Phytochemical screening of Meconopsis aculeata royle an important medicinal plant of Kashmir Himalaya: A perspective

Abstract

Medicinal plants have bioactive compounds which are used for curing of various human diseases and also play an important role in healing. Phytochemicals have two categories i.e., primary and secondary constituents. Primary constituents have chlorophyll, proteins sugar and amino acids. Secondary constituents contain terpenoids and alkaloids. Medicinal plants have antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammation activities. The present study involves medicinal plant Meconopsis aculeta which is locally available in Kashmir Himalaya. The aerial and rhizome parts of the selected medicinal plant were washed, air dried and then powdered for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Different extracts of aerial and rhizome parts were used to find out the phytochemical constituents in the Meconopsis aculeta. The main objective of the research work was to check the presence or absence of the phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis in different extracts of Meconopsis aculeta. The results of the phytochemical analysis of Meconopsis aculeta showed that the terpenoids, phlobatannins, flavonoids and alkaloids were present. The phytochemical analysis of medicinal plants is very important commercially and has great interest in pharmaceutical companies for the production of the new drugs for curing of various diseases. It is expected that the important phytochemical constituent recognized in Meconopsis aculeta found in Kashmir Himalaya will be very useful in the curing of various diseases of this region.