Phytochemical Screening of Leaves of Memecylon Umbellatum Burm.: a Medicinal Plant of Central Western Ghats *Krishnamurthy S.R
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Krishnamurthy S.R et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1610-1613 Research Article Available online through ISSN: 0974-6943 http://jprsolutions.info Phytochemical screening of leaves of Memecylon umbellatum Burm.: A medicinal plant of Central Western Ghats *Krishnamurthy S.R. and Asha B. Department of Applied Botany, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta – 577 451, Shimoga District, Karnataka, INDIA Received on: 11-02-2011; Revised on: 16-03-2011; Accepted on:21-04-2011 ABSTRACT Memecylon umbellatum Burm., a medicinal plant belongs to the family Melastomaceae. The plant is used in the treatment of diabetes, herpes, gonorrhea, leucorrhea and skin diseases. The young and mature leaves were collected form semi evergreen forests of central Western Ghats. The hot and cold extracts of leaves in different solvents namely petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous, were subjected for phytochemical screening for carbohydrates, proteins, tannins, saponins, terpinoids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, alkaloids, phenols and lignin. The glycosides and lignin were absent in all the extracts of young and mature leaves. The quantitative analysis of phenols, tannins, steroids, alkaloids, flavonoids, lignins, proteins and carbohydrates reveal that alkaloid and lignin were absent in both young and mature leaves whereas phenols, tannins, flavonoids and steroids were recorded and their variation between young and mature leaves were narrow. Key words: Central Western Ghats, medicinal plants, Melastomaceae, Memecylon umbellatum, semi ever green forests. INTRODUCTION The Memecylon belongs to the family Melastomaceae. Sivu et al. [1] mentioned 300 from 2 species of Memecylon. Agarwal and Rastogi [5], isolated umbelactone (4- species of Memecylon which are found in wide range of habitats from deciduous, semi hydroxymethyl-3-methyl-but-2-ene-4,1-olide), a new constituent of M. umbellatum. Joshi evergreen, evergreen and montane shoals with a wide range of altitude from sea level to et al. [6] isolated fatty acids like octocosonoic acid, cerotic acid, ethyl palmitate, palmitic 2500 mts. Memecylon umbellatum Burm. is a small handsome tree, it is locally called as acid and butyric acid from the n-hexane extract of the roots. Amalraj and Ignacimuthu [7] Adachare and the English name is iron-wood tree. All the parts of the plant is used as evaluated the hypoglycaemic effect of alcoholic extract of the leaves in normal and alloxan medicine, the fruits are edible, are eaten in time of famine and they are quite safe. The diabetic mice. Krishnamurthy and Asha [8] determined proximates, nutritive value and leaves are used in the dyeing industry to dye wool, silk and grass mats [2]. Ram Rastogi elemental composition of M. umbellatum from the two distinct climatic regions of Karnataka and Mehrotra [3] isolated and characterized the umbellactone-b-amyrin, sitosterol, its from the young and mature leaves and reported that young leaves are more nutritive. glycoside, olenalic and ursolic acids. Lowry [4] reported the occurrence of Anthocyanins Puratchikody and Nagalakshmi [9] evaluated the wound healing activity of alcoholic extract of leaves in rats in the form of ointment. The leaves have been being used for the INDIA preparation of herbal formulations. The two major tribal groups of south Tamil Nadu, India, used the shade dried leaf powder with cup of water and boiled rice and kept it for overnight. They take one teaspoon of this orally in the morning for 40 days or until cure to treat diabetes [10]. The paste of the leaves with a piece of roof tile is applied on herpes infected parts [11]. The infusion of leaf is used against snake- bite [12]. In the present study, an attempt is made to screen both the hot and cold extracts of young and mature leaves of Memecylon umbellatum Burm. for its phytochemicals. KARNATAKA MATERIALS AND METHODS Study Area The samples were collected at semi ever green forests of Koppa in Chikmagalore districts of Karnataka, India. It is geographically situated on 13o 33’ N latitude and 75o 21’ 59" E longitude. The altitude is 2506 feet MSL. The temperature varies from 21.1oC to 28.2oC. It receives 1925 mm annual rainfall (Map 1). Identification and description Having collected and brought to the laboratory, the specimen was identified. The plant is an erect shrub or a small tree, 2-3 mts tall and branches glabrous, leaves petiolated, flowers on pedicilate, pedunculate cyme, cymes branched lateral, the ultimate branches are umbellulate. Leaves ovate or ovate to elliptic, 2 inches long and 0.75 inches broad, emarginated apex, yellowish when dry, nerves not visible, calyx companulate and the disc rays are conspicuous [13]. (Specimen voucher No. KU/AB/BA-4). * Preparation of Samples The collected leaves were washed in the running tap water and alcohol to remove dust particles from the surface. The leaves were shade dried and powdered in electric blender. The powdered samples were packed in air-tight plastic containers and stored in the refrigerator for further analysis. * Koppa Preparation of Extracts The powdered material was subjected to both hot and cold extraction. Hot Extraction A known amount of shade dried powder of leaf was filled in the thimble and extracted successively with various solvents of gradual increasing polarities from petroleum ether to *Corresponding author. distilled water through chloroform and ethanol using a Soxhlet extractor for 48 hrs. All the extracts were concentrated using rotary flash evaporator. After complete solvent evaporation, Krishnamurthy S.R. the extract was preserved at 5 o C in airtight bottles until further use [14,15]. Department of Applied Botany, Kuvempu University, Cold Extraction Shankaraghatta – 577 451, Powdered samples was weighed and soaked in different solvents for 24 hrs with intermittent Shimoga District, Karnataka, INDIA shaking. The plant extract was then collected and filtered through Whatman No.1 filter Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.4.Issue 6. June 2011 1610-1613 Krishnamurthy S.R et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2011,4(6),1610-1613 paper. The extract was concentrated using a rotary evaporator, then preserved in air tight Saponins bottles at 4o C until further use [16,17]. Hot and cold ethanol extracts of both young and mature leaves showed +ve response for both foam and haemolysis test. Preliminary screening of primary and secondary metabolites The extracts obtained from both hot and cold extractions were subjected for preliminary Triterpenoids phytochemical screening of primary and secondary metabolites [Carbohydrates (Molisch’s, Only hot and cold ethanol extract of both hot and cold extract of young and mature leaves Benidict’s and Fehling’s tests), Proteins (Million’s, Xanthoprotic, Biuret and Ninhydrin showed +ve response to Salkowaski test. tests), Tannins (Fecl and Gelatin tests), Saponins (Foam and Haemolysis tests), 3 Flavonoids Triterpenoids (Salkowaski test), Flavoniods (Fecl3, Shinoda, NaoH, Lead acetate, Mineral acid and Zinc hydrochloric tests), Steroids (Salkowaski test), Glycosides (Killer Killani Hot and cold ethanol extracts of both samples showed +ve response to FeCl3, Shinoda and test), Alkaloids (Mayer’s, Wagner’s, Sonneuschinis and Tannic acid tests), Phenols, zinc hydrochloric tests. Only hot and cold aqueous extracts of both young and mature (Phenol and Ellagic tests), Lignins (Labat and Furfuraldehyde tests)] [18,19]. leaves showed +ve response to mineral acid test. Hot ethanol extract of mature leaves, cold aqueous extract of young leaves and chloroform and aqueous extracts of mature leaves Quantitative estimation of primary and secondary metabolites showed +ve response to lead acetate test. Hot petroleum ether and chloroform extracts of The powdered plant material was subjected for Quantitative analysis of secondary young leaves, chloroform extracts of mature leaves and cold aqueous extract of young metabolites. (Phenols [20,21], tannins [22], steroids [23], alkaloids [24], flavonoids [25], proteins leaves, chloroform and aqueous extract of mature leaves showed +ve response to NaOH [26] and carbohydrates [27] ). test. RESULTS Steroids Preliminary screening of primary and secondary metabolites Salkowaski test showed +ve to only ethanol extracts of both hot and cold young and The presence or absence of phytochemicals for different tests are given in Table 1. mature leaves. Table 1. Screening of phytochemicals of M. umbellatum Hot extract Cold extract Young leaves Mature leaves Young leaves Mature leaves Carbohydrates PE Chl Eth Aq PE Chl Eth Aq PE Chl Eth Aq PE Chl Eth Aq Molisch’s test + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Benidict’s test + - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - Fehling’s test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Proteins Million’s test + + - + - - - + - - + + - + - + Xanthoprotic test + + - + - - - - - - - - - - - - Biuret test - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - Ninhydrin test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tannins Fecl3 test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Gelatin test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Saponins Foam test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Haemolysis test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Triterpenoids Salkowaski test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Flavoniods Fecl3 test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Shinoda test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - NaoH test + + - - - + - - - - - + - + - + Lead acetate test - - - - - - + - - - + + - - + - Mineral acid test - - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + Zinc hydrochloric test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Steroids Salkowaski test - - + - - - + - - - + - - - + - Glycosides Killer killani test