Altitudinal Variation on Metabolites, Elements, and Antioxidant Activities of Medicinal Plant .

( Miq. f. (Nakai) C. Y. Cheng et C. S. Yang) is a medicinal plant that contains asarinin and sesamin, which possess extensive medicinal value. The adaptation and distribution of 's plant growth are significantly affected by altitude. Although most studies on have concentrated on its pharmacological activities, little is known about its growth and metabolites with respect to altitude. In this study, the physiology, ionomics, and metabolomics were investigated and conducted on the leaves and roots of along an altitude gradient, and the content of its medicinal components was determined. The results showed that soil pH and temperature both decreased along the altitude, which restricts the growth of . The accumulation of TOC, Cu, Mg, and other mineral elements enhanced the photosynthetic capacity and leaf plasticity of in high-altitude areas. A metabolomics analysis revealed that, at high altitude, nitrogen metabolism in leaves was enhanced, while carbon metabolism in roots was enhanced. Furthermore, the metabolic pathways of some phenolic substances, including syringic acid, vanillic acid, and ferulic acid, were altered to enhance the metabolism of organic acids. The study uncovered the growth and metabolic responses of to varying altitudes, providing a theoretical foundation for the utilization and cultivation of .