Abstract

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF EUPHORBIA COTINIFOLIA L. (FAMILY: EUPHORBIACAE) BY USING DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS

Samuel Tadesse, Kumar Ganesan, Suresh Kumar P. Nair, Neethu Letha and Sharmila Banu Gani*

ABSTRACT

Background: Medicinal plants are important remedy for several communicable and non-communicable diseases and have been used since time immemorial. Euphorbia cotinifolia L. (Family: Euphorbiacae) is an ornamental plants grows in gardens and in pots. Purpose of the study: The aim of the current study was to screen the various phytochemicals from the aqueous, methanol, benzene, chloroform and ethanolic extracts of leaves, stems and fruits of E.cotinifolia. Methods: The extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening using standard procedures. Results: Five different extracts of leaves, stem and fruits of E.cotinifolia were found to contain various secondary metabolites like aminoacids, anthroquinones, glycosides, saponins, steroids, polyphenol and tannins, triterpenoids and flavonoids. Conclusion: The phytochemicals generated data from the five different extracts of E.cotinifolia could be used as tools for quality control of drugs in the future, for the healing of a diversity of disease conditions.

Keywords: Phytochemical screening, Euphorbia cotinifolia L., Secondary metabolites.