سید حمزه حسینی

Background: Pergularia tomentosa is an endangered medicinal plant (1) with various biological activities such as anticancer (2), insect repellent (3), and antioxidant properties (4). This study applied to investigate relationship between ecological variables and metabolites of Pergularia tomentosa. Material and methods: Plant samples were collected in an altitudinal gradient from two geological formations in two phonological stages of three plant organs and extracted using different solvents. Metabolite profiling was done using untargeted liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LCeESI-OrbitrapeMS). Results: Results showed that cardenolide glycosides were the dominant compounds in extract of P. tomentosa. Also some flavonol glycosides were present in its extract. Findings revealed ecological variables such as altitudinal gradient, soil properties, and phonological stages played significant role on the quantity and quality of the secondary metabolites of this plant. At the flowering stage more compounds were present in the plant extract. Also we identified and characterized some saponin glycosides in its Hydroalcoholic extract (H2O-MEOH:20-80%). Conclusion: The results suggest that metabolite profiling using LC-MS/MS could be an appropriate method for cost-effective phytochemical analysis with proper precision.