Harish Chandra Andola

Habitat-dependent variations in berberine content of Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex. DC. in Kumaon, Western Himalaya.

The variation of the berberine content in roots and stem bark of Berberis asiatica with altitude and edaphic conditions in the western Himalaya was estimated by HPLC. The comparative assessment revealed a significantly higher berberine content in roots than in stem barks. Moreover, the berberine content varied significantly with altitude and edaphic conditions both in root and stem bark samples. The populations growing at low altitude contained significantly more berberine than the ones growing at high altitude. Also the moisture and potassium (K) percentage of the soil significantly influenced the berberine content.

Assessment of Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Selected Vitality Strengthening Himalayan Medicinal Plants

Three Himalayan medicinal plants (Habenaria intermedia, H. edgeworthii, and Roscoea procera), widely used in vitality strengthening Ayurvedic formulations in India, were assessed for nutritional phytochemical constituents, and antioxidant activity. These target species emerged as a good source of minerals and possessed important micro elements. Individually, H. intermedia contained a high content of total phenols, thiamins, tannins, and calcium; R. procera was rich in potassium and iron content; and H. edgeworthii emerged as a good source of sodium. While various antioxidant assays provided evidences on the antioxidant potential of target species, greater antioxidant potential of H. intermedia as compared to the other two species was revealing. This study, therefore, highlighted the possibilities of harnessing nutritional and antioxidant potential of these species.

Variability in volatile constituents of Cinnamomum tamala leaf from Uttarakhand Himalaya

Abstract Objective To evaluate the variation of Cinnamomum tamala leaf essential oil in respect with months and tree size class. Methods By fallowing standard laboratory methods using capillary GC-FID and GC-MS. Results The oil samples were analyzed for two months and two different tree size classes. cinnamaldehyde, was the principal component, was higher in the both months i.e. October and January, highest in 30 cm girth class tree in January month (59.23%) and lowest in 60 cm girth class tree in a month of October (41.90%). Smaller size class tree contained greater amount of cinnamaldehyde as compared to higher size class. Conclusions Consequences of the present study need to selection of proper, tree size and month for harsh economic potentials of such valuable resources

Constituents of Artemisia indica Willd. from Uttarakhand Himalaya: A source of davanone.

Background: The genus Artemisia is important due to its medicinal properties as well as vital aroma compounds of commercial value. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the potential of the essential oil of Artemisia indica wildly growing in Uttarakhand. Materials and Methods: The aerial parts of Artemisia indica Willd. (Asteraceae), collected from wild growing habitat of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand (north of India) at full flowering stage were hydro-distilled and gave pale yellow oil with the yield of 0.8% (v/w). The obtained essential oil was analyzed by GC and GC-MS and identified 32 components, amounting 95.42% of the oil. Results: Among detected compounds, the principal component was found to be davanone (30.80%), followed by β-pinene (15.30%) and germacrene-D (5.82%). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on A. indica from Himalayan region of India, which detected davanone as major component. The species, collected from a specific location, can be explored for isolation of davanone for its industrial utilization and as alternate source of Artemisia pallens, which have already established commercial value.

Influence of Environmental Factors on Production of Berberine Content in Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex DC in Kumaun West Himalaya, India

Berberis asiatica samples collected from nine altitudes of Kumaun Himalaya, India were analyzed for berberine concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography. Correlation between berberine concentration, size class, and season were established. The root and stem bark samples from lower altitude, having larger size class, contained more berberine. Berberine concentration was the highest in summer and lowest in the rainy season. Low level of soil moisture and higher level of soil potassium produced higher berberine concentrations.

Chemical diversity in the volatiles of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. populations from Uttarakhand Himalaya (India)

Abstract The seeds of Perilla frutescens L. Britt. (Lamiaceae) were collected from twelve wild populations and grown in Doon valley climatic conditions of Uttarakhand Himalaya (India).The essential oils obtained, were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for their intra-specific chemical diversity. The essential oil yield in the leaves of all the populations varied from 0.15% to 0.36%. Altogether, sixteen volatile compounds were identified and a variation in their contents was found. 1-(3-Furanyl)-4-methyl-1-pentanone (perillaketone) was found to be the most abundant volatile compound (44.4–69.2%), followed by isoegomaketone (7.3–27.6%), trans-caryophyllene (0.1–17.8%) and linalool (0.3–5.0%). Cluster as well as principal component analysis was performed to determine the chemical variability which showed two major groups among the populations.

Variability in the Essential Oils from Aerial Parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. Grown in Uttarakhand (India)

Abstract The present study aims to determine the variability in the chemical composition of the essential oils from the aerial parts of Artemisia vulgaris L. grown in different locations of Uttarakhand Himalaya. The essential oils were obtained through hydro-distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In the oils from two locations (Jhanjhar and Kaditalla), α-thujone was found as the major constituent, ranging from 14.40–21.66 % followed by artemisia ketone (6.77–8.64 %), trans-caryophyllene (6.22–6.94 %) and 1,8-cineole (4.75–5.13 %); however in Chakrata region, artemisia ketone (29.38 %) was determined as a principal constituent followed by p-cymene (7.60 %) and yomogi alcohol (5.48 %), while α-thujone found to be only 3.10 %. Essential oils from all the locations were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenoids (52.04–59.24 %), whereas oxygenated sesquiterpenoids found to be 23.08–24.05 % in Jhanjhar and Kaditalla locations and only 2.44 % in the oil from Chakrata.

Volatile constituents of Saussurea costus roots cultivated in Uttarakhand Himalayas, India

Background: Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipschitz, syn Saussurea lappa C.B. Clarke, one of the best-known species within this genus, is commonly known as costus. Due to the remarkable biological activity of S. costus and its constituents it will have an appropriate place in various systems of medicines all over the globe. Objective: The main aim is to study the volatile constituents of S costus cultivated in Uttarakhand Himalayas. Material and Methods: The volatile constituents were isolated from the root of S costus cultivated in Chamoli district of Uttrarakhand by hydro distillation and were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results: A total 35 aroma compounds representing about 92.81% of the total composition were identified. Aldehyde like (7Z, 10Z, 13Z)-7, 10, 13-hexadecaterinal (25.5%) was found as a major compound including other ketones like dehydrocostus lactone (16.7%), alcohols like elemol (5.84%), γ-costol (1.80%), vulgarol B (3.14%), valerenol (4.20%), and terpinen-4-ol (1.60%), etc. Esters and acids were found to be completely absent in our samples. Conclusion: S. costus volatile oil constituents are superior in terms of total identified constituents. Where relative area quantum is higher in Uttarakhand Himalayas samples, when compared with those originated to China and Korea.

Influence of Habitat Characteristics and Altitude on Berberine Content in Berberis jaeschkeana C.K. Schneid

Reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography was used to estimate the berberine content of Berberis jaeschkeana. The root and bark samples were harvested from different habitats (i.e., rocky and grassy), along an altitudinal gradient. The results revealed the presence of significantly (p < 0.05) higher berberine content in the samples of rocky habitats. However, the content varied significantly (p < 0.05) within habitats, seasons and among the habitats along an altitudinal gradient. Altitude has shown a strong negative correlation (p < 0.01) with berberine content. The overall results indicated the preeminence of root samples over stem bark samples, with regard to the berberine content. The findings of this study will help medicinal plant growers, pharmaceuticals to identify suitable habitats for the effective harnessing of alkaloids like berberine.

Essential Oil Profile of Wild and Cultivated Accession of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) from Uttarakhand Region

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Cymbopogon schoenanthus (L.) was investigated by GC and GC/MS study. Cis-sabinene hydrate was found as the major component which varies from 30.1-31.6% in wild and cultivated plants whereas trans-sabinene was found to be second highest constituent which was 17.1% in wild sample and 14.5% in cultivated oil sample. Results reveals that chemical composition of Cymbopogon schoenanthus wild and cultivated oil has similar composition but both of them varied quantitatively especially in case of cis-piperitol. Data set indicates that species cultivated in tarai and plain region of Uttarakhand can be used for trapping sabinene hydrate which is present in very good amount in both the samples.