Abstract
Berberis lycium Royle has a long history of medicinal uses to treat different diseases. It naturally grows on the mountains of Indian subcontinent. Its ethnobotanical and biochemical study from the state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) was not previously explored. So, the objective of the current study was to explore the ethnobotanical and biochemical properties of the B. lycium Royle population of AJ&K. For this purpose, samples of B. lycium Royle were randomly collected from five districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including thirty-five locations. Demographic features of informants such as plant part used, methods of preparation, modes of administration, conservation status, and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. It was used for treating different diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, joint pain, and stomach ulcer. This plant is very famous for providing medicinal roots, leaves, and fruits which are extensively used in many parts of the world. The biochemical analysis was conducted for total phenolic contents (TPC), chlorophyll contents, and antioxidant activity. The highest level of TPC found was 88.66 ± 1.07 µg/g of gallic acid equivalent phenolic (GAE) from leaves collected from Patikka (Chanjhal), Muzaffarabad District, AJ&K. The highest total chlorophyll contents (3.75 ± 0.53 µg/ml) were found in samples collected from Sathrian, Neelum District. The highest antioxidant activity with lowest IC50 value (33.26 µg/ml) was obtained from the root of sample collected from Bakreyali, Muzaffarabad District, as compared with other districts. The concentration of berberine was found to be 4.76 percent in the root bark of B. lycium Royle, estimated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In syrup composition, 0.95 mg/5 ml of berberine was used. Hence, it is concluded that amongst the five districts, the plant parts (stem, fruits, and root) collected from Muzaffarabad District, AJ&K, showed the highest medicinal potential due to its unique climatic conditions.
Highlights
Medicinal plants have been utilized as folk medicines for centuries, and many communities still depend on these plants for acquiring their primary health care needs [1]
Berberine can be extracted from B. lycium roots, fruits, leaves, and stem and used for the treatment of diabetes [9]. e root bark and extract are used in treating throat pain, dysentery, internal wounds, and sun blindness [7]. e root bark water extract is used against scabies, pustules, diabetes, and bone fracture [17]. e watery extract from the root is used in wounds, gonorrhea, curative piles, unhealthy ulcers, acute conjunctive, ophthalmia, and jaundice [7]
Fruits and leaves are used for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases in Pakistan [18]. e whole plant is used for curing diabetes and other human illnesses [19]. e plant growth and development are dependent upon reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and signaling as ROS play key role in plant phytohormonal networks [20], which are produced during the cellular respiration
Summary
Medicinal plants have been utilized as folk medicines for centuries, and many communities still depend on these plants for acquiring their primary health care needs [1]. Berberis lycium Royle is a high value medicinal plant with known history in folklore medicine and traditionally used to treat different human diseases [7], such as diabetes mellitus, liver disorders, abdominal problems, skin diseases, oral ulcers, kidney, conjunctivitis, piles, leprosy, jaundice, rheumatism, and bone fractures [7,8,9]. It has antiglycation and antidiabetic potential and is used to treat jaundice, bone fractures, ophthalmic disorders, fever, menorrhagia, internal wounds, intestinal colic, throat pain, diarrhea, piles, and rheumatism [10]. Animal and human studies showed that optimal intake of minerals such as Cu, K, Zn, Mn, and Ca decreases risk factors, including those related to cardiovascular disorders [15, 23]. e purpose of the present study was to collect ethnobotanical knowledge about B. lycium Royle from major growing areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and its total phenolic contents, chlorophyll contents, antioxidant activity, and HPLC analysis from different places and to find the best environment for its maximum medicinal potential
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