PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND NUTRIENT CONTENT ANALYSIS OF STEM AND ROOT OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENS LINN

The medicinal plant Tridax procumbens belongs to the family of Asteraceae was selected for this study based on medicinal value. It was collected from the campus of Government Arts College (Autonomous), Kumbakonam - 612 002, Tamilnadu, India during the months between March and June 2017. The stem and root of Tridax procumbens were separated, cleaned and dried under shade. The dried plant materials were then ground well into powder. The 20g of powder of stem and root was soaked in 200ml of benzene and diethyl ether individually and they were kept at room temperature for 48 hours. After that, the mixture was filtered through a clean muslin cloth and the extracts were concentrated using evaporator at 37˚C till the sticky mass was obtained. The phytocompounds alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, triterpenoids, steroids, quinones, glycosides and coumarins were analysed in benzene and diethyl ether extracts of stem and root of Tridax procumbens by qualitatively. Phytochemical screening showed that the presence of all above mentioned phytocompounds in benzene and diethyl ether extracts of stem and root of Tridax procumbens except steroids, saponins and glycosides. The content of carbohydrates, protein and vitamin C in the fresh sample of stem and root were analysed by quantitatively.