IMPACT OF CERTAIN BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS ON PHYLLANTHIN AND HYPOPHYLLANTHIN CONTENT OF PHYLLANTHUS AMARUS SCHUM.& THONN. FROM THREE DIFFERENT HABITATS

Objective: Phyllanthus amarus is an important medicinal plant used for its hepatoprotective and other medicinal benefits. The bioactive potential of this plant is due to the presence of two lignans, Phyllanthin and Hypophyllanthin. Overharvest and overexploitation of this plant is reducing its natural population. To develop a proper agrotechnique for cultivation, a wide analysis of habitat ecology and the influence of some factors crucial in the content of these two is essential, which has been attempted. Three different study areas differing in soil profile and color where chosen and used as study areas for comparison.Methods: Phytosociological associations of plants, morphometric and anatomical studies, soil physico-chemical properties, rhizospheric microbes, endophytic microbes, genetic relatedness through RAPD and HPLC profile of Phyllanthin and Hypophyllanthin content was analyzed between the study areas.Results: This plant has a natural preference to grow with Cynodondactylon and in wild conditions the content of the two lignans does not fluctuate drastically and are not very significantly correlated to any biotic or abiotic factor in particular to enhance or decrease them.Conclusion: Agrotechnique for this plant can be developed keeping different geographic locations as cultivation areas since this plant has good adaptive skills and maintains the balanced biochemical potential.Â