flavonoid

Plant phenolics, saponins and flavonoids have a powerful biological activity, which outlines the necessity of their determination. The present work was aimed to determine the total phenolic, flavonoid and saponin contents in ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of Sesbania cannabina leaves. The total phenolic content was determined by folin-ciocatechu reagent using gallic acid as standard and total flavonoid content by aluminium chloride assay using rutin as a standard .The total saponin content was determined by vanillin reagent using diosgenin as a standard. Methanol extract of leaves showed highest amount of total phenolic content (231±0.86 mg/g equivalent of Gallic acid), total flavonoid content (87.10±0.38 mg/g equivalent of rutin) and total saponin content (50.66±0.57 mg/g equivalent of diosgenin). The results obtained from the present study provides evidence that extracts of Sesbania cannabina leaves contains secondary metabolites and this justifies the use of plant species as traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases.  

Plant derived medicines are popularly used nowadays considering their natural origin and low side effects. Phytochemical compounds are responsible for their various biological activities. Qualitative evaluation of such formulations is a challenging task due to high variability of their chemical components. This work aimed at preparing and evaluating a polyherbal anti-stress medicine, formulated using four potent Ayurvedic drugs namely Withania somnifera, Valeriana wallichii, Bacopa monnieri and Piper longum and also isolating a bioactive marker compound from the same.The formulation was prepared as per classical methods of Ayurveda and analysed for physicochemical characters like loss on drying, total ash content, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extractive value and alcohol soluble extractive value by standard methods. Phytochemical analysis was performed for detecting presence of carbohydrates, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, Terpenoids, glycosides and saponins and for estimating active groups like total phenolic content, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography fingerprint profiling was performed to confirm the presence of various phytocompounds. The biomarker compound was isolated by column chromatography method and characterized by UV-Visible, H1-NMR, C13-NMR and Mass spectroscopy methods. Physicochemical analysis showed presence of about 18% water soluble components and about 14% alcohol soluble components. Preliminary phytochemical analysis confirmed presence of carbohydrate, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, phytosterols and saponins. Quantitative analysis showed presence of about 7.6% phenols, 1.3% flavonoids, 1.1% tannins and 3.5% saponins. Spectroscopic study indicated isolated compound is a phenolic compound 3, 4, 5-tri hydroxybenzoic acid.

To detect and estimate the phenolics and flavonoids of Artimisia nilagirica in different solvents under Cold Percolation (CP), Micro-Wave-Assisted Extraction (MAE) system and by HPTLC finger print analysis. Preliminary screening of phenolic components in hexane treated chlorophyll free extracts of solvent groups was studied qualitatively by specific chemical tests and total polyphenols and flavonoids were estimated quantitatively by UV-VIS-Spectrophotometer following CP and MAE system. Distinct chemo-profile of the extracts was analyzed by HPTLC technique with CAMAG TLC plate Heater-III, CAMAG-TLC scanner-3, Optical Filter K-400 and CAMAG win CATS planar chromatography manager software. Among two methods of extraction more components of polyphenols were detected and significantly higher contents of phenolics and flavonoids were estimated in MAE method than CP method. Out of two solvent types, organic solvent mixtures recovered significantly higher polyphenols and flavonoids in comparison to aqueous solvent where 80% methanol was to extract the maximum. HPTLC finger print analysis of phenolics revealed 7 (Rf 0.02- 0.93), 15 (Rf 0.01- 0.93), 16 (Rf 0.01- 0.89), 10 (Rf 0.01- 0.98) and 12 peaks (Rf 0.01- 0.93) for water, 80% methanol, ethanol, acetone and mixture solvents respectively under traditional CP method. But, in MAE method the peaks were 10 (Rf 0.01- 0.97), 19 (Rf 0.01- 0.92), 19 (Rf 0.01- 0.96), 16 (Rf 0.01- 0.99) and 16 (Rf 0.01- 0.95) respectively. Phyto-chemicals can be better screened qualitatively and estimated quantitatively in organic solvent extracts under MAE system by HPTLC finger print analysis than the aqueous solvent and CP method.

  Cucumis melo Linn. (family cucurbitaceae) is extensively cultivated throughout India particularly in the hot and dry North-Western areas. Its fruit pulp, root, seeds and seed oil are used for medicinal purposes. In Unani medicine, the seed kernel is commonly used to treat various disease conditions. Seeds are having diuretic, lithontriptic, laxative, demulcent and refrigerant properties. There are many varieties of melon available and they also show great diversity in foliage. Hence, adultration is very common with this plant. Standardization provides a more reliable, effective and high-quality product by confirming the presence of plant constituents qualitatively and quantitatively. Hence, efforts have been made to standardize the seed to provide scientific data for identification, authentication and distinguishing the plant from its adulterants. The morphological, microscopic, physicochemical and chromatographic studies of Cucumis melo seed will be useful for quality control of this drug in formulations and would serve as a standard reference for further studies. Key words: Adultration, Cucumis melo, flavonoid, phenolic, standardization