The Biobrio 12(3&4), 2025

Standardization of physicochemical parameters for quality control of Chenopodium album, Crotalaria juncea and Ficus racemosa fruits from the Ranchi Plateau, Jharkhand

Somya, Sarika Verma & Asha Mishra

ABSTRACT:

The Ranchi Plateau harbors a diversity of underutilized wild edible plants traditionally consumed by tribal communities but lacking standardized quality control parameters. This study establishes comprehensive physicochemical standards for Chenopodium album (Bathua), Crotalaria juncea (Jhunjhuna), and Ficus racemosa (Gular) fruits collected from the Ranchi Plateau, Jharkhand, India. Physicochemical characterization including moisture content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-soluble ash, extractive values (alcohol and water), pH, heavy metal analysis (ICPMS), and fluorescence microscopy was performed following WHO and AYUSH guidelines. Proximate analysis revealed moisture content ranging from 72.15±0.98% (C. juncea) to 83.67±1.45% (F. racemosa). Total ash was highest in C. album (14.28±0.56%), indicating rich mineral content. Acid-insoluble ash remained below 2% across all species, confirming minimal siliceous contamination. Water-soluble extractive values ranged from 15.22±0.61% (C. juncea) to 28.33±1.12% (F. racemosa), validating traditional aqueous preparations. pH analysis revealed acidic nature of F. racemosa (5.13±0.05) while C. album exhibited near-neutral pH (6.42±0.08). Heavy metal screening confirmed all samples within WHO permissible limits (Pb <2 mg/kg; Cd <0.2 mg/kg). Fluorescence analysis generated species-specific spectral fingerprints under UV (254/366 nm) for rapid authentication. The established physicochemical parameters serve as essential quality control benchmarks for pharmacopoeial inclusion and nutritional valorization of these underutilized wild edibles from the Ranchi Plateau.

Keywords:    

Chenopodium album, Crotalaria juncea, Ficus racemosa, Physicochemical standardization, Quality control, Wild edible plants, Ranchi Plateau

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