Quantity and quality of antioxidant compounds and components of essential oil of the medicinal plant (Eryngium campestre) under the influence of altitude

Moradi, H., 2022. Quantity and quality of antioxidant compounds and components of essential oil of the medicinal plant ( Eryngium campestre ) under the influence of altitude. Environmental Sciences. 20(1): 167-178. Material and methods: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of altitude on antioxidant compounds and constituents of essential oil of Eryngium at three altitudes (30, 100 and 300 meters above sea level) in Savadkuh section of Mazandaran Province, which was the natural habitat of this plant. After collection and drying, the plants were extracted with methanol solvent to measure traits such as antioxidants, phenol, and flavonoids. Also, in order to identify the essential oil compounds, and the percentage yield of essential oil, the essential oil amount of essential oil. These results show that antioxidant and phenolic compounds are affected by altitude and factors such as the amount and intensity of light, ultraviolet rays, temperature and precipitation. An altitude of 300 meters above sea level had the best effect on the percentage of free radicals in DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and doubled the percentage of salinity compared to 30 meters above sea level. However, in flavonoids, they did not show any difference between 30 and 100 meters above sea level, but they differed from plants harvested from 300 meters above sea level and included a larger amount. Also, with increasing height, the percentage of essential oil decreases. The results of the correlation of traits show that flavonoids and phenol have a significant relationship with increasing the percentage of essential oil yield. Antioxidants are also inversely related to the percentage of essential oils and flavonoids. The results of gas chromatography showed that compounds such as: D-limonene and beta. -sesquiphellandrene decreased with increasing altitude in essential oil and cis-.alpha.-Bisabolene increased with increasing altitude, in the essential oil of Eryngium . We also showed that the amount of identified compounds was not necessarily dependent on height and could be a function of other factors. Conclusion: The results showed that the amount of free radical inhibition of DPPH increased with increasing altitude, but the trend of percentage of essential oil yield decreased inversely with increasing altitude. Also, there was no significant difference between 30 and 100 meters above sea level in flavonoids. The number of compounds identified by gas chromatography was the highest at an altitude of 300 m above sea level. Also, the three compounds D-limonene, beta. -sesquiphellandrene and cis-. alpha. -Bisabolene were a function of altitude.