PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF AQUEOUS, ETHANOL AND METHANOL EXTRACTS OF FLACOURTIA INDICA LEAF AND RIPE FRUIT

Abstract

Aim and Objective: Plants have been exploited over the years for their therapeutic benefits, because they contain a lot of bioactive compounds that have potentials and ability to treat or manage diseases. Thus, this study investigated the qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals in Flacourtia indica (F. indica) aqueous, ethanol and methanol leaf and ripe fruit extracts.

Methods: F. indica leaf and ripe fruit were harvested from a fruiting tree in Emene, Enugu state, Nigeria, and the analyses were done following standard methods.

Results: Qualitative screening revealed that tested extracts contained saponin, tannin, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides and phenol. While proteins and steroids were not detectable in aqueous and ethanol leaf and ripe fruit extracts, they were present in moderately high (++) amount and in trace amount (+) in methanol leaf extract of f. Indica. The quantitative screening comparatively revealed that concentrations of glycosides (mg/ml), flavonoids (mg/ml), alkaloids (mg/ml) and tannins (mg/ml) were higher and phenol (mg/ml) lower in ethanol leaf extract, while in the aqueous leaf extract, phenol (mg/ml) was higher; in the ethanol fruit extract, flavonoids (mg/ml) and alkaloids (mg/ml) were higher, and in the aqueous fruit extract, phenol (mg/ml) and tannin (mg/ml) were higher.

Conclusion: In conclusion, quantitatively, ethanol was a better solvent of extraction than water and methanol and f. indica leaf and ripe fruit are rich sources of secondary bioactive phyto-molecules, which could be consumed for their health and therapeutic benefits.

                         

Peer Review History:

Received: 8 August 2022; Revised: 11 September; Accepted: 22 October; Available online: 15 November 2022

Academic Editor: Dr. Asia Selman Abdullah, Pharmacy institute, University of Basrah, Iraq, asia_abdullah65@yahoo.com

Received file:                             Reviewer's Comments:

Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.0/10

Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10

Reviewers:

Dr. Sangeetha Arullappan, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, sangeetha@utar.edu.my

Prof. Ali Gamal Ahmed Al-kaf, Sana'a university, Yemen, alialkaf21@gmail.com

Dr. Gehan Fawzy Abdel Raoof Kandeel, Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, 12622,  Giza, Egypt, gehankandeel9@yahoo.com