Abstract

COMPARATIVE GC–MS ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY METABOLITES FROM LEAF, STEM AND CALLUS OF GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA

U. Vijayalakshmi and Abhilasha Shourie*

Abstract

The aim of this study is identification and comparative analysis of secondary metabolites present in ethanol extracts of leaf, stem and callus of Glycyrrhiza glara through Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry analysis. Leaf, stem and callus cultures were harvested, shade dried, powdered in a mechanical grinder and extracted in 70% ethanol at 85°C for 4 hours with constant agitation. The extract was filtered and re-extracted two times under same conditions. Each time the filtrate was collected in the same flask and partitioned using the following solvents: petroleum ether, diethyl ether and ethyl acetate and the analysis was through GC-MS. The GC–MS analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of 31, 23 and 44 different types of sceondary metabolites in leaf, stem and callus respectively. The callus was detected with the presence of some valuable compounds including the flavonoids licoisoflavone B, licochalcone A and liquirtigenin which were absent in stem and leaves. These chemical compounds are considered biologically active and pharmacologically important. This study not only gives a detailed comparison of detection and identification of various bioactive phytochemicals from different plant parts (leaves, stem) and callus of Glycyrrhiza glabra but also provides a scope for the further study and enhancement in the production of the valuable compounds specially in callus.

Keywords: Callus, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Leaf, Stem, GC-MS.