PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF HERBAL PLANT HYGROPHILA AURICULATA

The study of phytochemicals in plants has great significance in understanding their various medicinal properties. Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, tannins, steroids, quinons, proteins, cardiac glycosides of the whole plant extract of selected medicinal plant, Hygrophyla auriculata was performed. The plant was collected from paddy fields near Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India. Ethyl acetate was used as solvent. Alkaloids and proteins were present in abundant amounts whereas tannins and quinones were absent. Other phytochemicals, namely, saponins, flavonoids, terpinoids, steroids and cardio glycosides were present in moderate amounts. This knowledge could be of great value for ascertaining the medicinal role of this plant. Keywords: Phytochemicals, Hygrophyla auriculata, Ethyl acetate, flavonoids, Terpenoides, Saponins.