Plant Biotechnology Persa

en Effect of Drying Methods on the Quantity of the Hypericin in the Adventitious Root of the St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) Herbal Drugs پژوهشي Research Objective: Hypericum perforatum L. synthesizes hypericin, a bioactive compound with antidepressant and antiviral properties. Optimizing post-harvest processing is crucial to preserve metabolite content, as drying conditions can markedly affect compound stability. This study evaluated the impact of shade-drying, oven-drying, and freeze-drying on hypericin accumulation in adventitious roots of H. perforatum. Methods: Fresh adventitious roots (~90% moisture, wet basis) underwent shade-drying, oven-drying, or freeze-drying until final moisture reached 37%, 8%, and 5.3%, respectively. Hypericin content was quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Four independent root lines were analyzed to assess biological variability. Hierarchical cluster analysis with heatmap visualization examined the relationships between drying treatments and root lines. Results: Drying method significantly influenced hypericin retention. Freeze-drying preserved the highest levels, with peak concentrations of 0.166 mg/g DW, while oven-drying retained intermediate levels and shade-drying caused the greatest losses. Across all drying conditions, line 4 consistently exhibited higher hypericin content, indicating potential genetic or physiological advantages in metabolite biosynthesis or storage. Cluster analysis revealed a clear separation of freeze-dried samples, with line 4 displaying distinctly superior performance. Conclusion: Freeze-drying is the most effective method for maintaining hypericin in H. perforatum adventitious roots, whereas oven- and shade-drying substantially reduce content. Additionally, root line selection critically affects metabolite accumulation, with line 4 demonstrating the highest potential. These findings highlight that both post-harvest processing strategies and genotype optimization are essential for maximizing hypericin yield in biotechnological and industrial applications. <div style="text-align: justify;"> <img alt="" src="./files/site1/images/copuediting.png" style="width: 586px; height: 265px;" >  </div> Hypericum perforatum,hypericin,adventitious roots,drying methods,freeze-drying,hierarchical cluster analysis 0 0 http://pbp.medilam.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1527-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Mozhdeh Shafaei mo.shafaee@gmail.com 10031947532846006078 10031947532846006078 Yes Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran Morteza ebrahimi m.ebrahimi@abrii.ac.ir 10031947532846006079 10031947532846006079 No Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran Arash Mokhtari mokhtari@abrii.ac.ir 10031947532846006080 10031947532846006080 No Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran