Qualitative phytochemical screening of some crude drugs from bhimashankar wildlife sanctuary, Pune, MS. India

Crude drugs are rich in bioactive components that are utilized to treat various human ailments. They play crucial role in human beings’ life. The medicinal qualities of plant species belong to their phytochemical elements. Phytochemical screening is an important step in identifying bioactive compounds present in particular crude drugs. Hence, in this present work, phytochemical screening of some crude drugs extract, namely Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R.Br. ex-Schultes, Terminalia chebula Retz., Holarrhena pubescens Buch. Ham.) Wall. ex G. Don, Phyllanthus emblica L., Terminalia cuneata Roth was carried out. The solvent extracts of the leaves, Rhizome, stem, whole plant of respective crude drugs were prepared using cold extraction method with methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, and aqueous solvents. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of plants included tests for alkaloids, starch, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, lipids. In all solvent extracts, all eight phytoconstituents that were examined present in all five plants. Preliminary phytochemical screening in all five plants methanolic extract showed the active compounds presence in high concentration, such as alkaloid, steroids, terpenoids, starch, lipids flavonoids, tannin compounds and tannins. Also, the active compounds presence in low concentration in aqueous extracts, such as saponins.