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Various environmental factors including altitude and soil properties affect the growth and production of plants in natural ecosystems. Sweet violet (Viola odoratata L.) is a gramineous and perennial plant of the Violaceae family and grows as a wildflower in the mountainous areas of northern Iran and some other regions of the country. This study was performed to compare the phytochemical properties and antioxidant activity of Viola odoratata L. shoot and root extracts in nine habitats of Mazandaran province in March 2020. To investigate the analysis, leaf, flower and root organs of the plant in the flowering stage were collected from nine habitats of Mazandaran province along with soil samples of these areas in March 2018. After collecting the root and shoot samples at the florescence stage and preparing methanolic extract through ultrasonic method, the phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, respectively, the antioxidant activities were assayed by Diphenyl Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and the anthocyanin contents of flowers were measured by Wagner method. According to the findings, phenolic contents of the flowers and leaves decreased and increased, respectively with increasing height, and percentage antioxidant activities of the flowers increased while the amount of flavonoids was not affected by the habitat altitude. Analysis of soil properties revealed that the anthocyanin contents of flowers increased under the effect of deficient absorbable phosphorus in habitat 3 (Firoozjah Babol) and habitat 6 (Mohammadabad Behshahr). Also in the study of secondary metabolites, Sweet violets in habitat 7 had 67.95% and 86.18% antioxidant activities in flowers and roots, respectively; leaf and root phenol contents of 142.32 mg/g and 55.21 mg/g, respectively, and 6.52 μmol/g flower anthocyanin, so it can be selected as the superior region, and samples from this region can be used as gene banks in sexual and asexual reproduction.

Background and Objective: The liver is the main organ involved in the metabolism of various drugs and toxins. Thus, it is highly vulnerable to damage caused by drugs and toxins. Alpinia officinarum belongs to the Ginger family and has been used in traditional Iranian medicine for its therapeutic effects on the digestive system, including strengthening the function of the stomach and organs, improving digestion and reducing bloating. In addition, the plant has anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer and antioxidant properties. This study investigated the hepatotoxic effects of Alpinia officinarum rhizomes aqueous extract in male Wistar rats. Methods: This experimental study was performed on 35 male Wistar rats that were randomly allocated into 5 groups of 7. Four groups received 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of the extract for 28 days, while a group did not receive the extract (control group). Tissue sections (5 microns) were stained by hematoxylin and eosin at the pharmacology laboratory of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. The groups were examined for liver tissue pathology, and the level of liver enzymes including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was measured by Pars Azmoun ELISA kit. Results: Administration of the aqueous extract of Alpinia officinarum rhizome for 28 days by gavage increased the level of AST, ALT and ALP in the serum of rats. Tissue damage was observed in most groups receiving the extract. Conclusion: The results show that consumption of the aqueous extract of Alpinia officinarum rhizome at a dose of more than 100 mg/kg can cause liver damage and is lethal at a dose of 800 mg/kg.