has performed to investigate the effectiveness of magnetic water on growth, fresh and dry weight of leaf and root, efficiency of the water consuming and some chemical compounds of Artichoke plant in 2012. Experimental treatments include of four levels of electromagnetic field intensity (Zero, 3000, 6000 and 10000 Gauss) as a complete randomized design with four replications. Analysis of variance of data revealed that plant growth, shoot weight, root weight and efficiency of water consuming and chemical compounds were significantly influenced by irrigation with magnified water. The highest Phenol and Antioxidant activity of plant extract was observed in samples which were irrigated with water in which magnified with 6000G magnetic field with 3.99 mg/g and 66.74%, respectively. Contrast to that the highest amount of chlorogenic acid (0.20 mg/g) was observed in samples which were irrigated using top water. Based on the obtained results Therefore, it is concluded this level (6000G) of intensity has better effectiveness in comparison to other level on quality of Irrigation water and could increase quality Artichoke plant.

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is one of the oldest herbs and nowadays because of its ‎ingredient is concerned by pharmaceutical industry. Abiotic stresses including salinity, ‎changes the metabolic pathways of cultured cells and leads to the production of secondary ‎metabolites. This study was aimed to determine the effect of salt stress on antioxidant ‎compounds of callus focusing on the phenol, flavonoid, and chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid ‎production under in vitro conditions. The present study was carried out as two separate ‎experiments as direct culture (cultured explant) on MS solid medium with different salinity ‎concentrations (0, 50, 150, 300, 600, 1200 µM NaCl) and indirect culture (callus culture) in ‎different salin concentrations of 0, 50, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 75000 µM ‎NaCl. Four weeks after culture the mentioned compounds were measured via distinctive ‎methods. Results showed that, versus to indirect culture radical scavenging percentage, the ‎content of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were significantly influenced by salinity and the ‎highest amount of them were recorded in the samples in which treated with 300 µM NaCl, ‎control and 600 µM NaCl, respectively. In indirect culture no significant difference was ‎observed on other phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity except caffeic acid.