Comparative study of effect of physical and chemical mutagens on phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of Aegle marmelos Corr.

Aegle marmelos Corr.( Bael ) contains various important phytochemicals in all the parts of the plant which are responsible for its medicinal properties. Bael plantlets grown in vitro were treated by mutagenic agents namely colchicine, Diethyl sulphate (DES) and Gamma radiations and the effect of these treatments on total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was compared. The levels of phenolics in Colchicine and Gamma treated plants was found to be nearly two times the levels of in the control specimens, while the treatment of DES resulted in a significant reduction in the levels. The colchiploids were found to contain nearly double the concentration of flavonoids than the untreated controls followed by the Gamma treated samples. The exposure to DES lowered the concentration of total flavonoids than the untreated control plantlets. Free radical scavenging activity by DPPH showed an increase in colchiploids, the DES treated ones were similar to control while the Gamma irradiated specimens had poor activity than the control plantlets.