Environmental variations on physicochemical properties in vasicine content of Adhatoda vasica - An ayurvedic medicinal plant

Abstract

Adhatoda vasica (Acanthaceae) is a medicinal plant used in traditional formulations for the treatment of various disease conditions. The physicochemical properties fluctuate with the season and in response to stress. To obtain the highest medicinal value it is necessary to collect the plant raw material in the correct season. The present study was aim to evaluate the physiochemical fluctuations in the leaves of A. vasica and the vasicine, an antidiabetic constituent in these leaves. Leaves were collected in every month of a year at different time and places and authentication and standardization was done. The leaves were evaluated for the macroscopic and microscopic evaluation, quantitative microscopy, proximate phytochemical analysis, extractive values in petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, water, and determination of the concentration of antidiabetic component vasicine. The leaves showed morphological and microscopical variations in different seasons. The phytochemical composition was the same in all seasons however the levels of extractive values fluctuated in response to seasonal variations. Maximum levels of ethanol and water extract were obtained in the winter season also the vasicine concentration was higher in this season.