International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ Volume 05 Issue 21 October 2018 Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Micropropagation Study of Bambusa Species Nita Thapa1, Janardan Lamichhane 1 & Dhurva P. Gauchan 1 1Department of Biotechnology, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal Abstract: 1. Introduction Bamboo being a versatile plant provides numerous benefits to living beings Bamboos are perennial plants that belong to comprising the environment. It is used in grass family Poaceae in the subfamily household works for construction, support; Bambusoideae. Woody bamboos consist of provides fodder for animals, edible shoots 9 to 10 sub tribes, containing between 59 for human; helps environment by and 111 genera and at least 1447 species sequestering carbon dioxide from the [1]. It includes some of the fastest growing atmosphere and converting the carbon into plants in the world due to its unique plant fiber and this benefit continues. rhizome dependent system [2]. It does not Besides, individual plant parts such as stem, require replanting after harvest as it will leaves possess medicinal properties which is regenerate from its rhizome root structure. analyzed and evaluated through various Besides, it improves soil quality and helps studies of phytochemical, antioxidant and to rebuild eroded soil. The word bamboo is antimicrobial activity. Many people are derived from the Kannada benefitted economically by selling this plant term ‘bambu’ which was found to be so demand for its production is escalating introduced through Indonesian and Malay to day by day. Micropropagation is thus English [3]. It is likely that more than 1250 considered as crucial as this ensures species under 75 genera of bamboo are production throughout the year irrespective unequally distributed in the humid tropical, of season and hindrance caused by subtropical and temperate regions of the flowering of this plant. Among many genus world [4]. It is popularly known as “poor of this plant, Bambusa is considered as one man’s timber” since it is commonly used by of the important one and has many species rural people of many countries [5]. It serves under this genus. This review is thus an as a great relief for rural people especially attempt to explore studies conducted by of Asian countries in economical as well as many scholars and researchers of this genus social terms. It is used as building material which is intended to provide light to some of for construction purposes and people make the exceptional works done which money by selling bamboo as a whole, eventually is beneficial to humankind. handicrafts and bamboo shoot for edible purposes and many more. Bamboo is also known as the “green gold of the forest” for Keywords of its global demand and versatile uses [6]. Bamboos are present with 75 genera Bambusa, Phytochemical, Antioxidant, growing in a wide range of different habitats Antimicrobial, Micropropagation worldwide so there is much variation in the characteristics and behavior they exhibit. The Plant List includes 509 scientific plant Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ P a g e | 77 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ Volume 05 Issue 21 October 2018 names of species rank for the phytochemicals they inhibit. In this review genus Bambusa out of which 130 are paper, phytochemical assessment, accepted species names. The Plant antioxidant activity, micropropagation List includes a list of botanical names of abilities and antimicrobial activity of plant species which was launched in 2010 various species of Bambusa genus is being and created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, reviewed. Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden. These accepted species are also included in 2. Phytochemical Screening World Checklist of Selected Plant Families Plants are the richest resource of drugs of (WSCP). This list further includes a further traditional systems of medicine, modern 97 scientific plant names of infraspecific medicines, nutraceuticals, food supplements, folk medicines, rank for the genus Bambusa which is not pharmaceutical intermediates and chemical included in WSCP. It is a genus of large entities for synthetic drugs [14]. Plants are clumping bamboos in the major group capable of synthesizing a wide variety of angiosperms (flowering plants). They are chemical compounds that perform important inherent to Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, biological functions and these compounds Himalayas, New Guinea, Melanesia and are also used to defend against attack from Northern Territory of Australia. They are predators such as insects, fungi and herbivorous mammals. Photochemical can also found to be acclimatized in other be defined as the non-nutritive chemical regions such as Africa, Latin America and compounds which occur naturally in plants different oceanic islands [7, 8]. Some where ‘phyto’ means plant in Greek. members of the genus Bambusa species has Extraction and characterization of several been found to provide numerous benefits to active phytocompounds from plants have science and communities [9, 10, 11]. given rise to some high activity profile Among twenty priority species of bamboo drugs [15]. Many plant extracts and phytochemicals show antioxidant or free with economic importance which was listed radical scavenging properties [16]. These in ‘Priority Species of phytochemicals are divided into primary Bamboo and Rattan', compiled by the and secondary metabolites. Primary International Network for Bamboo and metabolites are essential to all plants such as Rattan (INBAR), there are seven species of sugars, fats and secondary metabolites; also Bambusa genus [12]. INBAR released a called phytochemicals are found in smaller range of plants and serve a specific purpose revised list that included 20 taxa (species since these have protective properties. and genera) of particular economic There has been conduction of many importance and a further 18 taxa of investigations regarding study of importance [13]. Species of Bambusa genus phytochemicals on various medicinal plants are gaining more popularity nowadays from long time ago. However, study of because of various properties it possesses these phytochemicals on bamboo leaves can whether be it on construction work or better be viewed as a novel practice and its interest is increasing more as each day passes. micropropagation capabilities. They also Bamboo leaves have therapeutic along with possess various antimicrobial capabilities nutritive properties so it is a good source of and antioxidant activity because of different fodder for livestock. Phytochemical Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ P a g e | 78 International Journal of Research e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/ijr/ Volume 05 Issue 21 October 2018 investigation was performed on three acetone along with Fourier bamboo species B. vulgaris Schrad. ex J. C. Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR Wendl., B. ventricosa McClure and O. analysis). Aqueous solvent comparatively abyssinica (A. Rich.) by Coffie et.al., 2014 showed better presence of phytochemicals in order to check its safety for consumption while quinones were completely absent in in both the dry and wet ethanol extracted all the bamboo leaf extracts. Flavonoids and leaf samples [17]. All the leaves extract was coumarins were found to be present in seven found to contain saponin, general glycoside, extracts whereas glycosides in six extracts coumarin and cyanogenic glycoside and indicating their way for future use as extract of B. ventricosa and O. abyssinica antioxidant agents. The bamboo leaf had polyphenol and flavonoid as well. There contains 2% to 5% flavone and phenolic were no traces of alkaloid, carotenoid, compound that have the power to remove triterpenoid, steroid, anthraquinone and active free radicals, stop sub-nitrification anthracene glycoside in any of the species. and reduce blood fat [21]. The B. vulgaris was regarded as the safest phytochemical screening of leaf extracts of among these three species as it contained B. vulgaris revealed the presence of four classes of phytochemicals and phenolic compounds, flavonoids, contained relatively less saponin as these terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, alkaloids can lyse red blood cells of larger herbivores when extracted on hexane, chloroform, and this is why plant extracts are not ethyl acetate and water solvents [22]. The directly injected into human beings [18]. plant extracts were good sources of different Also their study concluded that the classes of bioactive compounds. These phytochemicals present in leaves extract phytochemicals have therefore were not considerably affected by air drying demonstrated good potential for the of the leaves because of which these leaves expansion of modern chemotherapies could be fed to livestock either in the fresh against microbial infections as the crude state or in the dry state as hay. In the dry extracts considerably inhibited the growth season where there is low rainfall, lack of of fungi A. niger. fodder for livestock is still a great problem Not only leaves and stem, bamboo shoots of in developing countries. Bamboos can be a few species are considered equally better alternative for fodder as their leaves important since it has suitable health are carbohydrate rich when compared with benefits because of their rich contents in components