An endangered medicinal plant, Plumbago zeylanica L. and its substitute, Dyerophytum indicum (Gibbs ex Wight) Kuntze: A comparative HPTLC, HPLC study, and screening of antioxidant activity

Plumbago zeylanica L. (PZ) is a significant medicinal plant in Ayurveda, so is used for the treatment of various disorders. The main active part of this plant is the root, and due to its inherent uses, it has been exploited hence becoming an endangered species. Dyerophytum indicum (Gibbs ex Wight) Kuntze (DI), mainly considered as a substitute of PZ, is also an important folklore medicine, used in many health problems. Both plants are much similar in their physical as well as chemical properties. However, an effective validation is required before declaration of substitution. In the present study, quantitative and qualitative estimations were performed on both plants with the help of modern analytical techniques. Simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and quantitative determinations of β-sitosterol have been performed for comparing both plants, i.e., PZ and DI. HPTLC fingerprinting analysis was also performed comparatively in diffe...