## 1 Introduction  
_Pinus cembra_ L., otherwise known as Swiss pine, Swiss stone pine, stone pine, arolla pine or Austrian stone pine, is a coniferous species native to the Central European Alpsand Carpathian Mountains [1]. This species grows at high altitudes, ranging from 700 m to 2500 m, which exposes the plant to extreme conditions, such as high concentrations of ozone and UV irradiation. Both heightened ozone levels and UV radiations cause the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the plant, therefore leading to tissue degradation and cell death. Due to the presence of these stress factors in its environment, this species has adapted by increasing its production of antioxidants [2; 3]. In a study performed by [PERSON] et al. on the effect of ozone on pine forests in south-eastern France it was determined that out of all the studied species, Pinus cembra is one of the most sensitive species to ozone [4]. The phytochemicals that have been most studied in _Pinus cembra_ L. are polyphenols, secondary metabolites in plants that have the role of protecting them against UV rays and other types of aggression caused by various pathogens since these compounds are able to reduce ROS levels by donating electrons or hydrogen atoms to free radicals, neutralizing them, and thus stopping chain reactions. On top of that, polyphenols are also capable of chelating Fe\({}^{2+}\) ions, therefore reducing the rate of ROS formation. Countless studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that antioxidants offer protection against developing several chronic illnesses caused by oxidative stress (atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy, cancer, etc.). _Pinus cembra_ L. bark and needle extracts have been studied before; however, extracts from other parts of the plant and the influence of environmental factors on the concentration of polyphenols in this species have not been fully studied [5].  
Polyphenols present in the bark and needle extracts of _Pinus cembra_ L. have several pharmacological actions, such as antimicrobial activity on various pathogens, with the bark extract having inhibitory activity similar to that of ampicillin and higher than chloramphenicol on _Sarcina lutea_ and _Escherichia coli_[6].  
There are data from the literature that demonstrate the cytotoxicity of some extracts obtained from the bark of different pine species [7; 8; 9]. Cytotoxic activity was also observed in hydromethanonic extracts obtained from _Pinus cembra_ L. needles when testing their inhibition level on the HeLa cell line (human cervix cancer cell line). Extracts were found to be capable of slowing down the protein synthesis, viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of HeLa cells [10].  
Moreover, polyphenols have been found to possess antidiabetic properties by inhibiting \(\alpha\)-glucosidase and \(\alpha\)-amylase and having a beneficial effect on \(\beta\)-pancreatic cells survival and insulin sensitivity [11; 12; 13].  
Seeing as the literature has limited data available on the chemical composition and potential biological activity of _Pinus cembra_ L., the objective of this research paper is to assess whether extracts obtained from the rhythmic and periderm of _Pinus cembra_ L. possess chemical compounds with a beneficial action on the human body, and if yes, how environmental factors, such as altitude and being exposed to a certain amount of irradiation, can influence the concentration of phytochemicals in the plant, in order to be able to deduce which areas are the best for harvesting this species and extracting its beneficial substances in hopes of using them for medical purposes.