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Objectives Rubus ellipticus (family Rosaceae) is used for its delicious edible fruits in the Himalayan region and other parts of the globe. However, the full potential of the species is yet to be harnessed. The current review focuses on the phytochemical, traditional uses, morphological, molecular and pharmacological potential of R. ellipticus. Key findings The review of the literature reveals that many health-promoting compounds of R. ellipticus have been reported from the species along with the different biological properties, such as nephroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-proliferative, cytotoxicity, anti-cancer, wound healing, anti-fertility, anti-plasmodial, anti-microbial and antioxidant. Traditionally, it is used in many formulations, which are validated through primary pharmacological assays. However, several medicinal properties are still need to be validated through detailed pharmacological and clinical studies. Summary All the information is available in a scanty form, and the complete information is missing on a single platform. Such type of information will help researchers to better utilize the available data for initiating future research on the species as it has the potential to contribute to the food and pharmaceutical industry. The review highlights the need for further studies on the species to harness its potential in nutraceutical, functional food, energy supplement, and beneficial therapeutic drug development program.

As habitats change, species with higher intraspecific variation have more resources to adapt. Medicinal plants in the Himalayas are increasingly threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic influences. The intraspecific variation within and among 17 populations of the high-elevation herb Trillium govanianum Wall. ex D.Don was studied as an indicator of adaptability. The variation in 19 traits of population structure, morphology, and phytochemistry was assessed across habitats that varied in elevation (2452–3432 m a.s.l.), aspect, latitude (30.1–31.7°N), and arboreal community. The morphology and population structure were conserved among populations but varied among regions. The populations in the lower elevation mixed forests of Tirthan Valley produced smaller rhizomes but larger plant densities, such that plant biomass per square metre was conserved. The phytochemistry varied among regions and populations within regions, indicating significant variation among habitats. The aboveground morphology of the species masks considerable variations in belowground morphology and phytochemistry. The observed variations can help the species to adapt to the changing environmental conditions by provoking a functional response.

BACKGROUND: Genus Fragaria (family - Rosaceae), popular edible berry fruits with delicious flavor and considerable health benefits has many wild relatives in the Himalayan region. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to characterize variability in morphology, physicochemical properties, phytochemicals, and antioxidant activity in wild Himalayan Strawberry, Fragaria nubicola along the ripening stages and among the genotypes. METHOD: Morphological and physicochemical properties, thiamine, carotenes, total phenolic content, phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, flavonols, tannins, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays) were determined in four ripening stages of berry fruits. RESULTS: Morphological attributes (diameter, length, volume, and fresh weight of berries) have shown considerable variations among the genotypes and increased significantly (p

Altitude is a determining factor of vegetation composition, ecosystem properties and processes, and availability of soil nutrients. Present study examined soil nutrients at two depths i.e. 0–15 cm ...

Wild edibles and non-cultivated plants were significantly contributing to nutritional security and livelihood in rural areas of Himalayan region. The rich nutritional value and diversity of seconda...

Prinsepia utilis, a wild-growing Himalayan shrub, is a good source of phytoceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and antioxidants. The present study is an attempt to investigate the effect of altitude and edaphic factors on phenolics and antioxidant activity in fruit pulp of Prinsepia utilis. The ripened fruits and soil samples were collected for detailed investigation. The fruits (pulp) were extracted in methanol for analyzing total phenolics and antioxidant activity using a spectrophotometric method and phenolic compounds by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Similarly, standard methods for soil analysis were used. Results reveal that altitude negatively correlated with total phenolics and flavonoid contents determined by a spectrophotometric method and with specific phenolic compounds determined by HPLC. For instance, Dwarahat population (PU-1) at lower altitude (1400 m asl) exhibited higher values of total phenolics and flavonoids, while total tannin was higher at Nainital (PU-6) population (2000 m asl). The antioxidant activity measured by 2, 2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) was found higher in Narayan Ashram (PU-9) population (2750 m asl), while ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was significantly higher in Badechena (PU-2) population (1600 m asl). Soil nutrients (edaphic factors) showed a good correlation among measured parameters. Neighbor-joining and principal component analysis identified phenolics and antioxidant-rich populations that can be utilized for collection of fruits from these populations.

Dactylorhiza hatagirea, an important source of ‘Salep,’ is a highly valued but underutilized medicinal plant of the Himalayan region. Health benefits of the species are associated with the presence of natural antioxidant that alleviates glycemic activity and oxidative stress. The present study aimed to optimize and propose an effective ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method to extract glycoside (Dactylorhin E) and other polyphenol compounds using response surface methodology (RSM). Under optimal extraction conditions, total phenolics (11.42 ± 0.48 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoids content (11.46 ± 0.28 mg QE/g DW), and antioxidant activity, i.e., DPPH (1.37 ± 0.008 mM AAE/g DW) and ABTS (1.06 ± 0.008 mM AAE/g DW) and anti-glycemic, i.e., alpha-amylase (42.81 ± 0.22 % inhibition) and alpha-glucosidase (27.97 ± 0.40 % inhibition) inhibition activity were found near the model predicted values. HPLC-PDA recorded six bioactive compounds in UAE, of which Dactylorhin E (14.14 mg/g DW) and o-coumaric (3.22 mg/g DW) were most prominent. This study prepared optimized glycoside, polyphenol-rich extracts aimed to be used for the formulation of foodstuffs and phytomedicines. Furthermore, the method is reliable, simple, and an alternative to various other extraction techniques.

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is considered as a rich repository of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), and has diverse traditional and modern base of therapeutic knowledge. Inhabitants of the region are traditionally well familiar with the healing properties of the available plants and therefore, dependency on medicinal plants for primary healthcare forms integral part of their life. Besides, modern pharmaceutical industries are also relying upon medicinal plants for developing new drugs or searching novel biomolecules. However, over-harvesting and habitat loss of MAPs has reduced its population in the wild, and threatened the sustainability of a number of species in IHR. This calls for an urgent attention and requires selection of suitable criteria and indicators towards encouraging long-term economic and environmental sustainability of the MAP sector. In this context, this study focuses on identifying four major sustainability parameters; i.e. economic, environmental/ecological, socio-cultural and governance, with 11 criteria and 48 indicators. The criteria and indicators approach is expected to be useful in assessing the impacts and monitoring the developmental initiatives in the MAP sector. Further, the study also prioritized potential MAP species for linking cultivation and conservation with livelihood opportunity in Western Himalaya. A total of 152 potential MAP species were identified based on medicinal value, market demand, availability and uses in traditional herbal system. Of these, 43 potential MAPs have been prioritized for cultivation and conservation in Western Himalaya. In addition, distribution and diversity of threatened MAPs of IHR has been documented and presented in a manner to develop strategies for sustainability of the sector at state and national levels.