Elicitation and Isolation of Gallic Acid from Cell Suspension Culture of Pseudarthria viscida (L.) WIGHT & ARN.

Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wight & Arn. is a perennial semi erect diffuse under shrub, belonging to the family Fabaceae. This plant is an essential component of many famous Ayurvedic formulations like Dashamoola, Mahanarayana taila and Dhantara taila. Major chemical compounds present in the roots include gallic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin and oleic acid. Of which, gallic acid was the major phenolic compound present in highest quantity than other phenolics in Pseudarthria viscida. Gallic acid is a poly hydroxyl phenolic compound widely distributed in various plants, fruits and foods. It acts as an antioxidant, antimutagenic, lipid lowering, anti atherosclerotic, antiliver injury, antitumor, and anticarcinogenic agent. The main aim of this work is the enhanced production of this important secondary metabolite gallic acid using biotic and abiotic elicitors in cell suspension culture of Pseudarthria viscida. For secondary metabolite production, the four week old callus were cultured in suspension using different concentration of abiotic (Salicylic acid, Calcium chloride) and biotic elicitors (Chitosan, Pectin) for 24, 48 and 72 hrs of treatment duration. The results were analyzed spectrophotometrically. The identification and quantification of bioactive phenolic compound (gallic acid) was carried out by HPTLC and HPLC methods. Isolation was carried out by Column chromatography, Preparative TLC, UV & IR methods. The optimal fold increase of phenolic compound was noticed in 48 hour callus culture by 1.5 mg chitosan treatment. These chitosan treated cell suspension were further used for isolation purpose of phenolic compound. Future works should focus on evaluation of medicinal properties of the isolated compound.