Phytochemical and TLC Profiling of Oroxylum indicum and Milletia pachycarpa

Abstract

The humans have used medicinal plants for healthcare since the time immemorial. The systematic phytochemical analysis of traditionally used medicinal plants is needed to establish their use as medicine. Oroxylum indicum and Milletia pachycarpa have been used in India and China to treat various health related disorders. Therefore it was decided to undertake phytochemical and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) profiling of different extracts of Oroxylum indicum and Milletia pachycarpa using standard procedures. The dried powder of stem bark of Oroxylum indicum and root bark of Milletia pachycarpa was sequentially extracted in chloroform, ethanol and water. The dried extract of each plant was phytochemically analyzed for the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, phytosterols, saponins, tannins steroids and phlobatannins. Each extract from both plants was processed for TLC profiling on silica gel using various solvent combinations as mobile phase. The phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids in chloroform and ethanol extracts, whereas alkaloids were absent in aqueous extract of both Oroxylum indicum and Milletia pachycarpa. The flavonoids were observed in all extracts of both plants. However, cardiac glycosides were absent in the aqueous extract of Milletia pachycarpa. The saponins were detected in all the extracts of both plants except the chloroform extract of Oroxylum indicum. The tannins could not be detected in the aqueous extract of M. pachycarpa. The phlobatannins were absent in all extracts of both plants. Steroids exhibiting a wide variety of biological activity [8]. Almost every part of this tree possesses medicinal properties and has been used in several traditional Ayurvedic and folk medicines [18]. O. Indicum has been reported to possess several medicinal properties including analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant [19][20][21][22][23]. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the phytochemical constituents of Milletia pachycarpa and Oroxylum indicum. Materials and Methods Preparation of the extractThe non-infected stem bark of O. indicum was collected from Champhai whereas root bark of Milletia pachycarpa was collected from Kolasib district of Mizoram, India during the dry season in the month of January. The identification of plant was done by the Department of Horticulture and Aromatic and Medicinal Plants, Mizoram University, Aizawl, India. The barks of both plants was washed thoroughly with clean water and allowed to shade dry at room temperature in the dark in clean and hygienic conditions. The dried barks of both plants were separately powdered using an electrical grinder at room temperature. The powdered bark of O. indicum stem or root bark of M. pachycarpa was sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and distilled water according to increase in polarity using a Soxhlet apparatus until the solvents became colourless [24]. The liquid extracts were concentrated by evaporating their liquid contents using ...