PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF SOLVENT TYPE EXTRACT FROM LEAVES OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA, (ALMOND)

Leaves of Terminalia catappa (almond) were phytochemically screened for Natural products using solvents of varying polarity: n-C6H14, CH2Cl2, EtOAc, CH3CH2OH and H2O. Phytochemical screening of the leaves revealed selective presence of sterols, triterpenes, carotenoids, flavones aglycone, emodols, coumarins, tannins, reducing compounds, anthraquinones, steroid glycosides, alkaloids, cardenolides, saponins, flavanosides, cholesterol, flavanoids, amino acids, phlobatinins, cholesterol and cardiac glycosides in the various solvent type extracts. These phytochemicals are localized and vary in concentration and type in different parts of the plant, suggesting that the biosynthesis of natural products are selective. The number of phytochemicals tested for vary according to the sequence: EtOAc > n-C6H14 > CH2Cl2 > CH3CH2OH > Aqueous. Atomic absorption analyses indicates selective presence of metals in the solvent type extract with the CH3CH2OH extract showing a high concentration of Ca and Mg. The non-detection of nitrogen and Mg in the various solvent type extract is also evident.