Seasonal Changes in Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Activity of Corylus avellana

Today, Taxol is one of the most effective chemotherapy drugs and is effective against a wide range of cancers. Hazelnut is one of the important nuts that contains Taxol and has natural habitats in the northern and northwest regions of Iran. The study of hazelnut habitats and seasonal variation in terms of secondary metabolites such as Taxol is important in order to obtain high-yielding genotypes and conditions. In this study, we investigated the biochemical characteristics and secondary metabolite content of hazel in various hazelnut habitats during the growth season. The results indicated a significant difference in the studied populations, not only between regions but also at different sampling times in terms of biochemical properties and secondary metabolites. So, the samples prepared from the Eshkevarat region had the highest amount of secondary metabolites in September. The highest amount of phenol, flavonoid, Taxol, and Baccatin III was obtained in the Eshkevarat region in September. The amount of Baccatin III was higher than that of Taxol at all sampling times and regions. These results confirm the role of environmental signals in the production of taxanes in the hazel plants. The significant biochemical diversity among the investigated hazelnut ecotypes opens up possibilities for various applications. It can be utilized in breeding programs to develop hazelnut varieties with higher Taxol content for medical purposes. Additionally, understanding the seasonal variation in secondary metabolite content allows for targeted harvesting and processing, ensuring the highest possible concentration of Taxol in hazelnuts for medical purposes.

Seasonal Changes in Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Activity of Corylus avellana Keywords:

Baccatin III , Environmental signal , Hazelnut , phenolic compounds , Taxol