Department of Botany

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Open Access
Assessment of Therapeutic Potential and Phytochemical Profiling in Different Solvent Extracts of Centella asiatica
(University of North Bengal, 2023) Saran Kumar Gupta
Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, commonly known as Indian pennywort, a small perennial herb from the Apiaceae family has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different extraction solvents on the therapeutic and phytochemical profiles of various parts of Centella asiatica. Among the various plant parts assessed, the leaves exhibited the best antioxidant and in vitro antidiabetic activity and the highest amount of phytoconstituents compared to petiole and root. Methanol was identified as the most effective solvent, yielding optimal IC50 values for DPPH (30.65 μg/ml) and ABTS (45.23 μg/ml). Additionally, the methanolic extract of leaves exhibited highest content of phenolics (65.49 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoids (12.56 mg QE/g DW). The methanolic leaf extract also demonstrated a promising inhibition potential against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes and possessed elevated levels of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins and terpenoids. This study demonstrated significant variations in the therapeutic potential of Centella asiatica, attributed to differences in the nature of the extraction solvents.
Open Access
Underutilized Fruits of Northeast India and its Potential Benefits on Human Health - Review
(University of North Bengal, 2023) Banerjee, Swarnendra; Sen, Arnab
The Indian Himalayas, a global biodiversity hotspot, is home to 2532 species from temperate regions of Europe, China, Burma, the Sahara, and Africa. India's plant biodiversity includes 21 agroecosystems, including farmed fruit and wild, under-utilized fruit crops. These underutilized fruit crops have potential but are rarely planted, infrequently available on the market, or not farmed commercially. They are disease-resistant and adapted to heat and cold extremes, blessing tropical nations like India. Underutilized fruit crops have medicinal properties and are often used by Native Americans to heal ailments and for the financial well-being of tribal people in rural regions. The use of wild fruits as nutritional supplements or less expensive alternatives to commercial fruits is growing worldwide. Identifying and utilizing underutilized species is crucial for a diverse and nutritious diet, especially for rural poor and socially vulnerable populations in emerging countries. India's North-Eastern Hill region is an agrobiodiversity hub characterized by diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is rich in wild agricultural plant relatives, particularly underutilized fruit crops, and mixed temperate, tropical, and subtropical fruits from various genera. Fruits, vegetables, and other plants naturally produce important polyphenol metabolites that influence their sensory and nutritive qualities, potentially curing various conditions.
Open Access
Polyethylene Gycol (PEG) Induced Water Stress in Four Different Genotypes of Pea Seedlings and Evaluation of The Induced Defense Mechanism
(University of North Bengal, 2022) Bantawa, Pranay; Rai, Ritu
Present work was undertaken on artificially induced water stress on pea seedlings under in vitro conditions in order to select the drought tolerant line. Artificial water stress was induced with PEG-6000 on 15-day old seedlings of four varieties for 4, 8 and 12 days. The activities of antioxidative enzymes like peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase were assayed in the stressed and control plants. POX activity was increased in the initial stages of stress, but its activity was decreased significantly on the 12th day in all the varieties. APOX also showed a similar trend but the maximum activity was noted in Var 3 on the 8th day. CAT activity decreased in var 1 and var 2 when compared with the control, which, however, increased significantly in var 3 and var 4. A slight increase in the GR activity was observed in var 1 and var 2 at the initial stages of the drought stress but its activity decreased significantly on the 12th day in both these varieties when compared with control plants. However, its activity also increased steadily in var 3 and var 4. Maximum SOD activities were noted on the 4th day of drought stress in all four varieties but its activities decreased steadily on the subsequent 8th and 12th days when compared with control. When antioxidative activities were compared among the four varieties, var 3 and var 4 showed maximum increase in antioxidant activity during the period of drought stress. Among the four varieties, var 3 and var 4 showed greater accumulation of H2O2 during the stress days and were maximum at 12th day. Lipid peroxidation also increased in the same varieties. Maximum proline content was noted in both the root and leaf of var 3, followed by var 4. It was further noted that the chlorophyll content decreased significantly in all four varieties in subsequent longer drought stresses. The accumulation of proline content was steadily higher with an increase in the stress length in all the four varieties. During the drought stress, all the varieties showed an increase in ascorbate content but, it was maximum in var 4 followed by var 3 and the least ascorbate was noted in var 1. The present findings indicate that water stress induces oxidative stress in all the four varieties. However, antioxidative mechanisms were found to be more pronounced in var 4 which, therefore, may be considered as the most tolerant to drought stress.

Department of Botany

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