Elicitation Strategies For Improving Secondary Metabolites In Medicinal Plants

Abstract

A Nutraceutical is any substance or ingredient that is food or part of food that provides medical or health benefits including prevention and treatment of disease. Earlier studies have shown that Tulsi, Fenugreek, Dill, Coriander, Moong, Spinach, Lemongrass, Wheatgrass, Curry leaves, and Mint have medicinal and nutraceutical values. These values are due to the presence of secondary metabolites and the dose/servings which depend on the concentration of secondary metabolites. The concentration of secondary metabolites is limited in these plants and the treatment with elicitors derived from chemicals can be an effective strategy to increase the yield of metabolites obtained from the plant cell. So, in the present study, we have implemented the elicitation method for improving the secondary metabolites.

In this study, we have used two elicitor’s salicylic acid and silver nitrate at concentrations of 0.5 ppm and 1 ppm. The results show that at the concentration of 0.5 ppm of both salicylic acid and silver nitrate, the improvement in yields of alkaloids was seen in wheatgrass, lemongrass, dill, and improvement of flavonoids in Fenugreek, Spinach, Tulsi, Coriander, Mint, and Wheatgrass. The total phenolic contents were improved in Fenugreek, Spinach, and Mint. So, it may be concluded that these elicitors are suitable for improvement in the Alkaloid, Flavonoids, and Phenolic content of the above plants at 0.5 ppm concentration. However, at the higher concentration of 1 ppm of the elicitors, the improvement in the alkaloid and flavonoid contents was not seen in all plants. In some cases, the concentration of phytoconstituents is decreased at the specific concentration of elicitor so it may also conclude the biosynthesis of phytoconstituents is decreased at that concentration so that concentration is not suitable for improvement of phytoconstituents.