Journal of Medicinal Plants Biotechnology

Abstract Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.), is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, which has both medicinal and nutritional properties. It seems that harvesting time has an important effect on the quantity and quality of plant products especially on secondary metabolites. In order to analysis of plant or field age on some physiological, biochemical and secondary metabolites characteristics of artichoke, a research project was carried out in a completely randomized design at the research field of medicinal plants at the University of Zanjan. One-year old and two-year old artichoke farms were selected as experimental treatments, and then three plots were randomly selected from each farm in which the plant specimens were taken and the desired traits were measured. According to the results: some traits such as: leaf dry weight, leaf length and width, amount of chlorophylls and carotenoids, root soluble proteins and carbohydrates increased at second year old plants. However; shoot soluble proteins and carbohydrate and also the total number of extracted secondary metabolites were decreased by increasing of plant age. D-methyl Buta Dienil (26.18 %), Pentacosadiynoic acid (21.24%), Inositol (10.97%) and Tetramethyl-octahydronaphthalen (9.61%) were the major compounds of one-year old artichoke plants and scyllo inositol (59.01%), methyl-hexadecatetra enoate (20.46%), isopropenyl-methanol (5.2%) and glucopyranose (4.71%) were the major components two-year old artichoke plant leaf extract.  It can be concluded that plant age has noticeable effects on growth and biochemical and specially on secondary metabolites properties of artichoke.

Abstract Anghuzeh is one of the important medicinal plants of Apiaceae family. Anghuzeh is very important in traditional Iranian medicine and there is a great global demand for it. This plant has many applications in the pharmaceutical field and has been used in the treatment of diseases for a long time. The results of the research of Angouzeh plant conducted in this field show the anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant effects. The applications of this plant in the food industry are very important, so this plant is used as an additive, flavoring or spice in the preparation and processing of various foods. Anghuzeh also has many applications in the cosmetics industry. The importance of Anghuzeh is due to the valuable gum that is obtained from cutting its roots. In recent years, due to the considerable profit from the sale of gum, the harvesting of this plant from nature has increased, and this issue leads to the extinction of the Anghuzeh generation. Anghuzeh gum contains special compounds. Essential oil is one of the main active ingredients in gum, which is used in other related industries after extraction and purification. At present, Anghuzeh gum is sold in raw form in Iran. It is hoped that with proper planning and the creation of suitable conversion industries for Anghuzeh, it will be possible to create good added value (valuation) for the country while creating employment.

Abstract Secondary metabolites are substances that exist in some plants and in a certain vegetative stage of growth. Alkaloids (Morphine, Codeine, Atropine), Terpenoids, Flavonoids, Pigments and Tannins are among the most important of these compounds. The process of changes of these effective substances in two medicinal plants Artemisia and Thymus at three altitude levels H₁ (700 to 800), H₂ (1300 to 1200) and H₃ (1700 to 1800) meters above sea level and three regions Climatic, arid, semi-arid and semi-humid conditions were studied by completely randomized block design with three replications. R software used fo statistical analysis, in addition to examining the changes of effective substances in these two medicinal plants, we achieved a new index for evaluating the severity and using it for drought zoning. The results of this research can be used in the exploitation of pasture medicinal plants. The introduced index shows that with the increase of drought severity, the amount of secondary metabolites increases significantly in different species and in different vegetative stages. This index can be used for ecology and climatology studies.

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