1Department of Agriculture, Minab Higher Education Complex, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
2Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3Department of Horticultural Science and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
4Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agriculture Institute, Research Institute of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
چکیده
Exploring Euphorbia viguieri's overlooked chemistry via GC–MS unveils novel bioactive metabolites, bridging phytochemical gaps in a scarcely studied species. To profile E. viguieri leaf volatiles, phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity, enabling comparative insights within the diverse Euphorbia genus. Fresh E. viguieri leaves from Gorgan, Iran were dried, ground, and macerated in 80% methanol for 72 hours. The extract was concentrated, freeze-dried, and analyzed via GC–MS (HP-5MS column). Total phenolics (Folin–Ciocalteu), flavonoids (aluminum chloride), and DPPH radical scavenging activity were assessed. All assays were performed in triplicate, with data expressed as mean ± SD (Tukey's test, p < 0.05). GC–MS analysis of E. viguieri leaf extract identified ten major compounds, including monoterpenes ((S)-limonene, 1,8-cineole, 3-carene, isoborneol), phenylpropanoids ((E)-cinnamaldehyde, eugenol). These compounds exhibit defensive, antimicrobial, and protective roles. Quantitative assays revealed substantial total phenolic content (0.886 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g DW) and exceptionally high flavonoid levels (0.947 ± 0.01 mg QE/g DW). The extract demonstrated potent antioxidant activity with a DPPH value of 0.784 ± 0.01 µmol TE/g DW. The presence of eugenol, known for anti-inflammatory properties, alongside cuticular wax constituents, suggests both chemical defense and stress adaptation strategies. These findings establish E. viguieri as a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals with notable free-radical-scavenging capacity. E. viguieri exhibits potent antioxidant and diverse phytochemical profiles, warranting further pharmacological exploration and medicinal application studies.