Abstract
Heavy metals (HM) are toxic components present in the earth’s crust that can have a negative impact on plants as well as animals. Andrographis paniculata or ‘King of bitters’ belonging to the family Acanthaceae, is a medicinal herb traditionally used in the treatment of fever, common cold etc. In the present study, the effect of heavy metals (copper, tin and cobalt) on the andrographolide content, biochemical parameters like chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein, Total phenolic content (TPC), Total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity in A. paniculata were analysed. Saplings of A. paniculata were treated at 50 and 100 mM concentrations, three different times at a time interval of 7 days. Andrographolide production was found to increase in copper and cobalt treated saplings when compared with the control. From the results, maximum andrographolide concentration was found in the saplings treated with 50 mM copper (8.51 mg/g of DW) and 50 mM tin (8.10 mg/g of DW) respectively. 50 mM cobalt treated plants have shown the highest concentration of TPC (17.21 mg/g of extract) and TFC (6.97 mg/g of extract). Notable variations in other biochemical parameters like total chlorophyll, carotenoid content and antioxidant activities were observed in all treatments compared with the control.
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