Comparative Evaluation of Phytochemicals, TPC and TFC in Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Calotropis gigantea L. Leaves and Roots

Calotropis gigantea L. is a traditional medicinal plant that has been reported to have analgesic, antipyretic activity, antimicrobial, anti-diarrheal and cytotoxic, properties and has been considered to cure cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases, use as anticancer, antifertility and antidote for snakebites in traditional system of medicine. The present work was intended to comparatively evaluate the phytochemicals, total polyphenolic content and total flavonoidal content of leaves and root extracts of C. gigantea L. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of this plant was reported to have alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and glycosides. Terpenoids were present in ethanolic leaf extract only. The extraction yield were 43.72 % and 19.92 % for aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts respectively, while that of roots is 16.12 % and 8.1 % aqueous and ethanolic extracts respectively. Leaves of rich in TPC especially the aqueous extracts with 23.1 % of TPC while the roots extracts were higher in TFC values especially the aqueous root extracts with 17 % which is yet higher than aqueous leaf extracts which was reported as 10.4 % in present work. It is clear from present study, that the extraction procedures, and types of solvents used for extraction not only has clear impact on yield of crud extracts but also on type of phytoconstituents.