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com 196
International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences ISSN: 2229-3701
_________________________________________Research Article
Comparative phytochemical study of Desmostachya bipinnata
and Tephrosia purpurea
Dipti Kanta Padhan
1*
, Smaranika Pattnaik
2
, AK. Behera
3
and Jyotirmayee Padhan
1

1
Department of Pharmacognosy, The pharmaceutical College, Tingipali, Barpali, Bargarh,
Orissa, India.
2
Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Sambalpur University, Burla,
Orissa, India.
3
School of Chemistry, Sambalpur University, Burla, Orissa, India.
________________________________________________________________________________
ABSTRACT
After proper drying and pulverization the extraction procedure was carried out by using soxhlet apparatus.
Then all the extract and powder drug was subjected for qualitative chemical test. Chemical test on various
extracts and powder drug of Desmostachya bipinnata shows the presence of carbohydrate, protein and
amino acids, phytosterol, flavonoids, tannins, saponin and lignin. Chemical tests on various extracts and
powder drug of Tephrosia purpurea showed the presence of proteins and amino acids, tannins, alkaloids and
flavonoids. The ethnomedicinal uses of these two plants are most probably same due to some common
primary and secondary metabolites like proteins, amino acids, tannins and flavonoids.

Key Words: Extract, Phyto Chemical Evaluation, Primary and Secondary Metabolite

INTRODUCTION

Desmostachya bipinnata and Tephrosia purpurea
are two common plants of weasten Orissa.
Desmostachya bipinnata is perennial herb found in
sandy desert areas.
1, 2
Tephrosia purpurea is also
perennial herb found in dry, gravelly or rocky and
sandy soil. These plants have wide range of
therapeutic activity. Desmostachya bipinnata is
sweet, acrid, cooling, oleaginous, aphrodisiac,
diuretic; useful in the diseases of blood,
biliousness, thirst, asthma, jaundice, strangury,
diabetes, vaginal discharges, vesical calculi,
diseases of bladder, skin eruption, vomiting;
sedative to pregnant uterus; causes kapha
(Ayurveda).
3,4
Tephrosia purpurea have
Antiallergic activity, Anticarcinogenic and
Antilipidperoxidative, hepatoprotective activity,
immuno modulatory, antimicrobial activity.
5,6,7

Theraputic activity of any plant is the major
reflection of its primary and secondary metabolite.
The phytochemical study shows the metabolite
present in the plants. This paper report that the
similar activity of Desmostachya bipinnata and
Tephrosia purpurea is due to similar primary and
secondary metabolite.



MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials
(a) Soxhlet apparatus (JSGW)
(b) Petroleumether
(c) ChloroformLR (Merck)
(d) Ethanol LR (Bengal Chemicals and
Pharmaceuticals Limited.)
(e) Chemical reagents
(f) Shade dried plant drugs

Methods
8, 9

Drying and Pulverization
The collected plant material Desmostachya
bipinnata (whole plant) and Tephrosia purpurea
(root) were shade dried at room temperature, and
then they are pulverized in mixer grinder to
coarsely powdered drug and passed through mesh
size 40 sieve.

Qualitative Phytochemical Evalution
10, 11, 12, 13

The powdered drug and extracts and powder were
subjected to qualitative chemical tests.

Detection of Carbohydrates
Small quantities of powdered drug and different
extracts were dissolved in distilled water separately
and filtered. The filtrates were taken for Molischs
Test, Fehlings Test, Benedicts Test, Barfoeds

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International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences ISSN: 2229-3701
Test, Test for starch tests to detect the presence of
carbohydrates.

Test for Gums and Mucilages
The powdered drug and extracts were treated with
absolute alcohol stirred and filtered. The filtrate
was dried and examined for its swelling properties.

Test for Proteins and Amino Acids
Small quantities of powdered drug and different
extracts were dissolved in few ml of distilled water
and subjected to Ninhydrin, Biuret, Million,
Xanthoproteic test, test with tannic acid and heavy
metals.

Test for Fixed Oils and Fats
The powdered drug and extracts were subjected for
Spot Test, Saponification Test.

Test for Alkaloids
Small amount of powdered drug and solvent free
various extracts were separately stirred with a few
ml of dilute hydrochloric acid and filtered. The
filtrates were tested with various alkaloidal
reagents such as Mayers, Dragendroffs, Wagners
and Hagers reagent and Tannic acid.

Test for Glycosides
A small amount of powdered drug and different
extracts were dissolved separately in 5ml of
distilled water and filtered. Another portion of the
extracts were hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid for
one hour on a water bath and hydrolysate was
subjected to Legals, Baljets, Borntragers, Keller-
Killianis tests and for the presence of
Cyanogenetic glycosides.

Test for Phytosterols
The powdered drug and extracts were refluxed with
0.5N alcoholic potassium hydroxide until the
saponification was complete. The saponification
mixture was diluted with distilled water and
extracted with petroleum ether. The ethereal
extract was evaporated and unsaponification matter
was subjected to Liebermanns, Liebermann
Burchards and Salkowskis test.

Test for Flavonoids
The powdered drug and different extracts were
separately dissolved in ethanol and then subjected
to Ferric Chloride Test, Shinodas Test,
Fluorescence Test, Reaction with Alkali and Acid
tests.

Test for Tannins and Phenolic Compounds
The powdered drug and extracts were dissolved in
distilled water and filtered. The filtrates were
treated with various reagents like 5% ferric
chloride, copper sulphate, lead acetate, strong
potassium dichromate, potassium ferricyanide
followed by ammonia.

Test for Saponins
The powdered drug and extracts were subjected for
Foam Test, Haemolysis Test.

Test for Volatile Oil
50gm. Of coarsely powdered material was taken in
a Cocking- Middletons apparatus and distilled for
6 hours.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Chemical test on various extracts and powder
material of Desmostachya bipinnata shows the
presence of carbohydrate, protein and amino acids,
phytosterol, flavonoids, tannins and saponin.
Chemical tests on various extracts and powdered
material of Tephrosia purpurea showed the
presence of proteins and amino acids, tannins,
alkaloids and flavonoids. There are certain
metabolites which are similar in these two plants.
Therefore some of ethnomedicinal uses of these
two plants are same. Generally flavanoids presents
in these plants may responsible for antipyretic and
analgesic activity (Owoyele B.V. et al., 2008).
Tannin may show antidiabetic activity (Suba V et
al., 2004).















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International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences ISSN: 2229-3701
Table 1: Chemical Test on Powder Material and Various Extracts of Desmostachya Bipinnata

PLANTCONSTITUENTS
TEST/REAGENT USED
POWDERED DRUG PETROLIUM ETHER
EXTRACT
CHLOROFORM
EXTRACT
ETHANOLIC
EXTRACT
TEST FOR CARBOHYDRATES
Molischs Test + - - -
Fehlings Test - - - -
Benedicts Test + - - -
Barfoedes test + - - -
Test for Starch - - - -
Test for cellulose + - - -
Test for pentose + - - -
TEST FOR GUMS &
MUCILAGE
- - - -
TEST FOR PROTINS & AMINO ACIDS
Ninhydrin Test - - - -
Biuret Test + - - -
Millons Test - - - -
Xanthoproteic Test - - - -
Tannic Acid (10% w/v) - - - -
With Heavy Metals + - - -
CuSO4, 5H2O - - - -
FeSO4, 7H2O - - - -
Trichloro Acetic Acid - - - -
TEST FOR FIXED OILS & FATS
Spot Test - - - -
Saponification Test - - - -
TEST FOR ALKALOIDS
Dragendroffs Test - - - -
Mayers Test - - - -
Wagners Test - - - -
Hagers Test - - - -
Phosphomolybdic Acid - - - -
Tannic Acid - - - -
TEST FOR GLYCOSIDES
Legals Test - - - -
Baljets Test - - - -
Borntragers Test. - - - -
Keller-Killianis Test - - - -
Cyanogenetic Glycosides - - - +
TEST FOR PHYTOSTEROLS
Liebermanns Test + + - -
Liebermann-Burchards Test + + + -
Salkowskis Test + + - -
TEST FOR FLAVONOIDS
FeCl3Test + - + +
Shinodas Test + - + +
Fluorescence Test + - + +
Reaction with alkali and acid + - + +
TEST FOR TANNINS AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS
5% FeCl3solution + - - +
Reaction with copper sulphate + - - +
Reaction with lead acetate + - - +
Reaction with Potassiumdichromate + - - +
Drug +K3Fe(CN)6 +NH3 + - - +
TEST FOR SAPONINS
FoamTest + - - +
Haemolysis Test + - - +
TEST FOR VOLATILE OIL - - - -

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International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences ISSN: 2229-3701
Table 2: Chemical Test on Powder Material and Various Extracts of Tephrosia purpurea


CONCLUSION
Similar phytoconstituents in Desmostachya
bipinnata and Tephrosia purpurea may be due to
similar geographical reasons of these plants, which
is a major factor for synthesis of primary and
secondary metabolite
9
. Further study is needed for
the isolation of the constituents present in these
plants and their individual pharmacological activity
should need to consider, by which a new marker
compound can be identified and ultimately it
should be implemented for the benefit to human
beings.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are highly thankful to Chairman, The
Pharmaceutical College, Barpali for providing the
laboratory facilities to carry out the experiments
smoothly and his support as well as his
encouragement for completion of this work.

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International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences ISSN: 2229-3701
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