Phytochemical analysis and antioxidant potential of the leaves of <i>Garcinia travancorica</i> Bedd.

<div><p>Phytochemical analysis of the leaves of <i>Garcinia travancorica</i>, a hitherto uninvestigated endemic species to the Western Ghats of south India, resulted in isolation and characterisation of the polyisoprenylated benzophenones 7-epi-nemorosone (<b>1</b>) and garcinol (<b>2</b>) along with biflavonoids GB-1a (<b>3</b>), GB-1 (<b>4</b>), GB-2 (<b>5</b>), morelloflavone (<b>6</b>) and morelloflavone-7″-<i>O</i>-β-d-glycoside or fukugiside (<b>7</b>). The compounds were identified using various spectroscopic techniques, mainly through NMR and MS. The methanol extract and the biflavonoids <b>3</b>, <b>4</b>, <b>5</b> and <b>7</b> showed potential <i>in vitro</i> antioxidant activities. The IC₅₀ value of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of compound <b>7</b> was 8.34 ± 2.12 μg/mL, comparable to that of standard ascorbic acid (3.2 ± 0.50 μg/mL). In the superoxide radical scavenging assay, compound <b>7</b> gave IC₅₀ value of 6.95 ± 1.33 μg/mL close to standard ascorbic acid with IC₅₀ value of 5.8 ± 0.25 μg/mL. Validated HPTLC estimation revealed <i>G. travancorica</i> as a rich source of morelloflavone-7″-<i>O</i>-β-d-glycoside (7.12% dry wt. leaves).</p></div

<i>Curcuma ecalcarata</i> – new natural source of pinocembrin and piperitenone

<div><p>Phytochemical analysis of the rhizome extract of <i>Curcuma ecalcarata,</i> a hitherto uninvestigated south Western Ghats endemic species, resulted in the isolation and identification of the diaryl heptanoid <i>trans</i>, <i>trans</i>-1,7-diphenyl-5-hydroxy-4,6-heptadiene-3-one (<b>1</b>), steroid β-sitosterol (<b>2</b>), flavanone pinocembrin (<b>4</b>) and monoterpenoids piperitenone (<b>3</b>) and 8-hydroxy piperitone (<b>5</b>). HPTLC estimation of pinocembrin in the rhizome revealed the plant as a rich source of pinocembrin (0.37% dry wt.). The rhizome essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC–FID, GC–MS and ¹³C NMR. Among the 30 constituents identified in the oil, monoterpenoids predominated (94.2%) followed by sesquiterpenoids (5.8%). The major compound consisting of 65.2% of the oil was isolated and identified as piperitenone (<b>3</b>). The study highlights the plant as a rich source of the flavanone pinocembrin and the volatile aroma compound piperitenone.</p></div