Title:Effect of Geographical and Seasonal Variations on Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Aerial Parts of Urtica diocia L.
VOLUME: 5
Author(s):Vinod Kumar Gautam, Mannu Datta and Ashish Baldi*
Affiliation:IES College of Pharmacy, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh,, Department of Pharmacognosy, I.S.F. College of Pharmacy, Moga, Punjab,, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Maharja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University
Keywords:Antioxidant, Flavonoids, Polyphenols, Seasonal variation, Urtica dioica Linn.
Abstract:Introduction: Environmental conditions affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites
as a result of biotic and abiotic factors. In the present study, the effect of different
geographical locations and season was studied on total phenolic and flavonoid contents extracted
from Urtica dioica Linn.
Methodology: The aerial parts of U. dioica collected from Palampur, Shimla and
Dharamshala in different seasons were subjected to hydro-alcoholic extraction. Quantitative
estimation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents in various extracts was carried out spectrophotometrically.
Results: The highest amount of total phenolic (3.987± 0.130) and flavonoid contents
(2.847± 0.341) was found in Palampur sample collected in summer season whereas sample
collected from Dharamshala in spring season showed the least phenolic contents. In vitro
antioxidant activity of all the samples was evaluated by DPPH, NO scavenging and FRPA
method. The antioxidant potential was found maximum in the sample collected from
Palampur in the summer season, however, the sample collected from Dharamshala in spring
season showed the least antioxidant potential.
Conclusion: The present study confirms that altitude and seasonal variations significantly
affect the levels of secondary metabolites in plant parts.
