Catechol

Barlaria buxifolia Linn is one of the medicinal plants well documented traditionally in Ayurveda system of medicine and is highly valued in modern medicine owing to the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, steroids. The plant is reported to contain phenol, flavonoid and tannin; phenolic and flavonoids compounds are reported to possess antioxidant and hence the plant may be used as organ protective. Keeping this in view, the plant was analysed for total phenol, flavonoid and tannin content. Catechol, quercetin and tannic acid reagents were used as standards for calibration of total polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins respectively. The quantification of total polyphenol, falvonoid and tannin content showed 14.65mg/gm catechol, 26.80mg/gm quercetin and 11.32mg/gm tannic acid equivalent respectively, the study indicates that the leaves of Barlaria buxifolia Linn exhibits the highest flavonoid, phenolic and tannin content. It can be used potentially as a readily accessible source of natural antioxidant. Key words: Catechol, Phenol, Flavonoid, Quercetin and Tannin, Barlaria buxifolia Linn

Oxidative stress caused by free radicals is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases.  In order to continue the other plants with potential benefits with free radical scavenging properties, researchers start looking forward for exploring new plants with rich in flavonoids and polyphenolics. These constituents possess not only free radical scavenging properties but also they are highly safe in the treatment of many diseases/disorders. In one of the field survey, it was identified that Sesbania grandiflora(Linn) was extensively used by folklore practitioner for treating many human ailments such as flatulent-colic, astringent, cooling, bitter, tonic, anthelmintic, febrifuge, dyspepsia, diarrhea and gastralgia, pain, nyctalopia, anaemia, emaciation. Even the plant is a rich source of antioxidants such as phenolics and flavonoids. However, scientific information about the plant and concentration of these constituents was not updated. Hence it was planned to undertake the plant of the present study for its spectrophotometric determination of total phenolic and flavonoid contents from 70% alcoholic extract of flowers of Sesbania grandiflora using Catechol and Quercetin as reference standard. It was observed that, 70% alcoholic extract of flowers of Sesbania grandiflora(Linn) showed 64.0mg/G of total phenol equivalent to catechol and 28.80mg/G of flavonoidal content equivalent to quarcetin standard.  Hence it may be concluded that the plant many be potential source of antioxidant principles such as phenolic and flavonoid. Furthermore, the plants possessing these antioxidants can be highly beneficial for the treatment of many common human ailments. Key-Words: Catechol, Flavonoid, Phenolic, Quercetin, Sesbania grandiflora(Linn).