Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is one of the most important medicinal and aromatic plants and possesses anticancer, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. One of the essential oil components of the sage plant is monoterpene, 1, 8-cineole, that is responsible for some of these effects. The effect of foliar application of chitosan (control, 0. 0, 0. 25 and 0. 50 g/L) under different levels of water deficit (FC = 60, 75 and 100%) were investigated on the expression level of cineole synthase gene in the roots and accumulation of 1, 8-cineole content in the leaves of the sage plants. The experiment was conducted as factorial based on completely randomized design with three replications. The level of gene expression was determined by real time PCR in plant roots and the 1, 8-cineole content was identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in leaves. Results indicated that the expression of studied gene and 1, 8-cineole content were strongly up-regulated with water deficit. Furthermore, foliar application of chitosan (specially in 0. 5 g/L) effectively up-regulated the cineole synthase gene expression in roots and 1, 8-cineole content in the shoots. Overall, water deficit stress was more effective than chitosan in the up regulation of cineole synthase gene and 1, 8-cineole synthase content. The maximum level of cineole synthase gene expression and 1, 8-cineole content were observed in mild drought stress and 0. 5 g/L chitosan condition. Slight water deficit stress had no effect on gene expression but the final product was increased in shoots. For the first time, our results indicated that water deficit stress and chitosan could increase cineole synthase gene expression in the roots of common sage. Therefore, chitosan along with water deficit probably increase 1, 8-cineole content in shoots, in part, through increasing the expression level of 1, 8-cineole synthase gene in roots.

The seeds of three Eucalyptus species (Myrtaceae) (Origin: Australia), including:, Eucalyptus loxophleba Benth., Eucalyptus microtheca F.Muell. and Eucalyptus largiflorens F.Muell. were cultivated in 1993-1994 at two research stations (Shushtar and Dezful) in Khuzistan province (western south region of Iran) and a research station (Kashan) in Isfahan province (Central region of Iran). These species have good adaptability to climatic condition of this area (dry warm). The leaves of these species were collected in middle of the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) at two consecutive years, in order to find out the best harvesting time with the highest oil yield and 1,8-cineole percentage. After drying the plant materials in shade, their essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation.The oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS devises. The results showed that the harvesting time had significant effects on oil yield and 1,8-cineole content of the Eucalyptus species. The main components of the harvested oils consisted of 1, 8-cineole and a-pinene. The highest oil yields of E. loxophleba Benth. in all localities were obtained from the samples collected in autumn and winter. The highest percentage of 1,8-cineole for Dezful site was extracted from the winter (70.2%) and autumn (63.2%) samples, For Kashan sits, was extracted from the winter (55.5%) and spring (58.1%) samples and for Shushtar site, was extracted from the summer samples (53.6 and 49.6%). The highest oil yield of E. microtheca F.Muell. was obtained in spring from Dezful and Shushtar localities and in autumn from Kashan locality. For both Shushtar and Dezful sites, the highest percentage of 1,8-cineole was obtained in winter and summer samples whereas for Kashan site, was obtained in summer samples. The highest oil yield of E. largiflorens F.Muell. was obtained in autumn and winter for Dezful and Shushtar samples and summer for Kashan samples. The highest percentage of 1,8-cineole was extracted in summer and winter for Shushtar samples, in spring and winter for Dezful samples and winter for Kashan samples.

The genus Xanthogalum is represented in the flora of Iran by just one species, namely Xanthogalum purpurascens. In this work, we report the antibacterial activity and the analysis of the leaf essential oil of X. purpurascens grown wild in Iran. The chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves of X. purpurascens, collected from Mazandaran Province, were analysed by GC and GC/MS. Sixty-two components which representing 91.24% of the total composition were identified. 1,8-Cineole (17.59%, respectively), cis-muurol-5-en-4-a-ol (5.7%), neryl acetate (5.31%) and E-anethole (5.21%) were the main components in this oil. The antibacterial activities of the leaf oil of X. purpurascens were evaluated by disc diffusion method using Muller-Hinton Agar for bacteria with determination of inhibition zones and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The antibacterial activity showed that this oil had moderate Inhibitory against Klebsiella pneumonia. The leaf essential oil of X. purpurascens, was ineffective against Bacillus anthracis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.