Abstract
The root samples of thirty accessions of the medicinal plant Withania somnifera from different districts of Kerala were subjected to FTIR spectral analysis and the spectral peaks were analyzed. The peaks coming in the range of 1001-1076 cm-1 corresponding to withanolide ring band and flavanoid like structures, and 1614 cm-1 represent the carbon skeleton of withanolides which are the common and active ingredients of Withania. Therefore, these peaks can be considered as the fingerprint peaks of the species. Meanwhile, spectral peak at 405 cm-1 is seen in some accessions which correspond to the presence metal complexes which can be attributed to the accumulation of some metals in these accessions, probably from the soil. The study can thus reflect the changing habitat of the species and can also be employed to find out the materials that can possibly include as the substitutes of the species because of its medicinal potential.
