Comparative expression analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis genes in vegetative and reproductive parts of medicinally important plant, Plantago ovata Forssk

Abstract

Flavonoids are the most widespread secondary metabolites in plants, which are synthesized through the phenylpropanoid pathway. These are known to possess various types of health promoting activities. Plantago ovata, a medicinally important plant has not been explored much in terms of its antioxidant potential. In the present study, the expression pattern of genes of the phenylpropanoid-flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in P. ovata was studied in detail for the first time. These genes showed expression in both the tissues under study (leaf and ovary). In addition, the in vitro radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity, and reducing power ability of the plant extracts were also assessed. The experiments revealed that the leaf extract of P. ovata had higher antioxidant activity than that of the husk extract, which also correlated with their total phenolics and flavonoid content. The flavonoid and phenolics content of the leaf extract was observed to be 320.9 ± 0.052 mg Rutin/g dry wt. and 43.8 ± 0.092 mg GAE/g dry wt., respectively. The results of this study suggest that the methanolic extract of P. ovata leaf is a source of natural compounds with significant antioxidant activity. It also presented P. ovata as a possible new source of natural antioxidants which can be further explored as a therapeutic agent in the free radical induced diseases.