International Journal of Botany

and Research (IJBR)

ISSN(P): 2277-4815; ISSN (E): 2319-4456
Vol. 6, Issue 4, Oct 2016, 29-34
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATION OF PHYTOCHEMICALS

OF ALTERNANTHERA SESSILIS (L) R. BR. EX. DC AND ALTERNANTHERA
PHILOXEROIDES (MART). GRISEB
E. VIMALA NALINA KUMARI1 & V. KRISHNAN2
1
2

Research Scholar, Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

ABSTRACT
Objective
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the phytochemicals of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera
philoxeroides qualitatively and quantitatively.
Method
Qualitative phytochemical analysis was done using the procedures of Harborne (1998), and Quantitative estimation was

Results
Qualitative phytochemical studies revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenolic compounds,
steroids, glycosides, quinone in both the plant extracts.Quantitative estimation revealed in mg/100gm and glycosides
were present more than other phytochemicals.
Conclusion

Original Article

done based on the procedure of Garrat 1964.

The extracts of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides showed phytochemicals which have
bioactivity and are the source of herbal drugs.
KEYWORDS: Alternanthera Sessilis, Alternanthera Philoxeroides, Qualitative, Quantitative, Phytochemical, Alkaloids,
Flavonids and Phenol

Received: Aug 24, 2016; Accepted: Sep 10, 2016; Published: Sep 28, 2016; Paper Id.: IJBROCT20165

INTRODUCTION
According to the World Health Organization, a medicinal plant is any plant, which in one or more of its
organs, contains substances that can be used for therapeutic purpose or which are precursors for
chemo-pharmaceutical semi synthesis. Such s plant will have its parts including leaves, roots, rhizomes, stems,
barks, flowers, fruits, grains or seeds, employed in the control or treatment of disease condition and therefore
contains chemical components that are medically active.
Phytochemicals are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective properties and preventive
properties against diseases and maintains human health. In greek phyto means plant or phytoconstituents and
they are responsible for protecting plant against microbial infections by pests.

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30

E. Vimala Nalina Kumari & V. Krishnan

Phytochemicals are

isolated

from fruits,

vegetables,

spices,

beverages and

many other

sources

(Doughari and Obidah, 2008; Doughari et al., 2009). Plant synthesizes a wide variety of chemical compounds, i.e
phytochemicals they can be sorted and grouped based on their chemical class, biosynthetic origin and functional groups
into primary metabolites and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites are directly involved in growth and development,
secondary metabolites are not involved directly in growth and development but they have been worked as biocatalysts
(Lingarao, M., Savithramma, N, 2011). Knowledge about the chemical constituents of plants is desirable for its discovery
of therapeutic agents and value informations in disclosing new resources of such chemical substances
(Mojab, F et al., 2003).There is correlation between the phytoconstituent and the bioactivity of the plants which is
acceptable to know the synthesis of compounds with specific activities to treat various health ailments and chronic disease
also (Pandey, P et al., 2013).
The genus Alternanthera, is a medicinally important plant and member of the family Amaranthaceae, which is
reported to contain phytochemicals like volatile constituents, essential amino acids, flavonoids, glycosides and steroids
(The wealth of Inida: Raw materials). Herbaceous medicinal plants and green leafy vegetables such as Alternanthera
sessilis (Linn) R.Br Ex Dc and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart). Griseb plays a vital role in human health care and used
as medicine in the following systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Folk, Sidha, Tibetan and Unani. Young shoots and leaves
of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides are eaten as vegetable in Southeast Asia and some other countries
(Scher J) The aim and purpose of this study was to screen phytochemicals both qualitatively and quantitatively which have
bioactivity and medicinal value.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fresh plants of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroideswere harvested from Vembakkam, Ponneri
Taluk, Thiruvallur District, Tamilnadu, India and were identified by a Botanist, Madras Christian College, Thambaram,
Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Fresh plants were washed thoroughly 3-4 times with running tap water and then finally with
sterile water followed by shade drying at room temperature for 20-25 days. The dried plant materials were made into
coarse powder, sived and stored in room temperature for further study and then used for crude extraction. Fine powder was
extracted in water and solvents (such as ethanol, methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether).
Phytochemical Screening of the Plant Extracts
A small portion of extracts were used for the phytochemical tests based on the procedure of Harborne (1998),
Kokate (1994), Kokate (2008) with some modificationsfor compounds which include tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids,
saponins and steroids. 1.0 gm of plant extract was dissolved in 10ml of distilled water and filtered by using Whatman no1
fiter paper, a blue colouration resulting from the addition ferric chloride reagent to the filtrate indicated the presence of
tannins in the extract. Exactly 0.5 g of the plant extract was dissolved in 5ml of 1% Hcl on steam bath. The filtrate was
treated with a few drops of Dragendorffs reagent.Formation of turbidity or precipitation indicates the presence of alkaloid.
Magnesium was added to the extract followed by the addition of a few drops of concentrated Hcl. The occurrence
of red or orange colouration was indication of flavonoids. 5ml of chloroform was added to 2ml of plant extract, followed
by 2ml of acetic acid and 2ml of sulphuric acid. Formation of violet to blue or green colour indicated the presence of
steroid. Other qualitative estimations were carried out based on the above mentioned Harborne (1998). For quantitative
estimation of Alkaloids, 5gm of the sample was weighed into 250 ml beaker and 200 ml of 10% acetic acid in ethanol was
Impact Factor (JCC): 2.6392

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation of Phytochemicals of Alternanthera

sessilis (L) R. Br. Ex. Dc and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart). Griseb

31

added, covered and allowed to stand for 4hrs. This was filtered and the extract was concentrated on a water bath to one
quarter of the original volume. Concentrated ammonium hydroxide was added drop wise to the extract until the
precipitation was complete. The whole solution was allowed to settle and the precipitate was collected and washed with
dilute ammonium hydroxide and then filtered. The residue is the alkaloid, which was dried and weighed. Other estimations
were carried out following Garrat(1964).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The results of qualitative analyses of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides were tabulated in
table 1. Phytochmical studies revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, steroids,
glycosides, carbonydrates, proteins, fats, and amioacids. The total content of the above mentioned phytochemicals of
Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides were calculated. The quantitative estimation of phytochemicals are
depicted in the table 2.
Table 1: Qualitative Analysis of Phytochmicals of Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides
S. No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Name of the
Phytochemicals
Alkaloids
Flavonoids
Tannins
Saponin
Phenolic compounds
Steroids
Glycosides
Quinone
Acid
Coumorin
Triterpenoid
Carbohydrate
Protein
Aminoacid
Fat

Alternanthera sessilis
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

Alternanthera
philoxeroides
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

Table 2: Quanitative Estimation of Phytochmicals of Alternanthera

sessilis and Alternanthera philoxeroides(mg/100gm)
S. No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Name of the Phytochemicals

Alkaloids
Flavonoids
Tannins
Saponin
Phenolic compounds
Steroids
Glycosides
Carbohydrate
Aminoacid
Protein
Fat
Fiber

Alternanthera
sessilis
9.14
1.62
5.33
12.5
0.44
10.15
56.7
21.02
3.89
19.18
1.59
2.55

Alternanthera
philoxeroides
5.33
1.87
20.45
7.15
0.53
13.99
65.33
25.20
4.21
18.96
1.02
3.46

The estimation level of glycosides, steroids, saponins, alkaloids, carbohydrates and proteins were found to be high
in both the plants. Tannins and fiber levels were high in Alternanthera philoxeroidesthan Alternanthera sessilis.
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E. Vimala Nalina Kumari & V. Krishnan

The alkaloid and saponin levels were more in Alternanthera sessilis than in Alternanthera philoxeroides.
Presence of bioactive constituents such as phenols, terpenoids, tainnins, flavonoids and saponins in the crude
extracts of plant origin contribute to the antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral properties (Ahamed et al., 2001; Chapagain
et al., 2007; Xiong et al., 2011). Majority of alkaloids function in the defense of plants against herbivores and pathogens
and exploited as pharmaceuticals, stimulants, narcotics due to their potent biological activities. Glycosides were used
astringents or reduce thyroxine and metabolism, and saponins have hypolipidemic and anticancer activity. Plant steroids or
steroid glycosides also reffered to as cardiac glycosides were one of the most naturally occurring plant phytoconsitituents
that had found therapeutic applications as arrow poisons or cardiac drugs (Firn, 2010). Ghani (2003); Chawdhury et al.,
(2008); Rajendran (2009) have reported that the flavonoids were polyphenol subclass, it wasexhibited anti inflammatory
activity through several mechanisms which included antioxidative and free radical scavenging activities

CONCLUSIONS
To conclude both the plants showed positive results of different secondary netabolites such as alkaloids,
flavonoids, tannins, saponines, steroids, glycosides are of medicinal importance and carbohydrates, proteins and fiber are
rich source of nutritional value. So the plant extract could be used as drugs for various ailments, which can be studied in
future studies. The geographical map was used to show the collection site.
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Impact Factor (JCC): 2.6392

Index Copernicus Value (ICV): 6.1

Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation of Phytochemicals of Alternanthera

sessilis (L) R. Br. Ex. Dc and Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart). Griseb

33

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APPENDICES

Figure 1
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