International Journal of Food Properties
ISSN: 1094-2912 (Print) 1532-2386 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ljfp20
Assessment of Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Selected Vitality Strengthening Himalayan Medicinal Plants Sandeep Rawat , Harish Andola , Lalit Giri , Praveen Dhyani , Arun Jugran , Indra D. Bhatt & Ranbeer S. Rawal To cite this article: Sandeep Rawat , Harish Andola , Lalit Giri , Praveen Dhyani , Arun Jugran , Indra D. Bhatt & Ranbeer S. Rawal (2014) Assessment of Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Selected Vitality Strengthening Himalayan Medicinal Plants, International Journal of Food Properties, 17:3, 703-712, DOI: 10.1080/10942912.2012.654563 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2012.654563
Accepted author version posted online: 14 Jun 2013.
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Date: 25 October 2015, At: 22:28
International Journal of Food Properties, 17:703–712, 2014 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1094-2912 print / 1532-2386 online DOI: 10.1080/10942912.2012.654563
ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF SELECTED VITALITY STRENGTHENING HIMALAYAN MEDICINAL PLANTS Sandeep Rawat, Harish Andola, Lalit Giri, Praveen Dhyani, Arun Jugran, Indra D. Bhatt, and Ranbeer S. Rawal Downloaded by [Doon University] at 22:28 25 October 2015
G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand, India 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. Keywords: Astavarga, Chyavanprash, Habenaria intermedia, Habenaria edgeworthii, Roscoea procera, Minerals, Phenolic compounds.
INTRODUCTION Among traditional Ayurvedic medicines, ‘Astavarga’ (a group comprising of eight medicinal plants, namely, Ridhi [Habenaria intermedia], Vriddhi [H. edgeworthii], Jeevak [Malaxis acuminata], Rishvak [M. muscifera], all four in family Orchidaceae; Kakoli [Roscoea procera—family Zingiberaceae]; and Kshirakakoli [Lilium polyphyllum], Meda [Polygonatum verticillatum], and Mahameda [P. cirrhifolium], all three in family Liliaceae) is well recognised for strengthening vital force of the body, cell regeneration capacity, and immunity system.[1−3] Individually, these species have been reported highly efficacious in a range of serious health problems, including constipation, heart diseases, urinary disorders, diabetes, fever, healing fractures, and abnormal thirst.[4−6] Owing to their medicinal values, ‘Astavarga’ plants are used in different forms, such as Taila (oils), Gritam (medicated clarified butters), and Churna (powders), in the traditional Indian System of Medicine (ISM).[2] Among others, the group forms a major constituent of Chyavanprash (a herbal combination used in ISM), widely known to protect degenerative diseases and to maintain youthfulness, vigour, vitality, etc.[2,6] Received 26 September 2011; accepted 2 January 2012. Address correspondence to Indra D. Bhatt, G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand 263 643, India. E-mail:
[email protected]
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Table 1 Ethnobotanical uses and medicinal importance of selected medicinal plants used in Astavarga.
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Name of the species (Family)
Part used
Ethno-botanical uses
Habenaria edgeworthii (Orchidaceae)
Tubers and leaves
Preparation of Ayurvedic tonic ‘Chyavanprash’
Habenaria intermedia (Orchidaceae)
Tubers and leaves
Roscoea procera (Zingiberaceae)
Rhizomes
Preparation of ‘Chyavanprash’. Tubers and tender young leaves cooked and used as a vegetable. Preparation of ‘Chyavanprash’, ‘Muslipak’, and ‘Chyavanprash aveleha’. Rhizomes are edible.
Medicinal importance Used in burning sensation, hyperdypsia, fever, cold, asthma, insanity, cataplexy, leprously, skin diseases, anorexia, Helminthiasis, emaciation, heamatemesis, gout and general debility.[5] Used in burning sensation, hyperdypsia, fever, cold, asthma, insanity.[5]
Used as a tonic in impotency, diabetes, leucorrhoea, diarrhoea, dysentery, malaria.[5]
With the growing awareness among consumers, the natural antioxidants are attracting attention of users and researchers. In this context, among others, the medicinal plants are considered as an easily available natural source of antioxidants.[7] However, detailed screening for chemical composition and antioxidant activity in most of the known medicinal plants is lacking. The ‘Astavarga’ species are no exception. Considering this gap in systematic investigation on nutritional and antioxidant potential, three ‘Astavarga’ species, namely, H. intermedia, H. edgeworthii, and R. procera were investigated. The target species occurs between an altitude of 1700–2800 m asl in the Himalayan region. Besides being used in different medicinal formulations, these species are also consumed as wild edible.[1,5,8] The details of their ethnotherapeutical and medicinal importance are given in Table 1. Considering the proven traditional uses as medicine and food supplements, the present study, for the first time, attempts to systematically investigate nutritional and antioxidant potential of the target species from the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). MATERIAL AND METHODS Plant Material Tubers/rhizomes of the target species were collected during August 2007 from Dhanoulti (N 30◦ 27 02 ; E 78◦ 15 07 ; 2100 m asl), district Tehri in Uttarakhand (Indian west Himalaya). Voucher specimens, identified after consulting the herbarium at Botanical Survey of India, Dehradun were deposited in the herbarium of G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development (GBPIHED), Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, India. The collected plant material was dried in a hot air oven (55◦ C) and powdered using a grinder mill (Macro Scientific, India). Powdered samples were stored in airtight polythene bags containing silica gel in the dark at room temperature (20−25◦ C) till further analysis.
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Nutritional and Phytochemical Analysis The powdered samples (10 g) were extracted in 100 ml of 20% v/v acetic acid (in ethanol) for 4 h to determine alkaloids. The extract was filtered to remove cellulose debris and then concentrated to about one-fourth of the original volume. One percent NH4 OH was added drop by drop until a precipitate occurred. After filtration, the crude alkaloid in precipitated form was obtained.[9] Total phenolic content of methanolic extracts (80%) were quantified by using Folins-Ciocalteu reagents method[10] with minor modification.[11] Gallic acid was used as standard for quantification and results were expressed as gallic acid equivalent per gram dry weight. Total flavoniod content was determined following aluminium chloride method.[12] Quercetin was used as standard for quantification and results were expressed as quercetin equivalent per gram dry weight. Tannin content was estimated by using the Folins-Dannis reagent method.[13] In methanolic extract, an equal volume of Folins-Dannis reagent was added and neutralized with saturated sodium carbonate solution. The standard curve of tannic acid was used for quantification and results were expressed as tannic acid equivalent per gram dry weight. Crude fat was determined by extracting 2.0 g plant material with diethyl ether in a soxhlet extractor for 6 h, and after drying the solvent, extracted crude fat was estimated.[14] Crude fibre was determined on defatted samples, which involved a sequential extraction with 1.25% NaOH, drying the residue (4 h; 102◦ C) followed by incineration (30 min; 600◦ C). The difference between dry weight and ash content of the residue was taken as an estimation of the crude fibre content.[15] For quantification of thiamine content, samples (5 g) were homogenized with 50 ml of ethanolic sodium hydroxide and filtered. In 10 ml of filtered solution, 10 ml of potassium dichromate was added for colour development, and the resulting absorbance was measured at 360 nm.[16] For riboflavin content, each sample (5 g) was extracted with 100 ml of 50% ethanol solution and shaken for 1 h; the solution was filtered. Then, 10 ml of this extract was added to 10 ml of 5% potassium permanganate (KMNO4 ). Thereafter, 10 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) was added and allowed to stand over a hot water bath for 30 min. The total volume (50 ml) was made by adding 40% sodium sulphate. Absorbance was measured at 510 nm in a spectrophotometer (Hitachi U-2001, Japan).[16] Analysis of Mineral Elements Potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and lithium (Li) were determined by a flame photometer (Systronic-128) following Allen.[17] The microelements (i.e., copper [Cu], zinc [Zn], iron [Fe], magnesium [Mg], and cobalt [Co]) were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Varian AA 28-0Z). HPLC Analysis of Phenolic Compounds Analysis was conducted using a HPLC system (Merck Hitachi) equipped with an L-7100 series pump and L-7400 series UV-VIS detector; facilitated with Winchrome 99 software (Infotech Instrument, Mumbai, India). The chromatographic column 250 × 4.6 mm i.d., Lichrosphere® 100; RP-8e (5 μM) column (Merck Pvt. Ltd., Germany) was used. The mobile phase was water:methanol:acetic acid (80:20:1) in isocratic mode, flow rate was 0.8 ml per minute and injection volume was 20 microliter. The spectra of gallic acid, catechin, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, ρ-coumaric acid, and ellagic acid were recorded at 254 nm and ρ-caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid at 370 nm. The identification of phenolic
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compounds was done with respect to retention time of corresponding external standard. UV-VIS spectra of pure standard at different concentrations were used for plotting standard calibration curve for quantification of phenolic compounds. The repeatability of quantitative analysis was
