PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SECONDARY METABOLITES OF EUPHORBIA NERIIFOLIA LINN.

Abstract

Metabolites play an important role for the protection of plants against various diseases. Each secondary metabolite has a specific activity. Euphorbia neriifolia is one such medicinal plant with maximum secondary metabolites. These metabolites were extracted from different polar solvents - petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, 95% ethanol and distilled water. Alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, sterols, lignins, and tannins were found in Euphorbia neriifolia's flowers with cold percolation method. Each metabolites show effective activities against diseases. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

ABSTRACT

Metabolites play an important role for the protection of plants against various diseases. Each secondary metabolite has a specific activity. Euphorbia neriifolia is one such medicinal plant with maximum secondary metabolites. These metabolites were extracted from different polar solvents - petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, 95% ethanol and distilled water. Alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, sterols, lignins, and tannins were found in Euphorbia neriifolia's flowers with cold percolation method. Each metabolites show effective activities against diseases.

KEY WORDS: Alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, Euphorbia neriifolia Linn.

INTRODUCTION

Plants have different types of therapeutic properties by which different ailments to mankind are dealt with. Medicinal plants naturally accumulate different types of primary and secondary metabolites. Different types of medicinal plants have been used for the treatment of diseases. The quantity of secondary metabolites vary in different parts of a plant and is also influenced by environmental conditions (Aanchal Jain et al, 2012; Surendra Κ. Rathore et al, 2012; Priyanka Parmar et al, 2012).

Plant species are widely used in Indian systems of medicine since times immemorial and one such ancient plant is Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. The general name of Euphorbia neriifolia Linn, is Sehund IThohar in Hindi and Dog's Tongue in English. It is known as Indian spurge tree, Oleander spurge, Hedge Euphorbia, Smihi (Sanskrit) and Ilachevikalli (siddha). This plant belongs to the family of Eaphorbiaceae (Burkiii IH; 1936, Ambasta SP; 1986).

Generally Euphorbia neriifolia grows luxuriously around dry, rocky, North hilly areas, Central and Southern parts of India. The leaves are thick, greenish, 6-12 inches long and ovular shape (Anonymous, 1952). Most of the people know about it that it is very toxic and waste plant but recent researches have shown that it has medicinal uses in the treatment of typical diseases. It is a bitter laxative, carminative and useful in abdominal troubles, bronchitis, tumors, leucoderma, piles, enlargement of Spleen, anemia, ulcers, fever and in chronic respiratory troubles (AK Nadkarni, 1954).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Collection of Plant Material

Euphorbia neriifolia Linn, is found all over India. The plant flowers were collected from Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh. Mandsaur District forms the northern projection of Madhya Pradesh (Fig.-l). It lies between the parallels of latitude 23° 45' 50" North and 25° 2' 55" North, and between the meridians of longitude 74° 42' 30" East and 75° 50' 20" East.

Preliminary Screening of Secondary Metabolites

The flower of Euphorbia neriifolia (Fig.2) were collected from Mandsaur Madhya Pradesh.The plant was identified to Dr. S.N. Mishra, Principal Scientist, All India Coordinated Research Project on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, College of Horticulture, Mandsaur, affiliated to R.V.S.K.V. Vishwavidyalaya, Gwalior.

The flowers were kept in shade, dried and powdered using mixer grinder, and subjected to cold percolation process for 48 hours with petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, 95% ethanol and distilled water. After this process, the extracts were filtered and used for preliminary phytochemical screening such as alkaloids (Iodine, Wagner, and Dragendorff s test), flavonoids (Pew's, Shinoda and NaOH tests), glycosides (Keller-Killani, Cone. H2SO4, and Molisch tests), lignin (Labat and Lignin tests), phenols (Ellagic acid and Phenol tests), saponins (Foam and Haemolysis test), sterols (Libermann- Burchard, and Salkowski tests), tannins (Gelatin and Lead acetate tests) were carried out (Shashank Bhatt et al.,2011).

Preliminary Screening of Phytochemical Test

Phytochemical Screening

The filtrate obtained was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening.

For identification of alkaloids Iodine test (Khandelwal K.R., 2008), Wagner's test (Kokate C.K. et al, 2001) and Dragendorff s test (Kokate C.K. et al,2001) were performed.

For identification of flavonoids Pew's test (Peach K., Tracey MV. 1956), Shinoda test (Kokate C.K. et al, 2001) and NaOH test (Khandelwal K.R., 2008) were performed.

For identification of glycosides Keller-Killani test (Kokate C.K. et al, 2001), Glycoside test (Treare GE, Evans WC. 1985), Cone. H2SO4 test (Khandewal K.R., 2008) and Molish test (Kokate C. K. et. al, 2001) were performed.

For identification of Phenol Ellagic acid test (Gibbs R.D., 1974) and Phenol test (Gibbs R.D., 1974) were done.

For identification of lignin lignin test (Gibbs R.D., 1974) and labat test (Gibbs R.D., 1974) were performed.

For identification of saponins foam test (Kokate C. K. et. al, 2001), and Haemolysis test (Kokate C.K., 1994) were done.

For Identification of sterols Liebermann- Burchard test (Kokate C. K. et. al, 2001) and Salkowski's test (Kokate C. K. et. al, 2001) were done.

For identification of tannins gelatin test (Treare GE, Evans WC. 1985) and lead acetate test (Treare GE, Evans WC. 1985) were performed.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The results of the phytochemical screening of Euphorbia neriifolia's flowers' have been presented in Table-1. It showed that different types of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenol, lignins, saponins, sterols and tannins were present. Most of the secondary metabolites present in flowers show the good therapeutic activity against diseases compared to other parts. According to the guidelines of WHO & Ayurveda, if a plant has anti-pathogenicity, anti-cancer and different types of activities it can be involved into medicinal plant category. Secondary metabolites are these types of compounds.

Flavonoids have inherent abilities to modify the body's reaction to allergen, virus and carcinogens. Tannins have general antimicrobial and antioxidant activities (Rievere el al., 2009). Current reports show that tannins may have potential values such as cytotoxic and antineoplastic agents (Aguinaldo et al., 2005). Plant steroids have cardiotonic activity, possess insecticidal and antimicrobial properties. It is generally used in herbal medicines and cosmetic products (Callow; 1936).

Sidebar

Cite this article:

Chouhan Leela, Bhatt Shashank, Dhyani Suresh (2013), PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF SECONDARY METABOLITES OF EUPHORBIA NERIIFOLIA LINN., Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med., Volume 2(5): 292-297

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Conflict of Interest: None Declared