HPLC-DAD quantification of mangiferin, antioxidant potential and essential oil composition of the leaves of five varieties of Mangifera indica L. of North India.

Mangifera indica L. (Mango), native of tropical Asia, has enormous genetic diversity. Comparative phytochemical analysis of leaves of five varieties of Mangifera indica viz . Dashahri, Chausa, Langra, Lucknow Safeda and Gola grown in North India was carried out. Mangiferin content (using HPLC) was found to vary from 0.96 g to 3.00 g per 100 g of dry leaves. Essential oil composition (through GC-MS) showed the major components of all the five varieties to be caryophyllene (4.14-46.26%), humulene (3.19-30.45%), caryophyllene oxide (2.98-17.23%) and humulene epoxide 2 (1.56-4.73%). Results indicated that there was a direct relationship between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and DPPH radical scavenging activities. Our studies indicate that M. indica leaves, which are a form of biomass waste, could be used as an economical and renewable source of antidiabetic compound mangiferin as well as other biologically active phytoconstituents having nutraceutical as well as pharmaceutical applications.