Rapid screening and distribution of bioactive compounds in different parts of Berberis petiolaris using direct analysis real time mass spectrometry

Abstract

Berberis petiolaris Wall. ex G. Don, a less known medicinal plant belonging to family Berberidaceae locally known as Kingora or Kilmora is a large deciduous shrub found in Western Himalaya between 1800–3000 m. Decoction of stem and root is used for treatment of malarial fever, diahhorea, conjunctivitis and also jaundice. Chemical profiling of fruit, leaf, root and stem were done using DART TOF MS. The bioactive compounds magnoflorine, berberine, jatrorrhizine, thalifendine/berberrubine, demethyleneberberine, reticuline, 8-oxoberberine, N-methyltetrahydroberberine, tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine and palmatine were identified by their exact mass measurement and the corresponding molecular formula of each compound. A comparative study of distribution pattern for all these bioactive alkaloids showed qualitative and quantitative variation in different parts of B. petiolaris. PCA with multivariate analysis clearly discriminated each part of B. petiolaris plant.