PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF SOME SELECTED ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES FROM ASSAM, INDIA

Abstract

Medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds, including phytochemicals, which are used to treat various diseases and heal. These phytochemicals, categorized into primary and secondary constituents, include chlorophyll, proteins, sugar, amino acids, terpenoids, and alkaloids, and exhibit antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The present investigation deals with the phytochemical studies of leaves of diverse medicinal plants such as Murraya koenigii, Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus, Leucas aspera, and Moringa oleifera. Qualitative analysis of the secondary metabolites present in the methanolic extracts of the four plant species revealed the presence of various phytochemicals. Quantitative analysis of the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the methanolic extract revealed the presence of a high amount of phenol and flavonoids in the plant species. The highest amount of phenolic content was observed in Murraya koenigii (1344.3 mg/g), followed by Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (1325.4 mg/g), Moringa oleifera (1218 mg/g) and Leucas aspera (1019.1 mg/g). Likewise, the highest amount of flavonoid content was observed in Murraya koenigii (17.8 mg/g) followed by Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus (10.9 mg/g), Leucas aspera (5.3 mg/g), and least in Moringa oleifera (3.7 mg/g). Previous studies have confirmed the medicinal and physiological activity of certain compounds found in the leaves of plants studied for treating various ailments. These compounds could be potential drug sources, and the traditional medicinal use of these plants is encouraged.