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 REVIEW ARTICLE

Plant Extracts as Acid Base Indicator: An Overview

Prabhakar Sharma1*, Ramchandra Gupta1, Sunil Roshan1, Sandeep Sahu1, Shyamji
Tantuway1, Ajay Shukla1, Ashish Garg1
Abstract: Today synthetic indicators are the choice of acid-base titrations but due to environmental pollution, availability and
cost, the search for natural compounds as an acid-base indicator was started. Indicators help to determine the equivalence point
in acid–base titrations (neutralization titrations). They show sharp color change with respect to change in pH; commonly used
indicator for neutralization titrations is synthetic in nature. The highly colored pigments obtained from plants are found to
exhibit color changes with variation of pH. The chemical substances which possess an apparent change in color of analyte and
titrant reacting mixture very close to the point in the ongoing titration known as indicator. Acid-base indicators are the
substances which changes color with changes in pH. They are usually weak acids and bases and also known as neutralization
indicator. Today various plants extracts are used as acid base indicator such as Rosa sinensis, Dahlia pinnata and Butea
monosperma etc. These indicators are economically and easily available. In this review importance of pH indicators in analytical
chemistry along with the use of plant material or the extracts obtained from plant is described.

INTRODUCTION HIn (aq.) + H2O (Ion) H3O+ (aq.) + In- (aq.)

In previous year the world has become aware for
environmental issue recently, various plants parts such as
flowers, leaves are symbolic and regarded as symbol of love
wishes. The plants flower attracts the insects for
pollination. Thus flowers are miracle wonder of the nature,
by the god, for the world. [1] The Synthetic compounds are
highly polluting, harmful, hazardous and much more costly
for research work as well as analytical work, so various
researches are going on in this field of natural products
extensively as they are less hazardous, low cost, easily
available, and eco-friendly. [2] The chemical substances
which possess an apparent change in color of analyte and
titrant reacting mixture very close to the point in the
ongoing titration known as indicator, [3-4] which helps to
examine and determine the equivalence point in acid–base
titrations (neutralization titrations). Natural dyes and
pigments in plants are highly colored substances and may
show color changes with variation of pH, [5] the highly
colored pigments resulted from herbal plants are found to
exhibit color changes with variation of pH. [6] The indicators
which are used in titrations show well-marked color changes
in certain intervals of pH, Most of these indicators are
organic dyes and are of synthetic origins but due to
environmental pollution, availability and cost, the search for
natural compounds as an acid-base indicator was started. [7]
Acid Base Indicators and Mechanism
A acid base (pH) indicators are halo chromic chemical
agents which are added in small amounts to a solution to
determine the pH (acidity or basicity) of the solution
visually and change the color with variation in pH, Hence a
pH indicator is a chemical detector for hydronium ions
(H3o+) or hydrogen ions (H+) in the Arrhenius model. [8]
Usually the indicators are weak acids or bases which form
ions by dissociating slightly, when dissolved in water.
Consider an indicator which is a weak acid, with the
formula Hin. At equilibrium, the following equilibrium
equation is established with its conjugate base:
1Guru Ramdas Khalsa Institute of Science and Technology (Pharmacy),
Jabalpur-483001, M. P., India.
E-mail: mr.pks19@gmail.com
*Corresponding author
Acid Conjugate Base
(Color A) (Color B)
The acid and its conjugate base have different colors. At
low ph values the concentration of H3o+ is high and so the
equilibrium position lies to the left. The equilibrium
solution has the color A. At high pH values, the
concentration of H3o+ is low, the equilibrium position thus
lies to the right and the equilibrium solution has color B. A
universal indicator is a mixture of indicators which give a
gradual change in color over a wide pH range, the pH of a
solution can be approximately identified when a few drops
of universal indicator are mixed with the solution.
Indicators are used in titration solutions to signal the
completion of the acid-base reaction. [9] There are various
synthetic acid base indicators.
Examples: Methyl Orange, Methyl Red, Bromo cresol
Green, Phenol Red and Phenolphthalein.
Plants Used as Acid Base Indicator
There are various plants which show good acid base
indicator activity against various synthetic ph indicators.
Some of these are as follows:
1. Antirrhinum majus (Scrophularaceae)
Sidana J et al. (2011) evaluated Antirrhinum majus for its
acid base indicator activity against phenolphthalein as
standard indicator. The macerated methanolic petals
extract of flowers used and it shows pink color at end point
(10).
2. Bombax malabaricum (Malvaceae)
Patrakar R et al. (2010) determined, Bombax malabaricum
for its acid base indicator activity against phenolphthalein
and methyl red as standard indicator. The extracted
methanolic hydrochloric acid petals extract of flowers used
and it shows green to colorless appearance at end point. [11]
3. Butea monosperma (Fabaceae)
Kurmi B D et al. (2011) and A Vyas et al. (2012) examined
Butea monosperma for its acid base indicator activity against
phenolphthalein, methyl red [7] and methyl orange [12] as

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 REVIEW ARTICLE
standard indicator. The macerated ethanolic petals extract of
flowers used and it shows colorless to yellow for strong acid
v/s strong base, weak acid v/s weak base and weak acid v/s
strong base while it turns yellow to colorless for strong acid
and weak base appearance at end point. [7, 12]
4. Calendula officinalis (Compositae)
Vyas A et al. (2012) evaluated Calendula officinalis for its
acid base indicator activity against phenolphthalein and
methyl red [7] as standard indicator. The macerated
ethanolic petals extract of flowers used and it shows
colorless to yellow for strong acid v/s strong base, weak
acid v/s weak base and weak acid v/s strong base while it
turns yellow to colorless for strong acid and weak base
appearance at end point. [7]
5. Careya arborea (Lecythidaceae)
Wadkar K A et al. (2008) reported Careya arborea for its
acid base indicator activity against phenolphthalein as
standard indicator. The macerated methanolic leaves
extract of plant used and it shows yellow to reddish brown
appearance at end point. [13]
6. Dahlia pinnata (Asteraceae)
Sharma P et al. (2013) and Jain P et al. (2012) examined
Dahlia pinnata for its acid base indicator activity against
phenolphthalein, methyl orange [1, 14] and phenol red [1] as
standard indicator. The macerated hydro alcoholic 40:60 [4]
Aq. and methanolic [1] petals extract of flowers used and it
shows colorless to yellow for strong acid v/s strong base,
weak acid v/s strong base while it turns yellow to colorless
for weak base with strong acid and weak acid and weak
base titration within pH range 3-5 against methyl orange
(ethanolic extract). Methanolic and aq. Extract possesses
orange to wine red, pink to red yellow and orange to yellow
color at end point. [1, 4]
7. Helianthus annus (Asteraceae)
Patil S B et al. (2009) evaluated Helianthus annus for its
acid base indicator activity against standard indicator. The
macerated methanolic petals extract of flowers used and it
shows Faint blue to faint yellow appearance at end point. [14]
8. Hibiscus rosa sinensis (Malvaceae)
Jain P et al. (2012) identified and determined Hibiscus rosa
sinensis for its acid base indicator activity against
phenolphthalein, methyl orange and phenol red as
standard indicator. The macerated methanolic and aqueous
petals extract of flowers used and it shows colorless to
yellow for strong acid v/s strong base, weak acid v/s weak
base and weak acid v/s strong base while it turns Pink to
greenish yellow appearance at end point. [15-16]
9. Ipomoea biloba (Convolvulaceae)
Abbas S K (2012) examined Ipomoea biloba for its acid base
indicator activity against phenolphthalein as standard
indicator. The macerated aqueous petals extract of flowers
used and it shows bright red, light red, pale red and dark
green appearance at end point respectively. [6]
Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa Vol. 2013, Issue 3
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10.Ixora coccinea (Rubiaceae)
Deshpande A et al. (2010) evaluated The flower extract of
Ixora coccinea for its use as an acid base indicator in
various acid base titrations, and reported results of this
screening compared with the results obtained by standard
indicators methyl orange, mixed indicator [methyl orange:
bromocresol green (0.1:0.2)] for strong acid v/s strong
base (HCl and NaOH), Strong acid v/s weak base (HCl and
NH4OH), weak acid v/s strong base (Oxalic acid and
NaOH), and weak acid v/s weak base (Oxalic acid and
NH4OH) titrations green to pink and blue to pink color
respectively at end point. [17]
11. Jacaranda acutifolia (Bignoniaceae)
Patrakar R et al. (2010) evaluated Jacaranda acutifolia for
its acid base indicator activity against methyl red,
phenolphthalein and mixed indicator [methyl orange:
bromocresol green (0.1:0.2)] for strong acid methyl red as
standard indicator. The extracted methanolic hydrochloric
acid petals extract of flowers used and it shows green to
colorless appearance at end point. [18]
12. Morus alba (Moraceae)
Pathade K S et al. (2009) examined Morus alba for its acid
base indicator activity against phenolphthalein and methyl
red as standard indicator. The macerated methanolic petals
extract of flowers used and it shows blue to pink color
against both synthetic indicators at end point. [19]
13. Phyllanthus reticulates (Euphorbiaceae)
Jadhav R L. (2012) evaluated Phyllanthus reticulates for its
acid base indicator activity against methyl red,
phenolphthalein and mixed indicator [methyl orange:
bromocresol green (0.1:0.2)] for strong acid methyl red as
standard indicator. The extracted ethanolic hydrochloric
acid fruits extract of flowers used and it shows red to
colorless and wine red to violet black appearance at end
point respectively. [20]
14.Punica granatum (Punicaceae)
Raj N R et al. (2011) performed acid base indicator activity
of methanolic seed extract of Punica granatum against
Phenolphthalein, Methyl Red and Phenol Red as standard
indicator. The macerated methanolic seeds extract shows
pink to colorless appearance at end point. [5]
CONCLUSION
This review shows the analytical importance of various
plants extract as acid base indicator against harmful, costly
and hazardous synthetic indicator for titrimetry analysis.
This review strongly recommend that the dye and extract
from plants can be used as alternative to various synthetic
pH indicator during titrimetric analysis as an indicator in
all types of acid base titrations because of its economy,
simplicity and wild availability.
REFERENCES AND NOTES
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Acidimetry And Alkalimetry, International Journal of
Pharmacy & Technology, 4(4):5038-5045, 2013.
2 2013 ppa 257, CCC: $10 © Inventi Journals (P) Ltd
Published on Web 17/04/2013, www.inventi.in
 REVIEW ARTICLE
2. Pathan M A K and Farooqui M. Analytical Applications Of Plant
Extract As Natural Ph Indicator: A Review, Journal of
Advanced Scientific Research, 2(4):20-27, 2011.
3. Kar A. Pharmaceutical Drug Analysis, New Age International
(P) Limited Publishers, New Delhi, 2ND ED, 42, 2005.
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for Acid Base Titration, Inventi Rapid: Pharm Analysis &
Quality Assurance, (2):1-2, 2013.
5. Raj N R. Isolation of Herbal Acid-Base Indicator from the Seeds
Of Punica Granatum, Journal Of Chemical And Pharmaceutical
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6. Abbas S K. Study of Acid-Base Indicator Property of Flowers Of
Ipomoea Biloba, International Current Pharmaceutical
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8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ph_indicator
9. http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/vchemlib/course/indi/indicator.html
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Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa Vol. 2013, Issue 3
[ISSN 2278-411X]
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13. Wadkar K A. Use of Careya Arborea Roxb. Leaf Extract as an
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Cite this article as: Prabhakar Sharma, Ramchandra
Gupta, Sunil Roshan et al.. Plant Extracts as Acid Base
Indicator: An Overview. Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa,
2013(3): 1-3, 2013.
3 2013 ppa 257, CCC: $10 © Inventi Journals (P) Ltd
Published on Web 17/04/2013, www.inventi.in