Altitudinal Variation in Major Bioactive Phytoconstituents of Dolomiaea macrocephala DC. ex Royle in Himachal Pradesh, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55863/ijees.2026.0958Keywords:
Jurinea, Aromatic plant, Alpine herb, Gravimetric method, Quantitative analysis, Secondary metabolites, DhoopAbstract
Plant pharmacological activity is commonly associated with major classes of phytoconstituents, including phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponins. Dolomiaea macrocephala DC. ex Royle is a critically endangered alpine herb of Himachal Pradesh with significant ethnobotanical value as an incense and traditional remedy. The present study investigated altitudinal variation in these key phytoconstituents in the leaves and roots across different locations in Himachal Pradesh. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified using colorimetric assays via spectrophotometry, while alkaloid and saponin contents were estimated using gravimetric methods. The results indicated that total phenolic and saponin contents exhibited a positive trend with increasing elevation in both leaves and roots, whereas alkaloid and flavonoid contents showed a decreasing trend along the altitudinal gradient. “Elevation showed a significant positive correlation with phenolic content in leaves (r = 0.634, p < 0.05) and roots (r = 0.578, p < 0.05), as well as with saponin content (r = 0.914, p < 0.01). Other constituents exhibited weak or non-significant associations with the elevation.
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