Phytochemicals, antioxidants, estimation of cardiac glycoside (Scillaren A) and detection of major metabolites using LC-MS from Drimia species

Abstract Drimia Jacq., a bulbous geophyte belonging to family Hyacinthaceae Batsch ex Borkh. is well known for its medicinal values. Leaves and bulbs of eight genotypes of Drimia were sequentially extracted with three solvents (DCM, MeOH and H2O) and analysed for their phytochemicals (TPC, TFC and TTC) and in vitro antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activities and phosphomolybdenum assay). Bulbs of D. indica (triploid form) extracted with MeOH showed the highest TPC (22.19 ± 1.00 mg GAE/g DW). Higher TFC was recorded in MeOH extract of bulbs of D. raogibikei (58.65 ± 1.95 mg QE/g DW) whereas significantly maximum TTC (857.17 ± 38.62 mg GAE/g DW) was found in MeOH extract of D. razii. DPPH radical scavenging activity was highest in DCM bulb extract of D. coromandeliana (12.22%). DCM extract of D. polyantha showed greatest (64.26%) ABTS radical scavenging activity. Phosphomolybdenum reduction potential was maximum in MeOH leaf extract of D. indica (triploid form) (52.86 ± 0.20 mg AAE/g DW). RP-HPLC estimation of cardiac glycoside (Scillaren A) from the bulbs of eight genotypes of Drimia revealed the highest (5.54 ± 0.03 mg/g DW) quantity in DCM extracts of D. coromandeliana. Presence of a bufadienolide (Scillaren A) was confirmed by FTIR and HR-LCMS. Additionally, HR-LCMS analysis revealed the presence of three cardenolides (convallatoxin, digoxigenin monodigitoxoside and peruvoside) and 160 major metabolites in the bulbs of Drimia species. Present study is the first comparative account of phytochemicals, antioxidants, cardiac glycosides and LC-MS profiling of major metabolites from eight Indian Drimia genotypes.