Improvement and breeding
M. Shafaei; M. Ebrahimi; A. Mokhtari
Abstract
Background and objective: St. John's Wort, known as Hypericum perforatum L., is a valuable medicinal plant in the Hypericaceae family. Its most common use is for its antidepressant properties. The active compounds hypericin and hyperforin in St. John's Wort and their proven therapeutic effects have made ...
Read More
Background and objective: St. John's Wort, known as Hypericum perforatum L., is a valuable medicinal plant in the Hypericaceae family. Its most common use is for its antidepressant properties. The active compounds hypericin and hyperforin in St. John's Wort and their proven therapeutic effects have made this plant one of the most valuable medicinal plants worldwide. Hypericin, a major plant metabolite, has antiviral and anticancer effects. Hypericin belongs to the naphthodianthrones family and is light-sensitive. It mainly accumulates in the dark-colored glands on the leaves and flowers of the plant, and its concentration ranges from 0.3% to 3.0% in the leaves and 1% to 14% in the flower buds, depending on the plant variety, height, light conditions, and season. Hyperforin is another important compound of the phloroglucinols group found abundantly in St. John's Wort flowers, especially in the stamens and the fruit. However, it is also present in large amounts in the leaves. Hyperforin content of 6.9% in flower buds, 8.5% in unripe fruit, and 5.1% in leaves has been reported. Unlike hypericin, hyperforin accumulates in transparent glands. Since hypericin and hyperforin depend on environmental conditions, asexual reproduction is preferred over sexual reproduction.Methodology: In this study, 20 populations from 20 different regions of Iran were collected and examined for micropropagation optimization. In addition to identifying the most suitable medium for micropropagation of these populations, the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and histological characteristics of them were also investigated. To prepare the modified culture medium, ½ MS salts, FeEDDHA, B5 vitamins, and two g.l-1 Glycine was used. The MS basal medium was used as a control after adjusting the pH to 8.5 and adding 8.6 g.l-1 Agar, the desired medium, was distributed into culture vessels and autoclaved at 121°C and 2 bar pressure for 20 minutes. Seven explants containing 1-2 buds were placed in each culture vessel. All cultures were incubated in a growth room with 8 hours of darkness and 16 hours of light at an intensity of 1500-2000 lux, a temperature of 25°C, and a relative humidity of 60-70% for four weeks. After the emergence of new shoots, data were collected on the number of branches, length of branches, fresh weight, and dry weight. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the hypericin content in the leaves of the plantlets.Results: This study shows that changing the culture medium composition in most studied populations increases branch length and number. Reducing the amount of mineral salts in the culture medium has affected the plant's osmotic relationships to water and nutrient uptake. This and increased glycine concentration have created a better fine growth trend. This study showed that among twenty native es of Iran, the North Khorasan population had the highest morphological (shoot number, shoot length), physiological (fresh weight, dry weight), and biochemical (hypericin content) indices in the modified medium. Also, histological studies in this study showed a larger growth of dark glands in the modified medium than in the basal medium.Conclusion: Based on the findings for twenty native populations of Hypericum perforatum in Iran, the North Khorasan population had the highest morphological (shoot number, shoot length), physiological (fresh weight, dry weight), and biochemical (hypericin content) indices in the modified medium. Also, histological studies showed a larger growth of dark glands in the modified medium than in the basal medium.
M.H. Lebaschy; E. Sharifi Ashoorabadi; B. Abbass zadeh
Volume 20, Issue 4 , January 2018, , Pages 441-455
Abstract
In order to optimizing nitrogen application for Hypericum perforatum production, a completely randomized block design (CRBD) was carried out with 6 treatments and 3 replications. The nitrogen application treatments were 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg Nha-1. In 1999 hypericin produced by application of ...
Read More
In order to optimizing nitrogen application for Hypericum perforatum production, a completely randomized block design (CRBD) was carried out with 6 treatments and 3 replications. The nitrogen application treatments were 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg Nha-1. In 1999 hypericin produced by application of 150 kg Nha-1 in the first harvest and 90 kg Nha-1 in the second harvest were in the maximum rates. Also hypericin yield have no significant difference among 90, 120 and 150-kg Nha-1 treatments in both harvests. In the first harvest from 1999 max. harvest index was 37% in control and min. was 27.7% which obtain in 150 kg Nha-1 treatment. Hypericin yield in first and second harvests of 1999 and also mean annuals among the medium and max. nitrogen application treatments, have not significant difference. Thus it seems application medium rates of nitrogen (90 kg Nha-1) is sufficient for producing high hypericin yield and also this medicinal plant couldnt consumes high fertilizer.
Sh. Shafiee Adib; M. Amini Dehaghi; S.A.M. Modares Sanavi
Abstract
In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on the quantity and quality of John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), an experiment was conducted at Shahed University in 2010. The studied factors included phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated and non-inoculated), phosphorous fertilizer at three ...
Read More
In order to study the effects of biofertilizers on the quantity and quality of John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), an experiment was conducted at Shahed University in 2010. The studied factors included phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated and non-inoculated), phosphorous fertilizer at three levels (0, 100, 200 kg/h) and vermicompost (0, 5, 10 ton/h). The study was conducted in a factorial experiment in the form of a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with three replications. In addition, one plot was considered as control group in each replication to be compared with other plots in which only chemical fertilizers (NPK: 250, 200 and 100 kg/h) were used. Results showed that the highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, and hypericin yield were obtained by applying vermicompost at 5 ton/ha, and there was no significant difference between the application rates of 5 and 10 ton/ha. The interaction effects of phosphatic biofertilizer (inoculated) and phosphorous fertilizer were significant, so that the highest biological yield, flowering shoot yield, hypericin yield and chlorophyll a were obtained by applying 100 kg/ha P2O5 plus phosphatic biofertilizer, having no significant difference with the application rate of 200 kg/ha P2O5. Significant differences were found between biofertilizer treatments and control group. According to the obtained results, it seems that biofertilizers can be considered as a replacement for chemical fertilizers.
A. Riazi; N. Majnoun Hosseini; H.A. Naghdi Badi; M.R. Naghavi; Sh. Rezazadeh
Abstract
Hypericin and hyperforin compounds are considered as the main active constituents of Hypericum perforatum L. In this research, phytochemical variations of 25 St. John’s Wort populations in Iran’s natural habitats were investigated. Plants were sampled randomly at the full flowering stage ...
Read More
Hypericin and hyperforin compounds are considered as the main active constituents of Hypericum perforatum L. In this research, phytochemical variations of 25 St. John’s Wort populations in Iran’s natural habitats were investigated. Plants were sampled randomly at the full flowering stage from Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Kurdistan, Hamedan, Kohgiloyeh and Boyr-Ahmad, Qazvin, Zanjan, Khorasan and Tehran provinces during the spring and summer of 2010. Results indicated that the differences in the amounts of hypericin and hyperforin of leaf and flower tissues were found to be significant among populations (P<0.05). Flower tissues had more hypericin and hyperforin amounts as compared to leaf tissues. The amount of hyperforin in both tissues was higher than that of hypericin significantly. Simple correlation analysis showed positive significant correlations between leaf hypericin with dark and light glands density on the leaf and light glands density on the leaf surface area as well as positive significant correlation between leaf hyperforin and leaf hypericin. The principal components analysis indicated that the two components explained 66% of the total variance. The cluster analysis divided these populations into three groups with no consistency in their geographical distribution. In conclusion, the results indicated high variations of phytochemical characters among St. John’s Wort populations in Iran’s natural habitats, which can be utilized in the breeding programs.
H. Najafzadeh; N. Erfanimajd; S. Gouraninejad; F. Haghighat
Abstract
Fertility and ovulation are affected by hormones and drugs. Hypericin is one of the drugs affecting the ovulation by neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Hypericin is an important component of Hypericum perforatom (S Johns Wot) used in treatment of depression and its important side effect is photosensitivity. ...
Read More
Fertility and ovulation are affected by hormones and drugs. Hypericin is one of the drugs affecting the ovulation by neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Hypericin is an important component of Hypericum perforatom (S Johns Wot) used in treatment of depression and its important side effect is photosensitivity. In present study, the effect of hypericin on rat ovulation was evaluated. This study was carried as following on 30 female immature 25-day rats. At first day, PMSG was administrated to all rats at nineo’clock in the morning except control group. The control group was kept without drugs and under similar conditions with other groups. No drug was administrated on the second day of study. Positive control group (1) received gonadotropine at dose of 800 ng subcutaneously on day 3. Positive control group (2) received phenobarbital at dose of 4mg/kg interaperitoneally at one o’clock in the afternoon and positive control (3) received phenobarbital at dose of 4mg/kg interaperitoneally at one o’clock in the afternoon and GnRH at dose of 800 ng subcutaneously 2 hours later. Test group (1) was similar to positive control (3), in addition, hypericin was administrated orally at dose of 25mg/kg 30 min before phenobarbital. Test group (2) was similar to test group (1), but hypericin was given at dose of 50mg/kg. The rats were euthanized on day 4 of study at nine o’clock in the morning. The number of mature follicles, hyperemic follicles and corpus hemoragicum was counted. The results showed that administration of hypericin increased growth of follicles and number of mature follicles, hyperemic follicles, and corpus hemoragicum and it enhanced ovulation in comparison to control. However, a final comment on the mechanisms of hypericin effect needs the measurement of related hormones and neurotransmitters.
M. lebaschi; E. Sharifi
Volume 11, Issue 1 , February 2002, , Pages 87-101
Abstract
Natural habitates of Iran content of more than 7500 plant species which many of them are medicinal plants. It is as the germplasm and could be source of supplying and producing of medicinal plant for cultivation. Hypericum perforatum growing naturally in the north and west of Iran. In this study ...
Read More
Natural habitates of Iran content of more than 7500 plant species which many of them are medicinal plants. It is as the germplasm and could be source of supplying and producing of medicinal plant for cultivation. Hypericum perforatum growing naturally in the north and west of Iran. In this study which have done in 1998 and 1999, samples of Hypericum perforatum at the flowering stage were collected from Gorgan, Nowshahr, Gilan in the north as the wetlands and Khalkhal in the west as the mountainous region. Hypericin as the secondary metabolite of Hypercicum perforatum were extracted by Soxhelt and measured by Spectrophotometer. Among the natural habitates, Gorgan and Gilan in 1998 with 2730 and 2584 PPM hypericin were significant with Nowshar anc Khalkhal respectively. Gilan, Gorgan and Nowshahr in 1999 with 2230, 2218 and 2120 PPM hypericin were significant with Khalkhal respectively. It seems hypericin production potential is high in regions with 250-400 m altitude and 500-900 mm rainfall and rich soil with organic and matter minerals.