Phytochemistry division is mainly engaged in chemical characterisation and developing chemical profiles using modern analytical techniques with a view to develop finger prints for important Ayurvedic medicinal plants. Another area of research is isolation and characterisation of specific marker compounds from Ayurvedic medicinal plants for its identification and quality control, and to maintain a marker compound library. Another mandate of the division is to scientifically validate the traditional/ ethno-botanical knowledge. This division is also engaged in chemical fidelity studies on tissue cultured medicinal plants.

• Phytochemical characterisation of ayurvedic medicinal plants

• To isolate and characterise bioactive molecules from medicinal plants

• Development of pharmacopoeial standards of Indian medicinal plants

• Study of the controversial Ayurvedic medicinal plants

• To function as a central facility in Phytochemistry for students, researchers and other bona fide users

• Fingerprint profiles of 43 medicinal plants

• Developed and standardized assay/estimation method of bioactive molecules in 13 medicinal plants

• Developed an FTIR library of natural compounds

• In-vitro antioxidant screening of 17 plants

• Comparative phytochemical studies on 7 controversial raw drug groups

• UV Spectral library of 23 compounds

• First report of diosgenin from Costus pictus

• Post-graduate student projects/training – 18

• Analytical method development

Publications

• High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

• High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC)

• Gas Chromatography (GC)

• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

• UV - Visible Spectrophotometry

• Flash Chromatography

• In vitro antioxidant screening

• M.Sc. training / project in phytochemistry