Effect of solvents on qualitative and quantitative phytochemical constituent profiles of fresh leaves of TV26

Abstract

The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively screen and identify major phytochemical groups from leaves extract of TV26 extracted by nine different solvents having different polarities. Qualitative screening suggested acetone, methanol, ethanol and ethyl acetate to be the most potent solvent for various phytochemical extractions like flavonoid, tannin, steroid, diterpenes, terpenoids, coumarin, cardiac glycoside, saponin, protein and reducing sugar. The highest percent of radical scavenging was recorded in cold water extracts (5mg/ml) i.e. 91.10% and was at par with 93.40% percent scavenging activity of ascorbic acid taken as standard (5mg/ml). Methanol, acetone, ethanol and ethyl acetate gave the best results with the total phenol content value (GAE) recorded as 100.60mg/g, 87.07mg/g, 58.73 mg/g and 51.47mg/g respectively with methanol giving the best result. Acetone extracts (5mg/ml) showed higher ferric reducing power with IC, value 426.45+ 1.12 μg/ml compared to the standard (ascorbic acid) 270.35-0.66 μg/ml. Our findings suggest that the polar solvents were more beneficial and potent against the other non polar counterparts during phytochemical extraction but the polarity of solvents need not be in increasing order since we can assume from our results that acetone being less polar than ethanol, methanol and water showed better results. In addition to different polarities, state of the sample and extraction technique is also crucial for better extraction.