CHROMATOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF OPTIMIZATION AND SEASONAL VARIATION OF BACOSIDE A CONTENT FROM WILD AND CULTIVATED BRAHMI (BACOPA MONNIERI LINN.) PLANT

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri Linn.) is a miraculous Ayurvedic drug used commercially in memory-enhancing formulations. Its nootropic action is due to Bacoside A, which modern parameters have proved. Bacoside A content fluctuated during the course of the whole year. In the present study, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography was conducted to evaluate total Bacoside A content (expressed as the sum of Bacoside A3, Bacopaside II, Jujubogenin and Bacopasaponin C) on a monthly basis in methanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri collected from the wild and cultivated area during Summer, Rainy and Winter season of a year. Instead of the entire herb, 10 cm apex part and the remaining part of Brahmi were used. Chromatographic analysis was performed with Shimadzu Prominence HPLC instrument; equipped with a quaternary pump, LC2010CHT, degasser DGU-20A3R, Column oven CTO-10As, Autosampler SIL-20 HT, Diode-Array-Detector SPD-M20A with Prime SIL C18 column. Among individual plant parts, maximum Bacoside A content was observed in the remaining part of a plant in July for the wild sample (38.86%) and in the remaining part of a plant in September for the cultivated sample (25.1%). The present study estimated gross as well as individual components of Bacoside A investigated the influence of seasonal temperature and humidity on different plant parts in wild and cultivated accessions. This study based on guidelines of Good Agricultural and Collection Practices concluded that drug manufacturers should collect wild as well as cultivated Brahmi plants in appropriate months with a focus on specific part-oriented harvesting rather than gross harvesting, and it will ensure the provision of standard raw material with maximum efficacy.