Strobilanthes callosa Nees, an alternative for the vulnerable, high-market medicinal plant, Strobilanthes ciliata Nees, endemic to Western Ghats of India

Abstract

Strobilanthes Blume (family: Acanthaceae), is popularly known as 'karvi' in the Sahyadri range of Western Ghats, India. The aim of this study was the identification and comparative quantification of phytochemical 'lupeol' in leaf and stem of diverse Strobilanthes species by HPTLC method. Five Strobilanthes species viz. S. callosa, S. ciliata, S. integrifolia, S. ixiocephala and S. heyneana were studied. Among these species, S. callosa stem showed the highest amount of lupeol in 200 mg crude extract (553 Mu g), followed by S. ixiocephala stem (409.3 Mu g), S. heyneana stem (218.1 Mu g), S. ciliata stem (197.9 Mu g) and S. integrifolia stem (171.7 Mu g). Similarly, in the leaf S. integrifolia showing the lowest amount of lupeol (15.00 Mu g). The current study confirms the presence of lupeol in all the species of Strobilanthes studied for both parts i.e. leaf and stem with the stem showing higher content compared to the leaf. The use in ayurvedic formulations of vulnerable species S. ciliata can be minimized by the use of an alternate source, like S. callosa (abundantly found in Western Ghats of India) as it contains bioactive lupeol content more than S. ciliata.