QUALITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF NYCTANTHES ARBOR-TRISTIS, QUISQUALIS INDICA, TRADESCANTIA SPATHACEA AND PORTULACA GRANDIFLORA

The increasing global demand for the herbal medicines necessitates the scientific validation of the traditional plant- based therapeutics and the effects of different processing methods on the phytochemical compositions. The aim of the present study was qualitative investigation of phytochemical screening of the fresh and air-dried leaves of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Quisqualis indica, Tradescantia spathacea and Portulaca grandiflora. The leaf samples were subjected to various standard phytochemical tests for alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, sterols, glycosides and terpenoids. The results revealed notable species- specific and processing- dependent variations in phytochemical compositions. Air- drying enhanced the presence of certain phytochemicals such as alkaloids and tannins in specific species, while saponins and sterols showed variable responses to drying. Glycosides were absent in Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Tradescantia spathacea and Portulaca grandiflora. Terpenoids were consistently abundant in both fresh and air- dried leaf samples across all selected plants. Overall, Quisqualis indica exhibited a comparatively richer phytochemical profile. This study shows that the selected plants are rich sources of phytochemicals. It also highlights the effect of processing on the phytochemical composition of leaves of different plants. The present study provides the scientific validation for the traditional uses of the selected plants and provides a baseline data for further quantitative studies.