~ 17 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2014; 3 (3): 17-22 ISSN 2278-4136 JPP 2014; 3 (3): 17-22 Received: 31-07-2014 Accepted: 15-08-2014 Saurabh Bajpai Department of Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India-605014 A.Vijaya Bhaskara Rao Department of Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India-605014 Correspondence : A.Vijaya Bhaskara Rao Department of Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India-605014 Quantitative determination of 1-Deoxynojirimycin in different Mulberry Varieties of India Saurabh Bajpai and A.Vijaya Bhaskara Rao Abstract Mulberry is the chief food plant for silkworm further mulberry is also having many active pharmacokinetics principles. DNJ is one of the active pharmacokinetic principles with potent capability of inhibiting hyperglycemia. In our study, we screened some of the important mulberry varieties of south India to identify the DNJ content. Derivatized samples of each variety of mulberry leaves were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detector. Derivatization of each sample was done by the 9-fluorenylmethyl succinimidyl carbonate. DNJ concentration varied between 0.68-2.72 mg/gm in different mulberry varieties (K-2, S-13, S-34, and V-1). The order of 1- deoxynojirimycin concentration in different verities was K-2 > S-13 > S-34 > V-1. Though V-1 variety was developed by breeding methods it did not contains more content of DNJ when compared to the K-2 which was developed by natural selection. As K-2 variety exhibited highest content of 1-deoxynojirimycin it can be exploited for extracting 1-deoxynojirimycin commercially for pharmaceutical purpose. Keywords: Mulberry, K-2, V-1, DNJ, and HPLC 1. Introduction Mulberry is a fast growing deciduous plant which grows from sea level to high altitude in various soil types. There are many numbers of species, varieties and improved cultivars throughout the world. The varieties such as K-2, V-1, S-13 and S-34 are popular cultivars in India particularly in south India under rainfed and irrigated conditions. K-2 and V-1 varieties are cultivated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu under irrigated conditions. These varieties were developed at CSRTI, Mysore and origin of K-2 was selection from natural variability and V-1 was a Hybrid from S30 x Ber C776. S-13 and S-34 varieties were cultivated in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu under Rainfed conditions which were developed at CSRTI, Mysore and the origin was from selection of polycross (mixed pollen) progeny 1 . Different parts of mulberry are known for its pharmaceutical properties. Researchers found that various phytochemical extracts of mulberry are having pharmacokinetic active principles and they are used to cure different human diseases such as diabetes, obesity, inflammatory, neurological and allergic diseases. Mulberry leaves contain many bioactive compounds like as Moranolin (DNJ), moran, flavones, 2-arylbenzofuran, carotenoids, γ -aminobutyric acid, Polyphenols which play a significant role in Hypoglycemic activity, Anticancer action, Antioxidants action, Anti-inflammatory actions [2] . There are many polyhydroxylated alkaloids which were extracted like as piperidine, pyrrolidine, indolozidine 3 . Due to structural similarity to sugars, most of the polyhydroxylated play as antihyperglycemic which is inhibitory activity against glycosidase [4, 5] . 1-Deoxynojirimycin 1, is one of the alkaloid iminosugar (Fig.1) which is found in mulberry leaves and some bacterial strains. Many Asian countries like China, Japan and Korea practiced to take tea of mulberry leaves used as antidiabetic. DNJ is a bioactive compound which suppresses the high blood glucose levels that prevent the diabetes mellitus. 1-Deoxynojirimycin or azasugar is a natural product which is firstly reported in 1976 in the root bark of Morus species [6] . Many sugar compounds contains nitrogen in their ring structure and isolated from mulberry, DNJ and many of its derivatives like as Fagomine (1, 2-dideoxynojirimycin), Iso- fagomine, 4-dideoxy-1, 4-imino-D-arabinitol, 1, 4-dideoxy-1, 4-imino-D-ribitol and act as glucosidase inhibitors [7] . DNJ and its derivatives were isolated from many plants and microbes but its concentration was highest in mulberry plants when compared to others [8-14] .