Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari, known as guggul, produces a medicinally important gum resin which is used extensively by Ayurvedic physicians to treat various ailments. However, most of the studies on C. wightii have been limited to its gum resin. Comprehensive metabolic profiling of leaves, stem and gum resin samples was undertaken to analyse aqueous and non-aqueous metabolites from three distinct chemotypes (NBRI-101, NBRI-102 and NBRI-103) shortlisted from different agro-climatic zones. GC-MS, HPLC and NMR spectroscopy were used for comprehensive metabolomics. Multivariate analysis showed characteristic variation in quinic and citric acids, myo-inositol and glycine (aqueous metabolites) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-phenol, trans-farnesol and guggulsterones (non-aqueous metabolites) amongst the three chemotypes. Quinic acid, citric acid and myo-ionositol were detected in substantial quantities from leaves and stem samples which provide opportunities for novel nutraceutical and pharmaceutical formulations. Quinic acid, from the leaves, was identified as a marker metabolite for early selection of high guggulsterones-yielding cultivars.

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem) is a source of several bioactive triterpenoids, however, only azadirachtins have been commercially exploited. Salanin and nimbin are the other major active potential bioactive compounds that can be used for product development as well as markers for selection and improvement of neem. Thirty-three provenances, and individual trees from three locations from different agro-climatic zones of India were examined to assess quantitative variations. Nimbin and salanin were quantified using RP-analytical HPLC. Elite individuals with exceptionally higher salanin and nimbin content were identified. There were wide variations in seed area, oil content, nimbin and salanin concentrations among different provenances and also between individual trees of a particular provenance. Nimbin concentration ranged from 18.2 to 636.8mgkg−1, whereas salanin was in the range of 45.4–1830.3mgkg−1 kernel weight. Analysis of variance for seed area, oil content, nimbin and salanin among various neem provenances showed significant differences in oil content, nimbin and salanin. Correlation coefficients among the parameters investigated showed nimbin and salanin as significantly correlated. Nimbin and salanin content also varied between individual trees of a particular location. The study shows that nimbin or salanin synthesis did not appear to be influenced by environmental conditions as individual trees from the same agro-climatic zone showed different trends. It can be concluded that there are individual genetic differences among neem trees. This provides an ample scope for tree improvement by half-sib progeny trials followed by clonal propagation.