PHYTOCHEMICAL DIVERSITY OF DIGITALIS PURPUREA L.: CORRELATING CHEMICAL PROFILES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Abstract

Background: Digitalis purpurea Linn. (foxglove) is an important medicinal plant rich in cardiac glycosides and other bioactive phytochemicals. Environmental conditions, including weather and soil characteristics, can influence secondary-metabolite accumulation. This study compared cultivated and wild populations from Kashmir. Materials and Methods: Leaf samples were collected from a cultivated population at Wadoora, Sopore, and a wild population from Drung, Tangmarg Reserve Forest. Methanolic extracts were prepared using Soxhlet extraction and evaluated for extraction yield, preliminary phytochemicals, and GC–MS composition. Soil characteristics and weather parameters, including temperature, rainfall, and relative climatic conditions, were also assessed for both collection sites. Results: The wild population showed a higher extraction yield (14.7%) than the cultivated population (12.3%). GC–MS analysis identified 27 compounds in the wild population compared with 16 in the cultivated population. Digitoxigenin (21.6%) was the major constituent of the wild population, while α-tocopherol acetate (19.0%) predominated in the cultivated population. The wild site was characterized by higher elevation, cooler conditions, greater rainfall, and comparatively favorable soil organic carbon and nutrient status, which may have contributed to the greater phytochemical diversity observed. Conclusion: The combined phytochemical, GC–MS, soil, and weather analyses demonstrate distinct chemical variation between cultivated and wild D. purpurea populations. The greater chemical diversity observed in the wild population may be associated with differences in climatic conditions and soil properties. These findings highlight the importance of environmental conditions in phytochemical accumulation and support the conservation and scientific cultivation of D. purpurea for sustainable medicinal use.