Comparative Studies on the Analytical and Antioxidant Activities of the Medicinally Important Stem Bark of Holoptelea integrifolia

Holoptelea integrifolia (Sanskrit: chirivilva, Hindi: chilbil, family: Ulmaceae) is a large deciduous tree, growing up to 18 m tall, distributed throughout the greater part of India up to an altitude of 2000 ft. It has grey bark, covered with blisters, peeling in corky scales on old trees. The plant has several medicinal properties such as antiinflammatory, anthelmintic, and antidiabetic activity. The present work was taken up with a view to lay down standards which will contribute significantly to the quality control of the medicinally useful Holoptelea species. Till date, there is no comparative phytochemical and antioxidant literature available of this traditionally valuable drug. Biomarkers such as stigmasterol, olenolic acid, ursolic acid, betulin, and lupeol were estimated through high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method, and it was found maximum in Behraich plant sample. The bark of Behraich's sample shows strong antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] assay). It suggests secondary metabolites present in H. integrifolia having antioxidant effects, which indicate their effectiveness in diseases caused by overproduction of free radicals. Over all, these comparative data provide a suitable criteria to differentiate the stem barks of the above four Holoptelea barks of different places from India and open a new vista for the exploitation of these species for the development of herbal formulations.