ISHS Acta Horticulturae 680: III WOCMAP Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Volume 6: Traditional Medicine and Nutraceuticals
EFFECT OF LIGHT INTENSITY ON THE PIGMENT COMPOSITION AND OXALIC ACID CONCENTRATIONS IN KALAMEGH (ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA) LEAF |
| Author: | U.R. Palaniswamy |
| Keywords: | chlorophyll, oxalic acid, photosynthesis |
| Abstract:
Kalamegh (Andrographis paniculata, Acanthaceae), also called the andrographis or “King of Bitters” is native to the Asian subcontinent. The roots and leaves of this herb have been used for centuries by the traditional medical practitioners of India and China to treat numerous ailments ranging from poor digestion and throat infections to hepatitis. A characteristic of the Kalamegh leaf is that it changes its color from green to red and vice versa from time to time, when exposed to varying intensities of light and shade. While Kalamegh has been extensively studied for its phytochemistry and pharmacological composition, safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action, few studies report the details of the changes in pigment composition of the leaves. The objective of the study was to study the pigment composition and oxalic acid concentrations of the leaves to understand the color change process and its probable effect on the photosynthetic process. Leaves exposed to bright sunlight had up to 35% lower chlorophyll and 30% higher oxalic acid concentrations, indicating that the change in pigment composition and oxalic acid concentrations may be defensive mechanisms to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from bright light. | |
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