Research Projects

Gaultheria fragrantissima (Indian Wintergreen), a small, evergreen shrub from the Ericaceae family, is renowned for its essential oil which has valuable bioactive secondary metabolites. The species, native to the high-altitude terrains of North-eastern India, Indo-Nepal, and Indo-Bhutan, has also been recorded in the Western Ghats of South India, where it thrives at altitudes between 1,500–2,500 meters above sea level. The therapeutic properties of this plant, along with its essential oil, derived mainly from the leaves, have made it a significant part of traditional medicine. The oil contains methyl salicylate (a natural pain reliever used as an alternative to aspirin) in the form of a glycoside called gaultherin, which is highly valued in modern pharmaceutical applications, including pain relief, rheumatism treatment, and as an antiseptic. In addition to methyl salicylate, Gaultheria fragrantissima also contains other bioactive secondary metabolites such as quercetin-3-galactoside, ursolic acid, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids. These compounds contribute to the plant's anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, further increasing its value in both traditional medicine and modern pharmaceutical applications. Despite its significance, Gaultheria fragrantissima is at risk due to habitat destruction, overharvesting, slow natural regeneration, and lack of efficient cultivation protocols pushing it toward "vulnerable" status. It is primarily propagated through rooted cuttings and seeds, but these methods are slow, and wild populations are rapidly declining due to increasing human activity, using it for woodfire. As the demand for its bioactive compounds grows, there is an urgent need for sustainable cultivation strategies and biotechnological interventions to conserve this plant and enhance its commercial viability. This proposal seeks to address these challenges by focusing on sustainable conservation and the large-scale production of its bioactive compounds. In addition to conservation and sustainable cultivation, the proposal includes a technology transfer component. The developed protocols for in-vitro propagation, bioactive compound extraction, and cultivation methods will be shared with local communities, research institutions, and industries. Additionally, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses will be conducted to identify key genes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as methyl salicylate, ursolic acid, and other bioactive compounds. By integrating these approaches, the project will create a sustainable and scalable system for the production of these compounds, which are in high demand in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The successful implementation of this project will not only contribute to biodiversity conservation but also support the economic growth of local communities by promoting the commercialization of Gaultheria fragrantissima's bioactive compounds.