Physicochemical evaluation, preliminary phytochemical investigation, fluorescence and TLC analysis of leaves of schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken

Abstract

Schleichera oleosa (Lour) Oken, family: Sapindaceae, is medium to large sized tree widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of India. In the present study, physicochemical parameters, fluorescence, phytochemical constituents and thin-layer chromatogram of the leaves of the plant were investigated. The total, acid-insoluble, water-soluble and sulphated ash values and the moisture content of the leaf powder of Schleichera oleosa were found to be 9.06, 7.16, 5.73, 13.5 and 5.21 %, respectively. The fluorescent characteristics of the leaf powder with various chemical reagents were examined under visible and UV light. Percent yields of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and aqueous leaf extracts were 3.26, 1.35, 1.70, 7.73 and 4.21 %, respectively. A significant amount of phenolic and flavonoid content was detected. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins and steroids in ethanol and aqueous extracts. The ethyl acetate, ethanol and aqueous extracts were subjected to thin-layer chromatography for identification of bioconstituents, which revealed various colored phytochemical compounds with different Rf values in different solvent systems. The results indicated that the leaves contain an appreciable number of bioactive compounds and presence of these phytochemicals especially the phenols and flavonoids could be the reason behind the use of Schleichera oleosa in ethnomedicine for the management of various ailments. These results could help in standardization, identification and in carrying out further research on Schleichera oleosa leaf-based herbal drugs.