title: Monitoring seasonal variation of epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of Saraca asoca using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Wilde (Fabaceae) is a high valued but vulnerable medicinal plant of Western Ghats region. This plant is mainly known for its use in various gynecological disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to investigate seasonal variation of the polyphenolic compounds viz., epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of S. asoca by using Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (RP-HPLC-DAD) method.
  
  
  METHODS
  The bark was collected in six different Ritu (season) viz. Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), hemant (early winter), Shishir (winter), Vasanta (spring), and Grishma (summer) mentioned in Ayurveda.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RP-HPLC-DAD analysis indicated that levels of epicatechin and gallic acid in the bark of S. asoca vary seasonally. The highest concentration of epicatechin was observed in Shishir Ritu (3315.19 ± 165.76 mg/100g) and gallic acid during Hemant Ritu (211.90 ± 10.60 mg/100 g).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In present study, the ability to synthesize and accumulate both the compounds in bark of S. asoca varied greatly throughout the seasons. It was also observed that the compound epicatechin was present abundantly as compared to gallic acid throughout the seasons.
authors: Department of Dravyaguna, Karnatak Lingayat Education University, Shri. B. M. Kankanwadi Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors: Pushkar M
authors: PM
authors: Ketkar
authors: Department of Dravyaguna, Karnatak Lingayat Education University, Shri. B. M. Kankanwadi Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors: Shraddha U
authors: SU
authors: Nayak
authors: Plant Biotechnology and Tissue Culture Division, Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors: Sandeep R
authors: SR
authors: Pai
authors: Department of Phytochemistry, Regional Medical Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
authors: Rajesh K
authors: RK
authors: Joshi
keywords: Ayurveda; Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Wilde; epicatechin; gallic acid; seasonal variation