Exploring phytochemical variability in Iranian Acanthophyllum (Caryophyllaceae) species: insights for enhanced medicinal and industrial utilization

BACKGROUND: Acanthophyllum species are notable for their medicinal and industrial importance due to the presence of valuable bioactive compounds, especially saponins. Assessing genetic diversity is crucial for the strategic development and selection of superior ecotypes in Acanthophyllum species. The present study aimed to investigate eight different phytochemical traits of ten species of the Acanthophyllum genus, including Acanthophyllum bracteatum Boiss (7 ecotypes), Acanthophyllum diezianum Hand-Mazz (1 ecotype) Acanthophyllum glandulosum Bunge ex Bioss (22 ecotypes), Acanthophyllum heratense Schiman-Czeika (1 ecotype), Acanthophyllum korshinskyi Schischk (5 ecotypes), Acanthophyllum laxiusculum Schiman-Czeika (1 ecotype), Acanthophyllum microcephalum Boiss (12 ecotypes), Acanthophyllum sordidum Bunge ex Boiss (7 ecotypes), Acanthophyllum spinosum C.A.Mey (6 ecotypes) and Acanthophyllum squarrosum (6 ecotypes), collected from different natural habitats of Acanthophyllum in Iran. RESULTS: The investigated ecotypes have significant differences in terms of all the measured as revealed using analysis of variance (P