FTIR and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis of medicinal plants, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum tenuiflorum

Abstract

Plant is an important source of medicine and plays a key role in world health. Vibrational and energy dispersive Xray spectra of leaves, stems and seeds from the two selected indigenous medicinal plants, Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum tenuiflorum (family : Lamiaceae) have been studied with the help of FTIR and SEM-EDX. FTIR findings indicated the presence of characteristic functional groups like alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, amides, amines, carboxylic acid, carbonyl compounds, carbohydrates (glycogen) and halogens. The results of SEM EDX spectra have shown that the essential elements like Calcium, Magnesium, Copper, Zinc, Oxygen, Sodium, Iron, Selenium and Potassium were present in the selected medicinal plants. The obtained data will be helpful for making medicinal formulation and deciding dosage of the medicine made from these plants.