TOTAL PHENOLS, TANNINS AND CONDENSED TANNINS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF RUMEX-HASTATUS

Various phenolic constituents were determined in stem, bark and root o f mature Rumex hastatus, a herbaceous plant occurring widely in the Hi malayas. For two samples from different localities, the values (dry we ight basis) for total phenols, tannins (capable of binding hide powder ) and condensed tannins in the bark were about 14% (as tannic acid equ ivalent), 13% (as tannic acid equivalent) and 10% (as catechin equival ent) respectively. The values for the root were about 17%, 16% and 12% . For the stem, the difference was large for the two samples; the valu es were 8.8 and 14.8%, 7.8 and 13.6% and 6.6 and 10.2% respectively. T he values for tannins which bind polyvinylpyrrolidone were lower by 7- 33% than values obtained with hide powder. The levels of total phenols , tannins or condensed tannins were substantially lower for the young plant and the dead fallen stem than those for the mature plant. The pl ant appears to have a potential as a source of tannins for industrial applications.