ASSESSMENT OF BIOACTIVE PHYTOCHEMICALS PRESENT IN THE ROOT OF CROTON BONPLANDIANUM AVAILABLE IN THE SUB HIMALAYAN REGION OF WEST BENGAL
Objective: Seventy percent methanolic extract of Croton bonplandianum root (Family: Euphorbiaceae) was studied to preliminary screen and quantitate the presence of phytochemicals like tannin, phlobatannin, cholesterol, glycoside, terpinoids, phenolics, flavonoid, steroid, anthraquinone, saponin, carbohydrate, alkaloid and protein. Root extract of C. bonplandianum may provide the protection of various diseases and may also develop the resistance against some diseases because of the presence of different phytochemicals. Method: Spectrophotometric and other standard biochemical methods provided a rapid and easy approach for the detection and quantification of the phytochemicals in roots of the plant. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on the correlation matrix was performed to correlate among these phytochemicals available in the root. Result: High percentages of alkaloid (55.71 0.11 g/100g) saponin (14.25 0.11 g/100g) phenolic content (64.36 6.82 mg/g) protein (45.71 6.82 mg/g) lipid (17.05 1.43 mg/g) tannin (26.68 .94 mg/100g) thiamine (0.37 0.01 mg/100g) and also certain quantities of riboflavin or vitamin B2 (0.25 0.03 mg/100g) ascorbic acid (0.35 0.03 mg/100g) have been detected in the root of this plant. Conclusion: It may be concluded from the present study that the root of C. bonplandianum possesses various phytochemicals like alkaloid, total phenol, saponin, flavonoid, protein and tannin in very high quantity. These phytochemicals posses various bioactive properties which may be used as external therapeutic supplements. This study may lead to a new dimension regarding the medicinal value of C. bonplandianum. Keyword: Croton, Flavonoid, Herbal medicine, Multivariate statistics, Pharmaceutical, Phenol, Phytochemicals, Principal component analysis, Root.