|
Abstract
|
In this study, fatty acid (FA) composition of aerial parts of selected Salvia species from Iran was analyzed by gas chromatography. The
amount of FAs was quantified for leaf and shoot of species as mg per kg (mg kg-1) of dry weight. The results showed that FA contents of
aerial parts for the studied plants vary significantly between 73.05 and 739.50 mg kg-1 of dried weight. Caprylic (C8:0, 1.00-380.49 mg
kg-1), elaididc (C18:1n9t, 0.73-97.29 mg kg-1), stearic (C18:0, 1.1-62.97 mg kg-1), palmitic (C16:0, 1.19-36.48 mg kg-1), and α-linoleic
(C18:3n3, 1.34-19.36 mg kg-1) acid were main FAs identified. The numerical analysis was performed on FA composition of shoot and leaf
of specimens and the shoot FA composition was selected to identify the systematic position of studied species. The UPGMA (Unweighted
Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) dendrogram showed that the species are classified into two clusters. Caprylic acid (C8:0),
behenic acid (C22:0), and lignoceric acid (C24:0) were chief characters in the infrageneric grouping the species in the genus. S.
chloroleuca and S. atropatana were placed in cluster I and separated from other species based on shoot FA composition. The
discrimination of Salvia species based on their botanical classification was supported by results. The results confirmed that FA
composition of shoot are distinguishable and can be used as chemotaxonomic markers.
|