PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON LAURENCIA OBTUSA (HUDSON) LAMOURUX

Abstract

The present study was aimed to know the occurrence and distribution of chemical constituents of Laurencia obtusa (Hudson) Lamourux using histochemical analysis. Histochemical tests were made on the fresh sections of the thallus treated with the following reagents to identify the presence or absence of metabolites like phenol, lignin, chitin, suberin and tannin. The stained sections were observed under Motic trinocular microscope and photographed at different magnifications and at different views. Phenols, polyphenols, tannin and lignin are profusely present in the outer layer of the thallus. Phenol shows the presence small quantity only in outer layer of the thallus. Polyphenols, tannin and lignin and abundantly present in the middle part of the thallus. Polyphenol and tannin shows minimal quantity and lignin was abundantly present in central part of the thallus. Hence this study offers a base of using L. obtusa as herbal alternative for the synthesis of active compounds.