Phytochemical and physiological reactions of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz Bip) to TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanomaterials can be used as elicitors for improving the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. The present study was conducted to assay the titanium dioxide-nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) effects on feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) as an anti-cancer plant. The study showed that TiO2-NPs application increased the amounts of the main compounds and oxygenated monoterpene in essential oils, thereby causing an improvement in the quantity and quality of the essential oils compared to control. The highest effect was related to 1500 ppm TiO2-NPs concentration. Regarding parthenolide, TiO2-NPs had no positive effect on parthenolide content and the highest content was observed in control. Increasing the concentrations over 1500 ppm resulted in a decrease in chlorophyll content, capitule diameter, flower yield, and harvest index compared to other concentrations and control. Additionally, the results indicated that TiO2-NPs foliar spray reduced flower number, biological yield, fresh weight, and dry weights compared with untreated plants. The increase in quality and content of essential oil and lack of increase in parthenolide content, and reproductive and vegetative characteristics showed that TiO2-NPs mainly affected the content and composition of essential oil. Totally, the application of TiO2-NPs in terms of positive effect on the yield and metabolites (without damaging biological effects) can be recommended and followed up to the concentration of 1000 ppm. Overall, the results indicated that improving the synthesis of valuable medicinal metabolites using TiO2-NPs has promising results depending on the type of species, concentration used and target metabolites.