ALKALOIDS AND PHENOLS ACCUMULATION IN GROWING LEAF CELLS OF GYMNOSPORA MONTANA (ROTH) BENTH

Abstract

Accumulation of phenols and alkaloids in developing leaf cells of Gymnosporia montana were studied with an aim to know at which development stage this bioactive compounds are synthesized in cells. To observe this phenomenon alkaloids and phenols were localized in each developing leaf of Gymnosporia montana. Further, total alkaloids and phenols content were estimated from each developing leaf of Gymnosporia montana. Finally, characterization of compounds from chloroform extract of mature leaves was done using GC-MS analysis which suggested presence of Phenol (Phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1- dimethylethyl)-) and alkaloid ( 4,8,12,16-Tetramethylheptadecan-4-olide) in leaf tissue. Microscopic analysis suggested that alkaloids accumulate in phloem cells of vascular tissue and phenol accumulate in mesophyll palisade cells of leaf tissue. Both metabolites start accumulation from its meristematic stage and ends after differentiation of cells into specialized cells. Alkaloid and phenol content estimation suggested that both compounds accumulate exponentially with leaf growth and stabilizes at maturation. The bioactive compounds identified through GC-MS analysis belonged to secondary metabolites such as phytosterols, alkaloid, flavanoid, terpenoid, saponins, phenol and coumarin