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The present study entitled “Ethnopharmacology and technology standardisation
for quality retention of hepatoprotective phyto resources” was carried out in the
Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the
period 2019-2021 to identify the potential hepatoprotective medicinal plants used by
Kuruma tribes in Wayanad district and standardise the drying and extraction techniques
for retention of hepatoprotective activity.
Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological survey was carried out among Kuruma
tribes of seven different tribal settlements from Sulthan Bathery taluk of Wayanad district
viz., Choyimoola, Kayappura, Kottanod, Mathamangalam, Oorankunnu, Pilakkavu and
Valluvadi recorded 37 different phyto resources and its 46 indigenous hepatoprotective
remedies. Among them the most effective and the frequently used hepatoprotective phyto
resources are Adhatoda vasica Nees (leaves), Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa. (leaves),
Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br (bark), Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. (bark), Centella
asiatica L. (leaves), Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (rhizome), Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.
(leaves), Eclipta prostrata (L.) (leaves), Lawsonia inermis L. (leaves) and Tinospora
cordifolia Miers. (stem).
Macerated acetone extracts of T.cordifolia stem (24.02%), followed by E.
prostrata (L.) leaves (27.27%), C. dactylon leaves (30.42%), C. asiatica L. leaves
(32.84%) and A. scholaris bark (36.84) prepared by conventional drying method (sun
drying) showed superior in vitro hepatoprotective activity (HepG2 cell toxicity) and
hence were selected for further study on drying protocol development.
The crude drugs were subject to five different drying methods viz., shade drying,
sun drying, drying in cabinet drier at 50ºC, 60ºC and 70ºC and two extraction techniques
viz., soxhlet extraction and maceration. The prepared crude drug acetone extracts were
analysed for physical and phytochemical quality parameters.
Acetone extract of all the crude drugs contained alkaloids, cardiac glycosides,
flavonoids, phenols and saponins. Phytosterols were absent. A. scholaris bark acetone
extract prepared through drying the crude drug in cabinet drier at 60°C (21.40 h)
and extracted through soxhlet extraction (24.08 h) recorded significantly higher
total alkaloids (33.26 μg AE mg-1
), cardiac glycosides (2.87 μg DE mg-1
) and total
phenols (148.08 μg GAE mg-1
). C. asiatica leaf acetone extract prepared through
drying the crude drug under shade (167.68 h) and extracted through soxhlet
extraction (21.15 h) recorded significantly higher total alkaloids (50.86 μg AE mg1
), cardiac glycosides (9.48 μg DE mg-1
) and total flavonoids (81.88 μg QE mg-1
).
C. dactylon leaf acetone extract prepared through drying the crude drug under shade
(144.21 h) and extracted through soxhlet extraction (20.20 h) recorded significantly
higher cardiac glycosides (11.53 μg DE mg-1
), total flavonoids (44.64 μg QE mg-1
),
total phenols (262.92 μg GAE mg
-1
) and total saponins (40.81 μg DE mg-1
). E.
prostrata leaf acetone extract prepared by drying the crude drug in cabinet drier at
50°C (10.17 h) and extracted through soxhlet extraction (22.20 h) recorded
significantly higher total flavonoids (42.99 μg QE mg-1
), total phenols (71.14 μg
GAE mg-1
) and total saponins (49.31 μg DE mg-1
). T. cordifolia stem acetone
extract prepared by drying the crude drug in cabinet drier at 50°C (14.27 h) and
extracted by soxhlet extraction (24.10 h) recorded significantly higher cardiac
glycosides (13.49 μg DE mg-1
), total phenols (76.81 μg GAE mg-1
) and total
saponins (50.11 μg DE mg-1
).
The crude drug extracts prepared through standardised protocol were
subjected to in vitro pharmacological studies. T. cordifolia stem acetone extract
prepared by drying the crude drug in cabinet drier at 50°C and extracted through
soxhlet extraction recorded significantly highest in vitro antioxidant activity
(80.33% DPPH radical scavenging activity) as well as in vitro hepatoprotective
activity (15.72% cytotoxicity).
The study revealed that acetone extracts of the crude drug prepared using
standardized protocol could retain 8.30% (T. cordifolia), 10.15% (E. prostrata),
6.99% (C. dactylon), 4.79% (C. asiatica) and 6.40% (A. scholaris) more in vitro
hepatoprotective activity (cytotoxicity) than the conventionally dried ones.