EFFECT OF EXTRACTION SOLVENTS ON PHYTOCHEMICALS OF VARIOUS PARTS OF RAUVOLFIA HOOKERI S. R. SRINIV. AND CHITHRA – AN ENDEMIC MEDICINAL PLANT OF WESTERN GHATS
Abin Kurian, Arjunan M. K., Binu Thomas, Delse P. Sebastian and Dr. Satheesh George*
ABSTRACT
Herbs contain hundreds of active ingredients that may be potentially useful for the development of novel therapeutic agents. The medicinal value of plants lies on the presence of biological active constituents with drug-like properties. Drugs in modern therapeutics are discovered either from medicinal plants or synthesized on the basis of natural lead compounds. The phytochemical screening could indicate the bioactive entities. The solvent extraction is the standard technique used in the isolation of effective components from the medicinal plants. The lack of a rational approach in exploring new components from plants for drug discovery limited the existence of many plant species. The identification of most effective extraction solvents could increase the yield of raw materials. The Rauvolfia sps. is mainly known for its phytochemical reserpine, which was widely used as an antihypertensive drug. In the present study Rauvolfia hookeri is used to analyse the effect of extraction solvents on phtochemicals of various parts (root, stem and leaves) using different chromatographic techniques. The chemical patterns of different extracts were compared using HPLC and HPTLC profiling. Variations were observed in terms of number of bands and peaks along with their intensity and area respectively indicate the qualitative and quantitative divergence in chemical constituents. Among the different solvents used for the extraction, chloroform showed the maximum yield of reserpine i.e. (0.06μg/10μl) in chloroform extract of root. Maximum numbers of compounds indicated by peaks were more in root extracts.
Keywords: Rauvolfia hookeri, Extraction solvents, Phytochemistry, HPTLC, HPLC.
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