Investigation of the morphological and chemical (essential oil and flavonoids) variation in the Hypericum perforatum L. (St John's wort) (Hypericaceae)

In this study, Samples flowered of Hypericum perforatum L. collected from nine different localities around Elazığ where they grows naturally. Those samples were evaluated in terms of morphological features and chemical (essential oil and flavonoid) contents. The essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from Hypericum perforatum samples analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The essential oil vield were between 0.2 – 1.0 ml (100 gr) and also 21-75 determinated conpenents were beetween 90.1 - 97.2% of total amount of oil in dry sample. However 1 gr dry sample from plant flowers and leaves extract and analyzed by HPLC in terms of flavonoid efficiency. α-pinene was determined in highest ratio (60%) among the essential oils in samples. The other major essential oil constituents are following: Eudesma-4 [14],11-diene (1.8 – 20.0%), α-selinene (1.5 – 13.0%), α-amorphene (4.5 – 10.0%), Thujopsene (1.5 – 10.0%), Caryophyllene (1.5 – 9.0%), Germacrene D (1.5 – 8.5%), Caryophyllene oxide (1.5 – 7.5%), 1- dekene (% 3.5 – 4.6), β selinene (% 1.0 – 4.0), Spathulenol (% 0.9 – 4.0) ve Octane 2-methyl (% 0.6 – 4.0). From the flovonoids rutin was determined in highest amount among Hypericum perforatum samples's flowers and leaves. The amount of rutin was determined in flower between 5,30 – 10,16 µg /gr and in leaf 2,94 – 10,56 µg /gr. Flavonoid constituents which were determined in flowers and leaves were myrcetin, moryn, quercetin and campherol. The amounts of myrcetin, moryn, quercetin and campherol were determined in flower respectively: 0.0035 – 0.02 µg /gr, 0.007 – 0.062 µg /gr, 0.033 – 0.092 µg /gr and 0.62 – 2.10 µg /gr. The amounts of myrcetin, moryn, quercetin and campherol were determined in leaves respectively: 0.013 – 0.071 µg /gr, 7 – 881 µg /gr, 0.006 – 0.052 µg /gr and 0.0205 – 1.72 µg /gr. In terms of examined morphological features there isn't much difference and in terms of examined chemical character there is variation. Key Words: Hypericaceae, Hypericum perforatum L., Flavonoid, Essential oil, Morphology, Variation