Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF EXTRACTS AND ISOLATED FRACTIONS OF LEAVES AND STEM BARK OF FICUS EXASPERATA

Kofie W.*, Osman H. and Bekoe S. O.

ABSTRACT

Ficus exasperata is known to possess bioactive compounds belonging to important phytochemical groups. This work aims at exploring the bioactive constituents of the stem bark and leaves of Ficus exasperata, and further investigate their phytochemical composition. Leaves and stem bark of Ficus exasperata were dried, powdered and extracted with petroleum ether (stem bark) and 70% ethanol (leaves) for 48hours at 40oC and room temperature respectively with constant shaking. These were concentrated using a rotary evaporator. The crude extracts from the stem bark and leaves were subjected individually to successive column chromatography. The isolated constituents were subjected to phytochemical screening together with their respective crude extracts. From the leaves four different constituents were isolated. Their phytochemical screening revealed the presence of cardiac glycosides and saponins. Flavonoids, phenols and tannins were absent in isolated fractions but present in the crude extract. From the petroleum ether extract of the stem bark, three constituents were isolated. The phytochemical screening of the isolates revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins cardiac glycosides, terpenoides and sterols. The leaves and stem bark of Ficus exasperata contain bioactive constituents that belong to important phytochemical groups. These phytochemical groups may be responsible for the bioactivity of the plant constituents.

Keywords: phytochemicals, chromatography, bioactive, Ficus exasperata.