PHYTOCHEMICAL

Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means "plant" in Greek). Some are responsible for color and other organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and the smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance, for example carotenoids or flavonoids, but are not established as essential nutrients.

Phytochemical screening - is a process of tracing plant constituents. For example you want to found out if a certain plant contains alkaloids (a plant constituent) then, you will be performing a phytochemical screening procedures for alkaloids (in this case mayer's and Wagner's test). There are general plant constituents that can be performed with a standard test. And these are screenig for:  Alkaloids  Saponin glycosides  Cardenolides and Bufadionolides  Flavonoids  Tannins and Polyphenolic compounds  Anthraquinones  Cyanogenic glycosides  Carbohydrates  Fixed oils, Fats, and Volatile oils.

Reagents use in Phytochemical Screening

Distilled water (chemicals for Saponins test) 10 ml of distilled water was measured and were set aside for further use.

Distilled water and Ferric Chloride (chemicals for phenols test) 5 ml of distilled water were tranferred into a small beaker. In a separate container, 1.5 gram of ferric chloride was also prepared. 

Molisch’s Reagent (for carbohydrate test) a mass of 3.8 gram of napthol was obtained and dissolved in 25 ml of ethanol.

 

Acetic Acid and ferric chloride (chemicals for glycoside test) 2.5 ml acetic acid was transferred into a small beaker. In a separate container, 1.5 gram of ferric chloride was also prepared. The chemicals were set aside for further use.

Ferric Chloride solution (solution for tanning test) 1.5 gram of ferric chloride was weight. Meanwhile a volume of 10 ml of water was measured into a graduated cylinder. The ferric chloride was dissolve in water 

Sodium hydroxide solution (anthocyanin test) 0.8 gram of hydroxide was weight while a volume of 20 ml of water was measured in a graduated cylinder. The sodium hydroxide was dissolve in water  

Sodium Hydroxide (solution for flavonoids test) 0.8 gram of Sodium Hydroxide was weighed while a volume of 2o mL of water was measured in a graduated cylinder. It dissolves in water. 

Nitric acid (chemical for protein test) Nitric acid was purchased 
 and prepared and set aside for further used

Mayer’s Reagent (reagent for alkaloid test) 1. 5 gram of potassium 

 iodide is dissolve into 2.5 ml of water. Sufficient water is added to make the volume 25 ml. a fraction of reagent was obtained and placed in a testube.

  

ALKALOID Formation of white or pale yellow precipitate   

CARBOHYDRATES Red –violet ring appeared 

TANNINS formation of blue or greenish colour solution   

FLAVONOIDS formation of yellow orange colour   

SAPONINS formation of persistent foam 

PHENOLS ormation of deep blue or black colour   

ANTHOCYANIN formation of blue green colour 

PROTEINS purple colour indicates the presence of protein.   

GLYCOSIDES formation of rose pink to red colour