DETERMINATION OF FATTY ACIDS IN SOLANUM SURATTENSE BURM. F. BY USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY

  Objective: This study aims to document the fatty acid composition of Solanum surattense Burm. f. collected from hot desert of India, Rajasthan.Methods: The fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The operating conditions used to examine methyl esters of fatty acids are as follows. Fatty acids were converted into methyl esters (FAMEs) before GC analysis according to the standard methods by Ranganna (1986). Quantitative determinations of FAMEs were conducted using GC-FID and capillary column HP-88 Agilent Technologies.Results: The most abundant fatty was palmitic acid (13.2%), oleic acid (22.9%), and linoleic acid (11.9%). This plant is good source of important fatty acids including all the groups of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) and can be used as a commercial source of fatty acids especially MUFAs and PUFAs.Conclusion: The plant is well studied for various pharmacological activities such as antiasthmatic, anticancer, cardiovascular, and hepatoprotective. Determination of fatty acid profiles in nutritional and clinical research with precision and fastness has become popular for human health and basic research

LUPEOL VALIDATION AND QUANTIFICATION IN HETEROPOGON CONTORTUS (L.) BEAUV. (SPEAR GRASS) THROUGH HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Objective: This is aimed to study the chromatographic evaluation of triterpenoid, i.e., lupeol from methanolic extracts of leaves, stem, and inflorescence of Heteropogon contortus.Methods: The high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) densitometry determination of lupeol was performed using optimized mobile phase toluene:methanol:formic acid (7:3:0.3 v/v) with a derivatization of freshly prepared anisaldehyde-sulfuric acid. For densitometry measurements, the plates were scanned at 530 nm absorbance/reflectance wavelength. Quantification of lupeol marker compound in H. contortus leaves, stem, and inflorescence is estimated using 2-12 μg/spot.Results: The appearance of light purple bands on the chromatograms confirmed the lupeol component in plant samples. Further, the confirmation of the compound is done from the densitometric scanning by comparing λmax values. From this, it is reported that lupeol is present in leaf samples, i.e., 10 mg/g of dry wt., while in rest of the two samples, it is found absent.Conclusion: The leaves of H. contortus (spear grass) are a good source of lupeol and can be used as an alternate natural source to synthesize herbal drugs to control cancer and other anti-inflammatory agents. The presently selected HPTLC is validated and most accurate for the quantification and identification of lupeol present in the selected plant. The leaves of the species which are rich in lupeol can be used in pharmaceutical industry

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MORPHOLOGY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS IN DIFFERENT POPULATIONS AND MORPHOTYPES OF DATURA INNOXIA MILL. AND DATURA METEL L. FROM PUNJAB PLAINS

Objective: Comparative analysis of morphology and phytochemical constituents in different populations and morphotypes of Datura innoxia Mill. and Datura metel L. from Punjab plains.Methods: Morphological analyses of different populations have been done. Methanol extracts of seeds and roots of different populations have been prepared and total phenols, flavonoid contents were measured through spectrophotometry. Antioxidant activity was studied by 2, 2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity. Two major compounds, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid were quantified by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analyses.Results: Two morphotypes of D. metel were reported in the present study. Out of five different populations of D. metel and D. innoxia, the wild populations have more bioactive compound as compared to the cultivated ones from the detailed phytochemical investigation. Pharmacologically important two marker compounds chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid has been identified and quantified by HPTLC technique.Conclusion: Variation in terms of morphology and secondary metabolites exists among the different populations of Datura spp. Among the two plant parts studied, seeds have the maximum amount of bioactive metabolites and antioxidant activity. This study revealed that chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid are the potential polyphenolic compounds in Datura spp. It has been found that the antioxidant activity of plant is due to its polyphenol contents, which provides insight to various researchers to work on it as it imparts health benefit

ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS AND BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF PHYSALIS ANGULATA L. USING WAVE LENGTH-DISPERSIVE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE TECHNIQUE, WAVELENGTH DISPERSION X-RAY FLUORESCENCE, FROM RAJASTHAN

Physalis angulata L. is an important medicinal plant, commonly known by different names such as mullaca, wintercherry, camapu, cutleaf, andreferred as pilu,†by local tribal people of Rajasthan. This plant species is distributed from temperate to tropical region of the world. Traditionally, ithas anticancerous, antimycobacterial, and anticoagulant properties. The juice is used in the treatment of earache, jaundice, fever, gonorrhea bladderdiseases, etc., cytological exploration of the species from Rajasthan revels the existence of two cytotypes diploid (2n=12) and tetraploid (2n=24). Thisstudy is undertaken to identify the total mineral content of both the cytotypes from different plant parts, i.e., fruit, leaf, stem, and roots by wavelength dispersion X-ray fluorescence technique which is a simple method, recognized as a nondestructive technique to determine the elements from the raw plant material without any chemical treatment and helps to ascertain the nutritional role. The analysis of mineral content led to the identification and concentration analysis of twenty-seven elements in diploid cytotype and twenty-five in tetraploid cytotype. The percentage value of potassium (5.52%); iron (0.50%) and selenium (0.0042%) is reported to be higher in diploid cytotype and the amount of calcium (2.15%); magnesium (0.75%) and zinc (0.0075%) are higher in tetraploid cytotype. The amount of most of the minerals is higher in tetraploid cytotype as compared to the diploid cytotype. This information is very helpful in standardization of herbal products as this plant species is widely used for its medicinal benefits

ETHNOMEDICINAL NOTES AND CHROMOSOMAL STATUS OF SOME SELECTED HERBS FROM PARVATI VALLEY, KULLU DISTRICT, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Objective: The objective of the present study was to enlist the ethnobotanical uses and chromosomal status of wild plants of Parvati Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Plants are locally used in curing ulcers, sores, insect bites, muscular and joint pains, pneumonia, jaundice, diarrhoea, piles, swellings, allergies and skin diseases.Methods: For documentation of ethnomedicinal information, a questionnaire containing the vernacular name, plant part/s used, medicinal uses, mode of preparation and amount of dose taken was prepared. Personnel interviews/interactions were conducted with medicine men (vaids and hakims), local healers, village elders, tribals and shepherds. The interviews were cross-validated to ascertain the facts about the local use of each plant species. Chromosomal status was determined through male meiosis by using standard acetocarmine technique.Results: Present paper contains information on ethnomedicinal uses, chromosome counts, male meiosis and pollen fertility on 62 medicinal herbs from Parvati Valley. Plants are used as a decoction, paste or powder in cooked form or as raw. Preparations are taken orally in pure form or as a mixture or with a little amount of salt, milk, honey or butter.Conclusion: Due to indiscriminate forest clearing, grazing and collection by traders, most of the species became rare and restricted to specific pockets or are now almost extinct. To preserve herbal diversity, grazing should be restricted in alpine and sub-alpine zones. Database on ethnic knowledge, chromosomal diversity, natural regeneration and distribution pattern should be prepared for designing future plans for sustainable development

TO QUANTIFY THE LUTEOLIN CONTENT FROM THE AERIAL PARTS OF HETEROPOGON CONTORTUS (L.) BEAUV. (SPEAR GRASS) THROUGH HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

  Objective: The objective of this study was to quantify the luteolin content present in the extracts from different aerial plants (leaves, stem, and inflorescence) of Heteropogon contortus through high-performance thin-layer chromatography.Methods: The chromatographic fingerprint analysis of the different plant extracts has been developed using optimized mobile phase toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (5:5:0.7 v/v) and the developed plate is derivatized with freshly prepared anisaldehyde-sulfuric acid. Then, the plate is heated at 110–120°C. The plate is scanned for densitometry measurements and to record the overlay spectra at 366 nm absorbance/reflectance wavelength. Quantification of luteolin marker compound in different extracts of H. contortus is estimated using 2–12 ng/spot.Results: The yellow colored bands appearing on the chromatogram confirm the presence of luteolin marker compound in the different plant samples of H. contortus. Further, the presence of the luteolin marker is confirmed by comparing the Rf values (0.21) of the standard and the samples and from densitometry measurements by scanning the plate at 366 nm absorbance/reflectance. Line-to-line overlay spectra are obtained.Conclusion: From this, it is concluded that leaf sample of H. contortus contains maximum amount of luteolin, i.e., 37.13 ± 0.11 mg/g of dry wt. than inflorescence (1.60 ± 0.013 mg/g of dry wt.) and stem (0.53 ± 0.014 mg/g of dry wt.). The leaves are good source of luteolin and can be used as an alternate natural source to synthesize herbal drugs to cure cancer, hypertension, and inflammatory diseases.Â

HPTLC Analysis of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. and Wendl., a Siddha Medicinal Herb

In the present study, HPTLC is used to detect the presence and amount of triterpenoids and phytosterols in different plant parts (fruit, stem, leaf, and root) of Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. and Wendl.; such analysis is done for the first time. Each plant part has its own medicinal value and is used as Siddha medicinal herb. The employed statistical analysis ensures that the developed method is reproducible and selective. The results show that the fruit samples contain highest amount of tested phytochemicals. This method can be used as an important tool to ensure the therapeutic dose in herbal formulations, standardization, and quality control of bulk drugs