ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 SEPARATION AND OBSERVATION OF PLANT PIGMENTS IN FERTILIZERS EFFECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS USING PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY S.P Kiran kumari 1, Y. Satya vani 2, V Sridevi 3, M.V.V. Chandana Lakshmi 4 1 M.Tech Biotechnology, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, A.P, India, kirank2306@gmail.com 2 M.Tech, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, A.P, India, satya.yadla@gmail.com 3 Associate professor, Dept of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, A.P, India, vellurusridevi@yahoo.co.in 4 Associate professor, Dept of chemical Engineering, Andhra University, A.P, India,mahantilakshmi@yahoo.com Abstract Plants are one of five big groups of living things. The whole plant biodiversity is the largest source of herbal medicine and among these India have 15 agro climatic zones and 17000- 18000 species of flowering plants of which 6000-7000 are estimated to have medicinal usage. The Indian medicinal plants and their products also account of exports in the range of Rs. 10 billion. It raises a need of studies in medicinal plants as these are involved in maintaining traditional therapies and also they lead to economical support to the country. In this research paper three different varieties of medicinal plants are subjugated to fertilizers treatment for 60 days and later on the plant pigments were separated using paper chromatography and observed under UV-Transilluminator. The Rf values were noted down and compared with their respective control plant values .The presence or absence of the pigments when compared to the control plant significantly indicates the effect of fertilizers on the medicinal plant pigments. Index Terms: Medicinal plants, Fertilizers, Plant pigments, Paper Chromatography, UV-Transilluminator -------------------------------------------------------------------------*** --------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION Medicinal plants are an accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate source of primary health care for more than 80% of Asia's population (WHO) [1]. Marginalized, rural and indigenous people, who cannot afford or access formal health care systems, are especially dependent on these culturally familiar, technically simple, financially affordable and generally effective traditional medicines [2]. As such, there is widespread interest in promoting traditional health systems to meet primary health care needs [3]. This is especially true in South Asia, as prices of modern medicines spiral and governments find it increasingly difficult to meet the cost of pharmaceutical-based health care. Throughout the region, there is strong and sustained public support for the protection and promotion of the cultural and spiritual values of traditional medicines [4]. Many of the modern medicines are produced indirectly from medicinal plants. Plants are directly used as medicines by a majority of cultures around the world. Cultivation and preservation of medicinal plants protect biological diversity [3]. There cultivation plays a vital role in its high scale production of medicinal plants. Fertilizers is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants [5]. The use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers has increased steadily in the last 50 years, rising almost 20-fold to the current rate of 100 million tonnes of nitrogen per year [6].The use of phosphate fertilizers has also increased from 9 million tonnes per year in 1960 to 40 million tonnes per year in 2000.Organic fertilizers include naturally occurring organic materials like manure, worm castings, compost, seaweed, guano or naturally occurring mineral deposits. Organic fertilizers have been known to improve biodiversity and long-term productivity of soil [7] [8], and may prove a large depository for excess carbon dioxide [9] [10] [11].There are various benefits of both organic and inorganic fertilizers, and for analyzing that we are going to conduct this experimental research work to check out the effect of fertilizers on the plant pigments. IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 317 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY 1.1 Medicinal plants subjugated for the research work Three different varieties of medicinal plants were collected from the nursery and subjected for treatment with fertilizers. Three plants of each variety were collected, among those three one plant acts as a control and other two plants are treated with organic and inorganic fertilizers for 60 days after sown. Later on, these plant samples were collected for the plant pigment separation by using paper chromatography technique. The Plant of our choice was Azadirachta indica, Cassia fistula, Catharanthus roseus as they possess lot of medicinal value. Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 1.2 Selected Medicinal Plant importance Azadirachta indica is a fast growing, long-lived tree with unpleasant smelling wood that grows to about 12 meters. It has evergreen pinnate leaves and small fragrant yellow-white flowers, followed by green-yellow berries [12]. It is a bitter tonic herb that reduces inflammations and clears toxins, while promoting healing and improving all body functions. Apart from this it destroys a wide range of parasitic organisms and is also insecticidal and spermicidal. Cassia fistula is native of India, commonly known as Amaltaas, is one of the most beautiful of all tropical trees when it sheds its leaves and bursts into a mass of long, grapebunches like yellow gold flowers. A tropical ornamental tree with a trunk consisting of hard reddish wood, growing up to 40 feet tall [13]. Catharanthus roseus is a fleshy perennial growing plant which grows to 32 inches (80 cm) high. It has glossy, dark green, oval leaves (1-2 inches long) and flowers all summer long. The blooms of the natural wild plants are a pale pink with a purple "eye" in their centers [15] [16]. In the wild, it is an endangered plant and the main cause of decline is habitat destruction by slash and burn agriculture [17]. It is also however widely cultivated and is naturalized in subtropical and tropical areas of the world [18]. The Importance of these respective plants is as many as we can list out, but some of them are listed out and tabulated in Table-1. Table-1: Details and application of the medicinal plants which are involved in the research work Medicinal plants Cassia fistula Family Fabaceae Meliaceae Azadirachta indica Involved in various treatments It is also called as disease killer" and useful curing skin diseases, burning sensations , syphilis, cardiac disorders, intermittent fever and general debility Involves in curing fever, nausea, vomiting, treat malaria, tuberculosis, arthritis, intestinal worms, as well as to treat skin disease. Figure-1: A- Cassia fistula, B- Azadirachta indica,CCatharanthus roseus IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 318 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Apocynaceae Catharanthus roseus It arrest bleeding, gargling may help sore throats and chest ailments, laryngitis and the plant contains alkaloids Vinblastine and vincristine, which are used in the treatment of tumor, leukemia, hypertension and has a sedative property. 2. TECHNIQUES INVOLVED IN THE SEPARATION OF PLANT PIGMENTS 2.1 Paper chromatography Chromatography is the collection term for a set of laboratory techniques for the separation of mixtures. The mixture is dissolved in a fluid called the “mobile phase”, which carries it through a structure holding another material called the “stationary phase”. The various constituents of the mixture travel at different speeds, causing them to separate. The separation is based on differential partitioning between the mobile and stationary phases. Subtle differences in a compound’s partition coefficient result in differential retention on the stationary phase and thus changing the separation. Paper chromatography is a technique that involves placing a small dot or line of sample solution onto a strip of chromatography paper. The paper is placed in a jar containing a shallow layer of solvent and sealed. As the solvent rises through the paper, it meets the sample mixture which starts to travel up the paper with the solvent. This Paper is made of cellulose, a polar substance, and the compounds within the mixture travel farther if they are non–polar. More polar substance, bond with the cellulose paper more quickly and therefore do not travel as far [19]. Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 Fig-2: Paper chromatography for separating the colored samples Photosynthesis is the main metabolism for the survival of plants. Photosynthesis is the process which transforms light energy from the sun into chemical energy for the plants. This mechanism is done by the presence of plant pigments which are the macro molecules produced by the plants. These pigments absorb specified wavelengths of visible light to provide the energy required for photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis, but accessory pigments collect and transfer energy to chlorophyll. Although pigments absorb light, the wavelengths of light which are not absorbed by the plant pigments are reflected back. Plant contain different pigments and some of pigments observed include are Chlorophylls (green), Carotenoids ( yellow , orange-red) , Anthocyanins (red to blue, depending on pH), Betalains (red or yellow). In Paper chromatography, paper is marked with the plant extract and is placed in a developing chamber with a specified solvent. The solvent carries the dissolved pigments as it moves up the paper. This shows the variation of the pigments from one fertilizer effected plant to another and finally compared with the control plant pigments. The distance of the pigment travels is unique for the pigment in set conditions and is used to identify the pigment. The ratio is the retention factor Rf value. Rf= The distance travelled by the pigment (cm) _____________________________________ The distance travelled by the solvent (cm) 2.2 UV-Trans illuminator Ultraviolet (UV) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter that of visible light but longer than X rays, in the range of 10nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3eV to 124 eV. It is named because the spectra consist of electromagnetic waves with frequencies higher than those that human identify as the color violet. These frequencies are visible to humans, but visible to a number of insects and birds. They are also indirectly visible by causing florescent materials to glow with visible light. The electromagnetic spectrum of ultraviolet light can be subdivided in a number of ways. The draft ISO standard on determining solar irradiances (ISO-DIS- 21348) describes the following ranges which are tabulated in the Table-2[20] [21]. IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 319 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Table-2: Electromagnetic spectrum of Ultra violet light Name Abbreviation Wavelength range In nanometers Over 400 nm Energy per photon Before UV spectrum Visible light Under 3.10 eV Ultraviolet A ,Long wave, or Black light Near Ultraviolet B or medium wave Middle UVA 400-315 nm 3.10-3.94 eV NUV MUV 400-300 nm 300-200 nm 3.10-4.13 eV 3.94-4.43 eV MUV 300-200 nm 4.13-6.20 eV Ultraviolet C, short wave, or germicidal UVC 280-100nm 4.43-12.4 eV Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS 3.1 Plant cultivation Cassia fistula, Azadirachta indica, Catharanthus roseus, each variety three plants were collected from nursery and plant in the allotted land. Daily these were watered and two plants from each were treated with inorganic and organic fertilizers at a dosage of 1gm/ml. These plants were subjugated for this treatment for 60 days after grown. Mean while, the control plant of each variety was just grown without any chemical treatment. Later on the plants were ready for the experimental work. UV transilluminators consist of a UV light source and associated electronics housed in a box with appropriate optical filters. For safety purpose it has a light transmitting cover with UV filter that transmits visible light to allow specimen to be viewed. All UV trans-illuminator are major sources of UV radiations which can cause damage to skin and eyes of an individual. Due to its major disadvantage of causing damage to humans, in future it will be replaced by blue rays and dyes [22]. Fig-3: UV-Transilluminator IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 320 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 3.3 Developing Paper chromatography Fig-4: All the three varieties of medicinal plants, I- Cassia fistula, II- Azadirachta indica, III- Catharanthus roseus A- Control plant; B- Inorganic fertilizer treated plant; C-Organic fertilizer treated plant 3.2 Plant sample preparation The plant samples from each plant are collected and cleaned twice by using water as shown in Fig-5.In order to extract the pigments from the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast, fresh, grounded leaves may be soaked in acetone or concentrated alcohol. The chloroplast pigment was extracted in 95 % ethanol for several minutes and then filtered using gravity filtration. Cut a piece if whatman No.1 filter paper or chromatography paper to the dimensions of 18cm long whereas one of the edge must be blunt and other end should be pointed. With a pencil lightly make a line of 1.5-2cm from pointed edge of the paper. Take the extracted plant pigment was painted onto the strips of chromatography paper with the help of V- shaped tips or glass tubes or by using small paint brush. Allow the line to dry, and then repeat the process until a dark green line of pigment is evident to see. Next, Chromatography solvent is used to separate the mixture of pigments painted on the paper. Chromatography solvent is prepared by adding nine parts of petroleum ether to one part of acetone. This chromatography solvent is highly volatile and flammable. The V-Shaped tip of the paper is placed in the chromatography solvent and acts as a wick to draw the solvent up the paper, separating pigments according to their relative solubility and molecular weights. The paper is allowed to remain in the solvent until the uppermost pigment band nears the top of the paper. Fig-6: Developing chromatogram 3.4 Visualizing using UV-Transilluminator Fig-5: Cleaned plant leaves After running the chromatographic sample, those strips were visualized under the effect of UV- Transilluminator. Whereas it has three parameters to study, we can visualize the strips IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 321 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY under day light, long wave length (UVA) and short wave length (UVC) and the differences were recorded. 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 Fig-8: Azadirachta indica Paper Chromatography development , C-Control, O-Organic effected plant , IInorganic effected plant 4.1 Paper chromatography development results for research subjugated plant samples All the plant samples were run down for paper chromatography, Cassia fistula, Azadirachta indica, Catharanthus roseus, showed various differences in height and pigments visualizing too. All the chromatography strips of these three plant samples are shown below in Fig-7, 8, 9. Fig-9: Catharanthus roseus Paper Chromatography development, C-Control, O-Organic effected plant, IInorganic effected plant Fig-7: Cassia fistula Paper Chromatography development, C-Control, O-Organic effected plant , I-Inorganic effected plant 4.2 Visualization of Paper chromatography strips under UV- Transilluminator Now the paper chromatography developed strips of each variety of medicinal plant are visualized under UVTransilluminator under short and long wavelengths and some sort of pigments were visualized only under long UV wavelengths. Fig-10, 11, 12 shows the bands of Cassia fistula control plant, organic fertilizer effected plant, inorganic fertilizer effected plant.Fig-13, 14, 15 shows the colored bands of Azadirachta indica under the effect of UV short and long wave lengths.Fig-16, 17, 18 shows the colored bands of Catharanthus roseus under the effect of Short and long wavelengths of UV. IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 322 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Fig-10: Visualization of Cassia fistula control plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Fig-11: Visualization of Cassia fistula organic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Fig-12: Visualization of Cassia fistula inorganic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 Fig-13: Visualization of Azadirachta indica control plant pigments plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Fig-14: Visualization of Azadirachta indica organic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Fig-15: Visualization of Azadirachta indica inorganic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 323 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 Fig-18: Visualization of Catharanthus roseus inorganic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV 4.3 Retention factor value of the developed plant pigments Fig-16: Visualization of Catharanthus roseus control plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Based on the bands formed on the chromatography paper, the retention factor Rf value are calculated for each type of pigment. This is done by dividing the distance travelled by the pigment and distance travelled by the solvent. The values are tabulated in the Table-3. Table-3: Rf values of the three different medicinal plants which are grown under three different conditions are tabulated. Medicinal plants Rf value of Control plant Cassia fistula 0.7Xanthophyll pigment 0.31Chlorophyll 0.9Xanthophyll pigment 0.7Chlorophyll 0.78Xanthophyll pigment 0.55Chlorophyll Azadirachta indica Catharanthus roseus Fig-17: Visualization of Catharanthus roseus organic fertilizer effected plant pigments under both short and long wave lengths of UV Rf value of Organic fertilizer effect 0.74Xanthophyll pigment 0..64Chlorophyll 0.91Xanthophyll pigment 0.6Chlorophyll 0.79Xanthophyll pigment - Rf value of Inorganic fertilizer effect 0.52Xanthophyll pigment 0.70Chlorophyll 0.9Xanthophyll pigment 0.85Chlorophyll 0.727Xanthophyll pigment - From the experimental research work, we have visualized various bands of paper chromatography developed by three different varieties of medicinal plants which were grown under effect of two different kind fertilizers. Majorly two different pigments were found to be present in the plant extracts from the developed chromatograms, and they were Xanthophylls and chlorophylls [24]. The retention factor also revealed a great effort for our work, as in the case of xanthophylls it showed the increase in Rf for the plants treated with organic fertilizers, and in the case of Chlorophyll pigment inorganic fertilizer treated plants showed the higher value when compared to other two different conditions. While in case of Catharanthus roseus both organic and inorganic fertilizer treated plants were lacking the chlorophyll pigment IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 324 ISSN: 2250–3676 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY in the developed chromatogram sheets whereas it was present in control plant. Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 [9]. Lal, R. "Soil Carbon Sequestration Impacts on Global Climate Change and Food Security". Science. Vol 304. No 5677. pp 1623–7. 2004. 5. CONCLUSION Fertilizers has numerous impact on the plants and as well as in the environment simultaneously. It gives support to the plants for building its metabolism up to some extent, at the same time it exhaust some of its natural and valuable elements unknowingly .Still those metabolism are to be analyze and developed to bring awareness in people about the usage of fertilizers for the growth of plants. The above research work was the application of biotechnological sciences and it showed that usage of organic fertilizer may lead to good fruitful results for the development of these three medicinal plants. In agricultural circumstances the results may vary from one tropical region to other, so there is always a need for check it up by performing some experiments. This work can be further developed by using more sophisticated equipments like HPLC, TLC, which may lead to create new innovations in pharmacological fields. REFERENCES [10]. 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Macmillan.1992 [19].file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/INSPIRON/Des ktop/Chromatography.htm [20]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet [21]. http://www.spacewx.com/ISO_solar_standard.html [22]. http://www.acmasindia.com/blog/uv-trans-illuminator/ [23]. Shoji Shibata, Michio Takito, Osamu Tanaka. “Paper Chromatography of Anthraquinone Pigments”. J. Am. Chem. Soc. Vol 72. No 6. pp 2789–2790. 1950 [24]. E Kennedy, H Barker. “Paper Chromatography of Volatile Acids”. Anal. Chem.Vol 23.No 7. pp 1033– 1034.1951. IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 325 S.P KIRAN KUMARI* et al. [IJESAT] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY ISSN: 2250–3676 Volume-2, Issue-2, 317 – 326 BIOGRAPHIES S.P Kiran Kumari, M.Tech Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, Visakhpatnam. Her area of research is related to Environmental Biotechnology and molecular biology. Satya Vani .Yadla M.Tech, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University ,Visakhpatnam. Her area of research is Adsorption and Pollution Control. Dr.V.Sridevi, Associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Andhra university, Visakhapatnam. She has 12 years of experience in teaching and has 25 International and National journals. Her research interests are biodegradation and environmental pollution. She has attended 20 conferences and workshops and got an award of prestigious author from OMICS publications. Dr. M.V.V Chandana Lakshmi, Associate professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Andhra university, Visakhapatnam. She has 5 years of experience in teaching and has 25 International and National journals. Her research interests are biodegradation and environmental pollution. She has attended 20 conferences and workshops. IJESAT | Mar-Apr 2012 Available online @ http://www.ijesat.org 326