Camptothecin distribution and content in Nothapodytes nimmoniana

Nothapodytes nimmoniana is an important anti-cancer medicinal plant which possesses various bioactive substances, of which camptothecin (CPT) is the most important. CPT is mainly obtained by extraction from plants. However, extraction is problematic because of the lack of reference information, which leads to a large number of trees being felled. In this study, CPT was detected in different parts (shoots, two- and three-year-old stems, tender leaves, mature leaves, senescent leaves, roots and bark) of N. nimmoniana. A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was used to determine the CPT content. All parts analyzed contained CPT, but concentrations depended on the different growth phases of the stems and leaves. The highest CPT content was 1.87 mg/g from roots, followed by the shoots, with a content of 1.07 mg/g. With a view to resource utilization, we concluded that the shoots were the best tissues for exploitation. Suggestions for shoot picking are also provided.