Comparative study of essential oil in wild and in vitro cultures of Valeriana jatamansi Jones in Nepal

Comparative analysis was carried out to determine the variation in the composition of essential oils of hairy roots produced in vitro and in vivo rhizomes of Valeriana jatamansi Jones collected from three different districts in Nepal i.e., Pyuthan (1200 m), Gulmi (3000 m), Godawari (1400 m) was carried out. In vitro adventitious root proliferation was established in MS media supplemented with Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). GC-MS analysis were performed on the essential oils extracted from the sample. The findings showed that the yield of the essential oil obtained from the hydrodistillation of in vitro adventitious roots and dried rhizomes ranged between 0.52 and 0.80%. The highest percentage of essential oil (0.80%) were produced in the in vitro adventitious roots and minimum in the in vivo rhizomes collected from Pyuthan district, i.e., (0.52%). GC-MS analysis revealed a total of 17 volatile compounds in the essential oil from the dried rhizomes of V. jatamansi Jones from different locations and in vitro adventitious roots. It was found that the compound carotol was present only in sample from Pyuthan district, but absent in other samples. The compound matricarin was found in samples from Gulmi and Godawari district but absent in samples from Pyuthan district and in vitro adventitious roots. Similarly, the compound jatamansone was found in samples from Gulmi, Godawari, and adventitious roots but absent in sample from Pyuthan district. The compounds patchoulinone, 1, 2-butyl octyl ester of benzene dicarboxylic acid, and bis (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate, one of the major compounds were present only in sample from adventitious roots The findings of the present study showed that the essential oil composition in both in vitro and in vivo roots, at different altitudes significantly affect the essential oil content of V. jatamansi Jones.