Phytochemical and qualitative characterization of leaves of some noteworthy medicinal plants of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

The diverse pharmacological properties of medicinal plants are due to the presence of certain biologically active chemical compounds known as Phytochemicals. The present analysis was carried out to characterize the phytochemicals present in the leaves of five selected noteworthy medicinal plants. Leaf extracts of Clitoria ternatea, Calotropis gigantea, Mentha Arvensis, Aegle marmelos and Catharanthus roseus were made by using three solvents methanol, ethanol and chloroform and these extracts have been evaluated using Ultra Violet Visible (UV-VIS) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer. The results of FTIR and UV-VIS spectral values and the qualitative phytochemical screening done by standard methods confirm the presence of certain phytochemicals such as terpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, quinones, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, and phenols in the selected plant leaves. Methanol extracts of the plant leaves were found to consist of a good source of phytochemicals as compared to the chloroform and ethanol extract. The present study validates that selected plant leaves are an excellent source of significant phytochemicals and can be used in the production of herbal formulation, useful drugs and alternative medicines.