R.M. Dharmadasa^1,, R.M.D.H. Rathnayake², D.C. Abeysinghe², S. A. N. Rashani¹, K. Samarasinghe¹, A.L.M Attanayake¹

Pogostemon heyneanus Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic, perfumery important, industrial crop widely cultivated in many Asian countries for its distinguished fragrance and other therapeutic purposes. However, commercial cultivation of P. heyneanus was hampered due to lack of high quality planting materials. Purpose of the present study is to explore superior quality P. heyneanus variety by means of physical (morphological), chemical (physico-chemical, phytochemical, essential oil content and composition) and biological [total antioxidant capacity (TAC)] parameters in order to establish commercial cultivation. Morphological, physico-chemical and phytochemical analysis were performed according to the methods described in WHO guidelines and other classical texts. The TAC was performed using Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay. Essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Out of 26 morphological characters assessed, 5 characters were i.e. plant height, leaf margin, leaf apex, and leaf base and leaf shape polymorphic. All phytochemicals tested were identical to both varieties. However, presence of a prominent spots at Rf 0.12 (dark brown spot), 0.20 (rose colour spot), 0.45 (dark green spot) were characteristic for local variety. Significantly higher total ash content (12.32 %), oil content (0.52%), higher number of compounds in essential oil, patchouli alcohol content (57.0 %) and antioxidant capacity (108.53 ± 2.5 mg Trolox equivalent per g of extract) were reported in introduced variety. According to the results, introduced variety possesses superior quality physical, chemical and biological properties and therefore, introduced variety could be recommended for establishment of commercial cultivation.

Pogostemon heyneanus, Lamiaceae, antioxidant capacity, GC MS analysis, essential oil, Patchouli alcohol