Effect of Host Trees on Berberine Content in Stem of Tinospora cordifolia Climber: A Preliminary Study

Present study was aimed to analyze berberine concentration in Tinospora cordifolia stems collected from Ficus, Azadirachta, Syzygium, Populus and Eucalyptus. High Performance Liquid Chromatography equipped with UV detector was used for analytical study of berberine from the stem of Tinospora cordifolia. Methanol (100%) as a diluent was used for sample extraction. Using potassium dihydrogen phosphate and acetonitrile as a mobile phase in a ratio of 65 to 35 respectively and Zorbax XDB C-18, 250x 4.6mm 5-micron column, berberine was separated at 254nm wavelength. Maximum concentration of berberine was detected in the stem of Tinospora cordifolia climbed on Ficus (0.087%) followed by Azadirachta (0.084%). The least concentration of berberine was quantified in Eucalyptus (0.011%) on dried wt. basis.