Context The genus Hypericum (Hypericaceae) has attracted remarkable scientific interest as its members have yielded many bioactive compounds. Objective The current study presents investigations on the accumulation of hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperforin, adhyperforin, chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 13,118-biapigenin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, avicularin, rutin, (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin in seven Hypericum (Hypericaceae) species growing wild in Turkey, namely, H. aviculariifolium Jaup. and Spach subsp. aviculariifolium (Freyn and Bornm.) Robson var. albiflorum (endemic), H. bithynicum Boiss., H. calycinum L., H. cardiophyllum Boiss., H. elongatum L. subsp. microcalycinum (Boiss. and Heldr.) Robson, H. hirsutum L. and H. xylosteifolium (Spach) N. Robson. Materials and methods The plant materials were collected at flowering period and dissected in different tissues. Air-dried plant material including stems, leaves and flowers was mechanically powdered with a laboratory mill and samples (0.1 g) were extracted in 10 mL of 100% methanol by ultrasonication at 40 °C for 30 min for HPLC-PDA analyses. Results Accumulation levels of the investigated compounds varied greatly depending on species and plant part. Discussion For the first time, the detailed chemical profiles of corresponding Turkish Hypericum species were reported and the results were discussed from a phytochemical point of view. Conclusions The present data have importance in evaluation of plant resources of Hypericum genus in selecting the new potential sources of bioactive compounds.

The genus Hypericum (Hypericaceae) consists of 484 species from 36 sections with worldwide distribution in different areas. Turkey is considered as hot spot for diversity of Hypericum genus. Despit...

Context: Hypericum perforatum L. (Guttiferae) contains many bioactive secondary metabolites including hypericins, hyperforins, and essential oil. Objective: The present study was conducted to determine the variation in composition of essential oil in H. perforatum accessions from Turkey. Material and methods: At full flowering, aerial parts of 30 plants were collected from 10 sites of northern Turkey and assayed for essential oil components by GC-FID and GC-MS. Results: The chemical analysis revealed that the main constituents of the all analyzed samples were hydrocarbon and oxygenated sesquiterpenes such as β-caryophyllene (4.08–5.93%), γ-muurolene (5.00–9.56%), β-selinene (5.08–19.63%), α-selinene (4.12–10.42%), d-cadinene (3.02–4.94%), spathulenol (2.34–5.14%), and caryophyllene oxide (6.01–12.18%). Monoterpenes, both hydrocarbon and oxygenated, were represented by scarce amounts of α- and β-pinene, myrcene, linalool, cis- and trans-linalool oxide, and α-terpineol. Principal component analysis was also carried out and, according to the results, the first nine principal components were found to represent 100% of the observed variation. Discussion: The chemical variation among the populations is discussed as the possible result of different genetic and environmental factors. Conclusions: The wild populations examined here are potentially important sources for breeding and improvement of the cultivated varieties.