Comparative phytochemical screening of kenaf and jute leaves

Abstract

Many leafy vegetables are mainly consumed for their nutritional values without much consideration for their medicinal importance. Butonly few species have been explored for its chemical and biological studies. Plants contain chemical substances and most of which are non-nutritive dietary components that are beneficial to human health. These components are called phytochemicals. “Phyto” means that they are plant derivative.1 Phytochemicals are chemical compound formed during plant’s normal metabolic process. These chemicals are often referred to as secondary metabolite of which they are several classes including alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, steroids, glycosides, gum, phenol, tannins, terpenes and terpenoids.2 Phytochemical analyses are of paramount importance for the identification of new sources of therapeutically and industrially valuable compounds with medicinal significance and for the best and most judicious use of naturally available materials.3