Lilium Ledebourii "Susan - e Chelcheragh"
Lilium Ledebourii "Susan - e Chelcheragh"
Lilium Ledebourii "Susan - e Chelcheragh"
Floral formula
The flowers of Liliaceae have 3 sepals, 3 petals, 6 stamens,
and a syncarpous gynoecium of 3 carpels; the ovary can be
superior or inferior.In a few genera, the sepals and petals fuse
into a tube and the stamens are epipetalous .The sepals and
petals resemble each other in most members of the family.
Note the 6 stamens and the versatile anthers.
DISCUSSION:
Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Boiss is a rare endemic species grown on
the height of Damash in north part of Iran. The phythochemical tests
(Table 1) showed high quantity of saponins in corm and lower
concentration in flowers. Saponins have exhibited a wide spectrum
of biological activities , such as cholesterol lowering, interaction
with steroidal hormone metabolism, digestive difficulties and others
.
The components of the essential oil of flower showed seven
compounds. No aromatic compound was identified in the essential
oil of flower.
Isopulegol which consists about 55% of the essential oil of this plant
has been reported as a coolant agent with a minty and herbaceous
odor. The slight odor of flowers of this plant was approximately
similar to the odor of isopulegol . It might be of value to mention
that the highly purified (-)-isopulegol enantiomer, which imparts a
feeling of freshness and has been used in sensate mixtures is
odorless . Furthermore, (1R,2S,5R)-isopulegol and its carbonylated
products have shown significant bactericidal activities .
Pentacosane, the second major oil (18.01%) of flower of L. ledebourii
is a hydrocarbon, which isolated from other plants such as Valeriana
spp , Rosa species and from honey .
Analysis of corm’s oil did not show any aromatic or volatile essential
oil, but there were some fatty acids. Identification of fatty acids was
not in the scope of this investigation; hereby we just reported what
was presented by GC-MS.
Microscopic characters of this plant, which is given probably for the
first time, will enrich certainly the botanical information on this
species.
Theses information put forth the importance of further
phytochemical and botanical studies on this unique plant in spite of
limited distribution of this plant.
Elham Peirovi
Pune/ January 2007