Biotransformation based Pharmacophores from Plant Extract of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle Ex Benth

Abstract

An investigation entitled “Optimization of fermentation parameters to enhance biotransformation based pharmacophores from plant extract of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth” was conducted in the Division of Microbiology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences to optimize different fermentation parameters to enhance the polyphenols in the plant Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth collected from the Galhar region of District Kishtwar of UT Jammu & Kashmir. Four fermentation parameters were optimized during the experiment i.e. temperature, pH, inoculum load and incubation time with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus acidophilus. The experimental results revealed that among Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces performed better in all the conditions. Saccharomyces showed the maximum increase in phenolics and flavonoids. It showed the max increase at 300C (92.10 to 127.04mg GAE/g dw) temperature and at pH of 5.5(92.43 to 128.96mg GAE/g dw) When incubated for 48h. Also, it was observed that increasing incubation time has an increasing effect on total phenolic content and flavonoid content but prolonged fermentation results in the decrease of both. In case of Saccharomyces, decrease in phenolics was observed after 48h (136.77 to 100.05mg GAE/g dw) but in case of Lactobacillus, decrease was seen after 72h, which could be due to the oxidation of phenols by bacteria. Further LCMS analysis also revealed an increase in the quantity of compounds as there is increase in the peak area. Thus, this study suggests optimum fermentation parameters and microorganism for enhancing bioactive compounds in Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth. The results suggest that Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the best microorganism for fermentation of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth and the optimum conditions for incubation is 300C temperature at pH5.5 for 48h; that gives improved nutraceutical values and enhance the bioavailability of these bioactive compounds.