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Ankita Yadav. et al. / International Journal of Biopharmaceutics. 2012; 3(2): 65-69.
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International Journal of Biopharmaceutics
Journal homepage: www.ijbonline.com
IJB
BIOCHEMICAL ESTIMATION OF PRIMARY METABOLITES
OF CASSIA NODOSA BUNCH
Ankita Yadav*, R.A. Sharma, Daulat Singh, Richa Bhardwaj
*Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Lab, lab no 14, Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan,
Jaipur-302004, India.
ABSTRACT
Cassia nodosa Bunch is an ornamental tree belonging to family Leguminosae, popularly known as Pink Shower is
a perennial tree. Laboratory evaluations were made to assess the study of primary metabolites in different plant parts of
Cassia nodosa Bunch. The highest amount of soluble sugars (10.27mg/gdw), lipids (32.36mg/gdw), phenols(20.0mg/gdw),
DNA (11.78mg/gdw) and Chlorophylla+b (0.94mg/gdw) was observed in pods, ascorbic acid (0.867mg/gdw), proteins
(115.0mg/gdw), RNA (4.60mg/gdw) and carotenoids (0.554mg/gdw) in leaves and starch (10.02mg/gdw) in stems.
Similarly lowest amount of proteins (39.48mg/gdw), phenols (4.67mg/gdw), RNA (0.49mg/gdw) and DNA (1.76mg/gdw)
was observed in leaves, starch (3.76mg/gdw) in flowers, soluble sugars (2.45mg/gdw), lipids (3.48mg/gdw), ascorbic acid
(0.089mg/gdw) in roots.
Keywords: Cassia nodosa, Primary metabolites Lipids, Phenols, Proteins, Ascorbic acid, Starch.
INTRODUCTION
Various industries are now searching into
sources of alternative, more natural and eco-friendly
antimicrobials, antibiotics, antidiabetics, antioxidants and
crop protection agents. Medicinal plants have provided a
good source of a wide variety of compounds, such as
phenolic compounds, nitrogen compounds, vitamins,
terpenoids and some other secondary metabolites, which
are rich in valuable bioactivities, e.g., antioxidant, antiinflammatory,
antitumor,
antimutagenic,
anticarcinogenic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral
activities (P.K.Lai,2004 ; L.C. Tapsell, 2006). India is
endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal plants. India
recognizes more than 2500 plant species which have
medicinal values. Plants are the source of many bioactive
Corresponding Author
Ankita Yadav
Email: yadanki22@gmail.com
compounds (Kirtikar and Basu, 1995).
Cassia nodosa commonly called pink Cassia is a
common ornamental tree belonging to the family
Leguminosae. It is a perennial tree 3-5 m height and
scattered in the India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma.
Traditionally it is useful in the indigenous medicine, as
its pods and leaves showed purgative activities and
cytotoxic activity (Rizk and Heiba, 1990). Bark of C.
nodosa is used as one of the ingredients in antidiabetic
ayurvedic formulation (Joshi et al., 2007). Leaves are
proved to be active against Herpes simplex infection
(Cheng et al., 2006). The presence of these antidiabetic
phytochemicals of C. nodosa leaves may give desired
pharmacological action. It shows hyperglycemic activity
Kumavat et al., 2012).
Primary metabolites are of prime importance
and essentially required for growth of plants for example;
sugar, protein, lipids, starch. Many primary metabolites
act as precursors of pharmacologically active
metabolites. The present study deals with the study of
primary metabolites present in Cassia nodosa.
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Ankita Yadav. et al. / International Journal of Biopharmaceutics. 2012; 3(2): 65-69.
Experimental Section
Collection of plant material
Plant material was collected from the hills of
Amer, Jaipur. It was then authenticated by Herbarium,
Department of Botany, Rajasthan University, Jaipur,
Rajasthan, India.
Preparation of extracts
The stem, leaves, flowers, pods and roots of
Cassia nodosa was properly washed under tap water,
shade dried and powdered. All the plant parts were then
evaluated quantitatively to estimate the total levels of
soluble sugars, starch, proteins, lipids, phenols, amino
acid and ascorbic acid following the established methods
for the sugars, starch (Dubois et al., 1951), protein
(Lowry et al., 1951), lipids (Jayaraman, 1981), phenols
(Bray and Thorpe, 1954), amino acid (Roe and Kuether,
1943), ascorbic acid (Lee and Takahashi, 1966). All
experiments were repeated five times for precision and
values were expressed in mean ± standard deviation in
terms of air dried material (Table 1).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
All the plant parts of Cassia nodosa were
evaluated quantitatively for the analysis of total soluble
sugars, starch, protein, phenol, lipid, amino acid and
ascorbic acid.
Plants are rich sources of high value metabolites
like proteins, phenols, sugars, starch, lipids, amino acids
and ascorbic acids which are directly involved in the
normal growth, development and reproduction and are
useful in flavoring, fragrances, insecticides, sweeteners
and natural dyes (Kaufman et al., 1999).
Starch is biodegradable and renewable in nature.
They are increasingly being considered as an eco-friendly
alternative to the use of synthetic additives in many other
products, including plastics, detergents, pharmaceutical
tablets, pesticides, cosmetics and even oil-drilling fluids
(Garth et al., 1998). The highest amount of starch was
observed in stems i.e. 10.5mg/gdw and minimum amount
was observed in flowers i.e. 3.48mg/gdw (Fig. 1).
Quantitative estimation of sugar shows that
content of sugar is highest in pods i.e. 10.3mg/gdw and
minimum i.e. 2.45mg/gdw in roots (Fig. 2). Plant sugars
can be used as artificial sweeteners and they can even
help diabetics by supporting the body in its rebuilding
(Freeze, 1998).
The total levels of lipid were found to be higher
in seed i.e. pods 44.6mg/gdw and lowest in stems i.e.
3.07mg/gdw (Fig. 3). The higher amount of plant lipid
can be used as essential oils, spice oleoresins and natural
food colors. With a strong foundation in research and
development, plant lipids have developed products that
work with diverse requirements, be it culinary, medicinal
or cosmetic (Yadav and Tyagi, 2006).
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a familiar molecule
because of its dietary significance, most aspects of its
metabolism and some aspects of its function in plants are
very poorly understood (Nicholas, 1996). Total levels of
ascorbic acid were found to be highest in leaves i.e.
0.764mg/gdw and minimum in roots i.e. 0.04mg/gdw
(Fig. 4).
Table 1. Concentration of primary metabolites in Cassia nodosa (mg/gdw)*
Roots
Stem
Leaves
8.07
10.5
6.80
Starch
2.45
2.48
9.76
Total soluble sugar
0.04
0.36
0.764
Ascorbic acid
4.06
3.07
17.67
Lipids
42.65
34.69
116.0
Proteins
8.64
3.84
10.69
Phenols
0.46
0.78
6.32
RNA
2.86
3.20
14.32
DNA
0.211
Chl a+b
0.34
0.48
1.116
Carotenoids
Proteins are the primary components of living
things. The presence of higher protein level in the plant
points towards their possible increase food value or that a
protein base bioactive compound could also be isolated in
future (Thomsan et al., 1991). Total levels of protein
were found to be highest in leaves i.e. 116.00mg/gdw and
lowest in flowers i.e. 34.38mg/gdw (Fig. 3).
Total levels of phenols were found to be highest
in pods i.e. 22.0mg/gdw and lowest in stems i.e.
3.84mg/gdw (Fig. 4). The higher amount of phenols is
Flowers
3.48
9.86
0.368
12.68
34.38
9.86
5.36
11.46
0.186
0.56
Pods
7.69
10.3
0.264
44.6
86.74
22.00
1.49
9.46
0.94
0.346
important in the regulation of plant growth, development
and diseases resistance. It can be used as fungicide,
pesticides, an antiseptic, disinfectant and in the
manufacture of resins, explosives, plastics, detergents
and pharmaceutical substances.
Total levels of DNA and RNA were found to be
highest in leaves i.e. 14.32mg/gdw & 6.32mg/gdw
respectively minimum in roots i.e.2.86mg/gdw &
0.46mg/gdw respectively (Fig. 7 and 8). The DNA is the
biological molecule that stores all the genetic
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Ankita Yadav. et al. / International Journal of Biopharmaceutics. 2012; 3(2): 65-69.
information. Everything that the cells has to do, at what
time in its life cycle, and how it has to do it is determined
by the information contained in the DNA molecule.
Total levels of chlorophyll a+b and carotenoids
were found to be highest in leaves i.e. 0.211mg/gdw &
1.116mg/gdw respectively minimum in roots i.e.
0.0mg/gdw & 0.34mg/gdw respectively (Fig. 9 and
10).One of the most important process of plants i.e
photosynthesis deapendent upon the light capturing
capacity of these pigments.
Figure 4. Ascorbic acid concentration of Cassia
nodosa
Figure 1. Starch concentration of Cassia nodosa
Figure 5. Protein concentration of Cassia nodosa
Figure 2. Soluble sugars concentration of Cassia
nodosa
Figure 3. Lipids concentration of Cassia nodosa
Figure 6. Phenols concentration of Cassia nodosa
Figure 7. RNA concentration of Cassia nodosa
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Figure 8. DNA concentration of Cassia nodosa
Figure 10. Carotenoids concentration of Cassia
nodosa
Figure 9. Chl a+b concentration of Cassia nodosa
CONCLUSION
Cassia nodosa contain many primary
metabolites like carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, lipids,
amino acids and ascorbic acids. Highest amount of
soluble sugar were found to be in pods (10.3mg/gdw),
starch in stems (10.5mg/gdw), lipids in pods
(44.6mg/gdw), proteins in leaves (116.0mg/gdw), phenol
in pods (44.6mg/gdw) and
ascorbic acid in
leaves(0.764mg/gdw). These results are suggestive of
primary bioactive compound of commercially importance
and may result in great interest in plants pharmaceuticals.
These primary metabolites further used for biosynthesis
of secondary metabolites or bioactive compounds
(Vijayvergia and Kumar, 2007).
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