Mahmoud Hassanzadeh - Ph.D. student of Physics, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
Noraddin Hosseinpour Azad - Department of Physics, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
Farhad Zolfagarpour - Department of plant science and medicinal plant, Meshginshahr faculty of Agriculture University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

The Asteraceae family is considered one of the largest families of flowering plants. The genus Artemisia of this family is highly important due to its use in folk medicines and flavoring throughout the world. In this regard, ۳۴ species of this genus is represented in the Flora of Iran. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of altitude Artemisia absinthium essential oil composition. The plant samples were collected from different altitudes includes ۵۰۰٬۶۰۰, ۷۵۰٬۸۰۰, ۹۰۰, and ۹۵۰ m. Then, the sample essence was extracted by Clevenger type apparatus through hydro distillation. Finally, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods were applied to the analysis. At the altitude of ۹۵۰m, the analyzed essential oils by chromatography had a higher number of detectable peaks with the maximum level associated with Ketocarotenoides derivate. Increasing the altitude may lead to the biosynthesis of various types of metabolites which are necessary to protect plant cells against free radicals.

Artemisia absinthium, Altitude, secondary metabolites, Ketocarotenoides