Elemental, nutritional, phytochemical and biological evaluation of Hypericum perforatum Linn.

This study was carried out to study elemental, nutritional, phytochemical and biological evaluation of Hypericum perforatum collected from Swat in 2010. The elemental analysis showed that Ca was highest (5600 µg/g) in leaves and lowest (2500µg/g) in flowers. The potassium was highest (840µg/g) in fruit and lowest (80µg/g) in leaves. Magnesium was highest (260µg/g) in stem and lowest (200µg/g) in flowers. Sodium was highest (4900µg/g) in stem and lowest (4700µg/g) in leaves and flowers. Copper was highest (26µg/g) in stem and lowest (10µg/g) in leaves. Iron was highest (5000µg/g) in flowers lowest (1200 µg/g) in stem. Zinc was highest (80µg/g) in flowers and lowest (46 µg/g) in stem. Nickle, cadmium and Cobalt were <5µg/g for all plant parts. The nutritional analysis showed that the dry matter was in the range of (97.61%) in stem and (96.38%) in leaf, ash (5.43%) in flowers and (1.90%) in stem, crude protein (12.63%) in leaf and (6.15%) in stem, crude fibre (64.74%) in flowers and (13.0%) in leaf, ether extract (10.98%) in fruit and (1.88%) in stem and nitrogen free extract was (65.80%) in leaf and (10.98%) in flower, respectively. Hypericum perforatum did not show cytotoxic, insecticidal and antibacterial activity in vitro at different doses. The % activity was zero% in cytotoxic and insecticidal activities. However, H. perforatum plant parts revealed phytotoxic activity. The phytotoxic activity of leaf and fruit remained same (44.0%) at highest dose (500µg/ml). The phytochemical screening showed the presence of mucilage, tannins, anthraquinones, saponins, fats and oils and proteins in all parts of the plant. Calcium oxalate was found in all parts except the fruit. Lignin and catechin was found in all parts except the leaf. Cutin was found only in stem and flower while chlorophyll was found only in stem and leaf. In various localities (Shartangaar, Panj Pali and Sharanko) of Swat fresh leaves were used while in Barani and Jaba fresh as well as dried leaves were used as stimulant, in fever, cough, diphtheria and as an anthelmintic only in Shartangaar.