Therapeutic phytoelemental profile of trichosanthes dioica

Abstract

In India, Trichosanthes dioica is known as pointed gourd (in English), parwal (in Hindi) and potol (in Oriya) it is distributed in equatorial and subtropical regions and widely found in northern India. The present study is a unique example of interdisciplinary research as it deals not only with the phytochemical investigation of Trichosanthes dioica, using natural product technology but also correlates the presence of certain trace elements with its biological activities using Laser induced break down Spectroscopy (LIBS). The study reveals the isolation of one known and two unknown flavonoids and the presence of certain glycemic elements, responsible for the observed antidiabetic activity of Trichosanthes dioica. Hence, the presence of isolated flavonoids and trace elements can be very well correlated with its medicinal value. © 2010 VBRI press.