Serials Publications IJCE : 7(1), 2014: 11-15 Phytochemical Screening of Unripe Green Fruit Peel of Musa acuminata N. Gunavathy 1, S. Padmavathy 2 and S. C. Murugavel 3 1 Department of Chemistry, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore 2 Department of Botany, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore 3 Chemistry Division, Department of Basic Sciences, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore ABSTRACT: The plant kingdom is a treasure house of potential drugs. In recent years much plant analysis is devoted to the isolation and identification of secondary constituents in a particular species or group of species or species with the expectation that some of the constituents may be novel or of an unusual structure. Drugs from the plants are easily available, safe, efficient without side effect and less expensive. Organic compounds present in the medicinal plants provide definite physiology action in human body. Bioactive substances like tannins, alkaloids, phenols, terpenoids, steroids, and flavonoids are synthesized by primary and secondary metabolism of living organisms. In the present study, phytochemical screening of unripe fruit peel of Musa acuminata has been carried out. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of the peel confirmed the presence of various phytochemicals like tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarin and phenol compounds. Keywords: Bioactive substance, Musa acuminata, phytochemical screening, unripe fruit peel INTRODUCTION The second largest produced fruit after citrus, contributing about 16% of the world s total fruit production, the genus Musa, and family musaceae comprises of bananas and plantains [1]. Banana, an antique fruit crop of the world known as Apple of the paradise has played interesting and important role in the history of human civilization [2, 3]. Musa acuminata nendran (AAB) important in Kerala and Tamilnadu is a cooking banana [4]. It is the most nourishing fruit containing vitamins and minerals and has several medicinal properties [5, 6]. The fruits are used for table and culinary purposes. Several processed products like chips, banana figs, soft drink, beer, wine, alcohol, vinegar, powder, jam, confectionaries and halva are made from the fruit [7]. The fruit of a banana is a berry with leathery outer
peel. Peel forms about 18-33% of the whole fruit and often considered as waste and is used as livestock feeds. Little work as been done on phytochemistry of musa species [8-12]. Previous research on preliminary phytochemical screening of dried leaves and fruit peels of Musa paradisiaca revealed the presence of some glycosides, anthrocyanins, tannins, flavonoids and carbohydrates [13, 14]. Similar phytochemical analysis of nearly related species reported may vary from one to another due to the morphology. Hence attempt has been made to study the phytochemical screening of Musa acuminata peel collected from the cultivated farm of Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS Chemicals and Reagents All the chemicals and reagents used for screening test were of analytical grade. Collection of Plant Materials The Musa acumin ata unripe fruits were collected from the farm in Thirumalayampalayam, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. The peel was separated from the fruit and air dried under shade. The dried peels were ground into powder using an electronic blender, sieved and the fine powder was used for phytochemical screening. Preparation of the Plant Extract Extraction was carried out by maceration using the following solvents with increasing polarity petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. 20 g of Musa acumianta peel was soaked in 200 ml of the solvents for 48 hours at room temperature. It was then agitated using mechanical shaker to obtain successive extracts and filtered. The filtrates obtained were evaporated to dryness under vacuum using rotary evaporator. These extracts of Musa acuminata peel were then analysed for preliminary phytochemical screening. Phytochemical Screening Each extract of Musa acuminata peel was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening to identify the chemical constituents present in the peel. The methods of analysis were carried out using standard qualitative methods as described by researchers like Kotate [15, 16] and Harborne [17, 18]. Detection of Alkaloids In a test tube 5 ml of the extracts were treated with Mayer s reagent and formation of cream coloured precipitate indicated the presence of alkaloids.
Detection of Saponins A little amount of the extract was shaken with 20ml of distilled water in a graduated cylinder for 15 minutes. Formation of 1 cm layer of foam indicated the presence of saponins. Detection of Tannins To 2 ml of the extract, 5 drops of 1% lead acetate was added. Formation of yellow colour precipitate indicated the presence of tannins. Detection of Flavonoids 2 ml of dilute sulphuric acid was added to a small amount of the extract. The appearance of orange colour indicated the presence of flavonoids. Detection of Terpenoids To 2 ml of the extract, 2 ml of acetic acid and 2ml of sulphuric acid were added. Formation of blue green rings indicated the presence of terpenoids. Detection of Phlobotannins The extract was boiled with 1% hydrochloric acid. Deposition of red precipitate indicated the presence of phlobotannins. Detection of Coumarin Addition of 2 ml of extract with 10% of 3 ml sodium hydroxide resulted in yellow colour. This indicates the presence of coumarin. Detection of Cycloglycosides To ml of extract, 2 ml of acetic acid, 1 drop of 1% ferric chloride and 2ml of sulphuric acid was added. Formation of brown violet and greenish ring indicated the presence of cycloglycosides. Detection of Total Phenols Extract with 3% ferric chloride resulted in deep blue colour. This indicated the presence of phenol. Detection of Quinone 5 ml of hydrochloric acid was added to the extract. Formation of yellow precipitate indicated the presence of quinone. Detection of Anthraquinones To 2 ml of extract, 2 ml of 10% ammonium hydroxide was added. A bright pink colour indicated the presence of anthraquinones.
Detection of Steroids 2 ml of the extract with 2 ml of chloroform, acetic acid and 1 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid resulted in violet to blue green formation indicating the presence of steroids. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The phytochemical analysis of Musa acuminata peel investigated is given in the following table. Phyto compound Petroleum ether Chloroform Ethyl acetate Methanol Water Alkaloids + - - + - Saponins - - - + - Tannins - - - ++ ++ Flavonoids - - + + - Terpenoids - - - + - Phlobotannins - - - - - Coumarins - - - + + Cycloglycosides + - - + - Total phenols - - - + + Quinones - - - - - Anthraquinones - - - - - Steroids - - - + - Key: ++ active compound copiously present, + active compound present, - active compound absent The peel extract of Musa acuminata when treated with petroleum ether was found to contain alkaloids and glycosides, whereas chloroform extract revealed the absence of phytochemical constituents. Extracts with ethyl acetate showed the presence. The presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, coumarins, glycosides, phenols and steroids was confirmed by methanol extracts. The exceptional factor was tannin content which seemed high in methanolic and aqueous extract of Musa acuminata peel. Aqueous extract indicated the presence of coumarins and phenol. CONCLUSION The phytochemical screening of Musa acuminata peel in various solvents suggests the presence of primary bioactive metabolites of commercial importance which act as the precursors for the synthesis of secondary metabolites. These in turn help in the development of new bio products. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Authors are highly thankful to Management and Principal of PSG College of Technology and Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, for their kind support and encouragement.
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