Abstract

PHARMACOGNOSTIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON OPERCULINA TURPETHUM (L.) SILVA MANSO STEM

Anju V Jalaj* and P M Radhamany

ABSTRACT

Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso is a highly traded medicinal plant belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. The present study was an attempt to analyse morphological and anatomical features, phytochemical composition and total phenol and flavanoid content of Operculina turpethum stem according to the standard procedures. The morphological and anatomical features observed in the study matches with the early reports. The winged nature of stem is an important identification feature of the plant. Anatomical study revealed the presence of starch grains, flavonoids and secretory cells.The dry powder of the stem was subjected to sequential soxhlet extraction with solvents in the order petroleum ether (500C), chloroform (750C), methanol (650C) and water (1000C). The qualitative tests performed on extracts confirmed the presence of steroids, cardiac glycosides, phenols, flavonoids and terpenoids. Quantitative analysis found 42 ± 0.08 and 15 ± 0.00 mg equivalents of respective standards of phenol and flavanoid respectively. This can be taken as a good indication of the hidden antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of the stem of the plant.The study thus forms a platform for the bioprospecting of the stem of O. turpethum for the discovery of potential pharmaceutical agents.

Keywords: Operculina turpethum, morphology, anatomy, secondary metabolites, phenol, flavanoid.