Estimation of Resveratrol in Few Native Fruits of North-east India

Resveratrola naturally derived stilbene, is gaining extreme popularity because of its highly appreciated multi-beneficial properties as anticancerous, antioxidant and antiinflammatory molecule. Major dietary sources of resveratrol include grapes, berries, peanut, legumes and red wine. N.E India, rich for its wild heritage possesses many indigenous plants that have the potential to be rich source of the stilbene. Emblica officinalis, Averrhoa carambola, Elaeagnus pyriformis from native N.E India were screened for resveratrol content and HPLC based result confirm the dietary potential of resveratrol. In Phyllanthus emblica resveratrol is amounted to 43.5μg/g while in Elaeagnus pyriformis and Averrhoa carambola it is 4μg/g and 1.6μg/g respectively which is higher than many available sources such as grape and peanut. The fruits are used as alternative source of resveratrol and as neutraceuticals for many diseases by natives of India, and are easily available and low cost. KEYWORD: Bioavailability, Resveratrol, HPLC, Emblica officinalis, Averrhoa carambola, Elaeagnus pyriformis *Corresponding author MANAB DEKA Department of Applied Sciences, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam-781014 Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2015 April; 6(2): (P) 539 544 This article can be downloaded from www.ijpbs.net P 540 INTRODUCTION Resveratrol (3,5,4’-trihydroxystilbene or 3,4’,5stilbenetriol), is a member of a family of polyphenols called viniferins secreted by certain plants in response to external stimuli such as fungal attack or UV radiation or pathological attack, and has been demonstrated to possess varied biochemical and physiological benefits 1,2 . In nature, molecular formula of resveratrol is C14H12O3, and molecular weight is 228.25 Daltons, and available as two structural isomers, cis and trans, the trans form being more common and possessing greater biological activity. Resveratrol was first identified in grapevines (Vitis vinifera) in 1976 . Since then, its presence in varying concentrations has been discovered in many other plants specially berries such as strawberry, blueberry, mulberry, grapes etc, and a wide variety of flowers and leaves including Gnetum, white hellebore, corn lily, butterfly orchid tree, eucalyptus etc . The health benefits of resveratrol ranges from antioxidant property, cardio-protection capacity, anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory effects, estrogenic/anti-estrogenic properties to modulate cellular signal transduction pathways , inhibition of oxidative apoptosis 14-17 and to lower lipid peroxidation in blood platelets . Resveratrol is the lead molecule accounted for French Paradox, a phenomenon of less coronary diseases and high longevity of French people despite a high fat diet and consumption of red wine. The potentials of naturally available neutraceutical resources having anti-cancer property and other life style related diseases/disorders prevention property has always been a huge research area in Biological Sciences. Till date, resveratrol is the most studied secondary metabolite of stilbene family and researchers has put ample effort to find out varied naturally available sources of resveratrol for better benefit of human race.North Eastern (NE) part of India, comprising of seven states, is rich in biodiversity. The wild heritage of this geographical area bears varieties of fruits which may harbour neutraceutical values which need screening. In this study an effort is made to identify and quantify the wonder compound ‘resveratrol’ in few locally available fruits from NE India.