Application of modern RP-HPLC technique for the quantitation of betulinic acid from traditional drug Symplocos racemosa Roxb.

Abstract

Objective: Symplocos racemosa Roxb. is traditionally used in various ailments like leprosy, diarrhoea, dysentery, menorrhagia and uterine disorders etc. The plant exhibits these therapeutic effects due to the presence of different biologically active phytoconstituents like ellagic acid, symplocoside, betulin, oleanolic acid, β-sitosterol, betulinic acid, etc. The bark has been reported to possess antiandrogenic, anticancer, antioxidant, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, angiogenic activity, in gynecological disorders etc. Therefore, the bark of S. racemosa has been an important ingredient of many traditional and Ayurvedic formulations like Rodhrasava, Pushyanug churna, Dashmularista, etc. The present study aims to develop and validate an efficient RP-HPLC method for the quantification of betulinic acid from the bark of Symplocos racemosa and an Ayurvedic formulation. Material and Methods: Separation was achieved on C18-column using acetonitrile: distilled water (85:15, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The detection was carried out at 210 nm. Result and Conclusion: The linearity range was 5-150 μg/mL. The content of betulinic acid in Pushyanug churna was found to be 2.55±0.039 mg/g. The validated method was found to be simple, sensitive, accurate, rugged and reproducible. The developed method can be recommended for marker-based standardization of traditional formulations containing bark of S. racemosa.