HPTLC method for isolation, identification and quantification of quercetin from in vivo and in vitro samples of Naringi crenulata

Abstract

Naringi crenulata (Roxb.) Nicolson, is a rare medicinal plant belonging to the family Rutaceae. It is a spinous tree and has great medicinal value. During the present study a rapid, simple, accurate and specific HPTLC method for quantitative estimation of quercetin present in the dried leaf powder and callus of N. crenulata has been developed .The method used in this work resulted in good peak shape and enabled good resolution of quercetin from N. crenulata samples. Quercetin was identified in in vivo (leaf) and in vitro (six weeks old callus) tissues. Presence of isolated quercetin was further confirmed by superimposable IR spectra of isolated and authentic samples of quercetin and NMR spectra of isolated quercetin. Variation in quercetin content in in vivo and in vitro samples in N. crenulata was observed. In vivo leaf had maximum amount of quercetin (0.13%) while minimum amount was found in in vitro callus (0.032%). High content of quercetin in leaf shows its potential of synthesizing quercetin. This study is also of practical importance because flavonoid quercetin is the most active of all flavonoids. Many medicinal plants owe their activity to their high quercetin content. Several studies revealed quercetin’s significant anti-inflammatory activity due to direct inhibition of initial processes of inflammation. It also has potent antitumor and antioxidant properties including the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and migration. This study is of practical importance because compound quercetin was firstly reported to be isolated from callus of N. crenulata