Qualitative phytochemical analysis of flowers of Cassia fistula L

Abstract

Qualitative phytochemical analysis of Cassia fistula flowers is carried out using three extracts, and the results are presented here. The results revealed that extracts showed diverse secondary metabolites, which could be responsible for their pharmacological potential. It draws attention to the need for advanced experimental work for future drug development.

Full text

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
19
Chapter 3
Qualitative phytochemical analysis of
flowers of
Cassia fistula
L.
S Chandra, N Jena*, S Marndi and S Kumar
Abstract
Qualitative phytochemical analysis of
Cassia fistula
flowers is carried out using three
extracts, and the results are presented here. The results revealed that extracts showed
diverse secondary metabolites, which could be responsible for their pharmacological
potential. It draws attention to the need for advanced experimental work for future drug
development.
Keywords: Bioactive compounds, pharmacological values, Fabaceae
Shweta Chandra
Department of Botany St. Columba's College, V.B.U Hazaribagh, 825301 Jharkhand, India
Nibedita Jena
Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India
Sugimani Marndi
Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India
Sanjeet Kumar
Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha, India
*Email-Id: nibeditajena838@gmail.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11214760
Introduction
Flowers are the symbol of beauty, recreation, pride, and love. They are used
for various purposes in our life and environments. They used to worship
our deities as well as part of foods and medicines (Kumar
et al.,
2012a).
People of rural and tribal communities used to collect the flowers from wild
and use them as food and medicines.
In this aspect, authors observed a flower having lot of ecological
services and other parts of the plant is used to treat many health problems.
The plant is
Cassia fistula
. It belongs to the family Fabaceae and has lot of

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
20
ethnomedicinal uses. Many authors have reported the medicinal uses of
C.
fistula
but less reports on flowers are available (Kumar
et al.,
2012b).
Keeping this in view, an attempt has been made to document the bioactive
compounds presence in the flowers of
C. fistula
.
Methodology
Collection of flowers and preparation of extracts
The flowers of
C. fistula
were collected (Figure 1) from the roadsides of
Mahanadi River area, Cuttack district, Odisha in May 2024 (N 20° 28.59°;
E 85° 49.29"; 38 m). The plant was identified by the senior author. The
Soxhlet method of extraction using three solvents (aqueous, methanol and
ethanol) was carried out for phytochemical analysis (Kumar
et al.,
2013;
Devi
et al.,
2023).
Detection of nine secondary metabolites were carried out using standard
methods (Mohanty
et al.,
2021; Sharma
et al.,
2024). A herbarium
specimen was submitted to the herbarium unit, Ambika Prasad Research
Foundation, India (Figure 2).
Qualitative phytochemical analysis
Test for tannin
1 ml of the filtrate of flower (Figure 3) extract was taken, added three drops
of 0.1% of lead acetate solution. The creamy gelatinous precipitate provides
the positive result for the presence of tannins (Kumar
et al.,
2024).
Test for saponin
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was mixed with 1 ml of distilled water,
then shaked it vigorously. The persistent froth formation after shaking
provide the evidence for the presence of saponin (Kumar
et al.,
2017).
Test for flavonoids
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was taken and added 2 ml of 2% NaOH
solution and 3 drops of dilute HCL. The colour initially turned to an intense
yellow colour with NaOH solution and later become colourless. This change
in colour confirmed the presence of flavonoids (Swain
et al.,
2020).

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
21
Figure 1: Collection of
C. fistula
flowers for experimental work

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
22
Figure 2: Herbarium specimen of Cassia fistula

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
23
Figure 3: Flower petals of
C. fistula
Test for terpenoids
2 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was added with 6 drops of chloroform
and placed it in the water bath for few minutes. Then 6 drops of
concentrated H2SO4 were added. The reddish-brown interface confirmed
the positive result for the presence of terpenoids (Singh
et al.,
2022).
Test for phenolic compounds
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was taken. Few drops of 5% Ferric
chloride solution were added. The bluish black colour provides the positive
result of phenolic compounds.

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
24
Test for reducing sugars
1 ml of the flower extract was taken and 2 drops f Fehling’s solution A
followed by Fehling’s solution B were added and kept it in water bath for
few minutes. The presence of red orange precipitate confirmed the positive
result of the test for reducing sugar.
Test for steroids
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was taken. 1 ml of chloroform and 1
ml of concentrated sulphuric acid was added into it. The appearance of
upper red and lower yellow with green fluorescence provide the positive
result of the test for steroids.
Test for alkaloids
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was taken and added 3-4 drops of
Dragendroff’s reagent. The formation of reddish-brown precipitate
confirmed the presence of alkaloids.
Test for carbonyl compounds
1 ml of the filtrate of flower extract was taken and added 3 to 4 drops of
2,4- Dinitrophenylhydrazine reagent. The formation of yellow crystal
confirmed the presence of carbonyl compounds.
Results and discussion
The qualitative phytochemical investigation revealed that the flowers of
C.
fistula
showed the presence of bioactive compounds including tannin,
saponin, terpenoids and reducing sugar in different extracts (aqueous,
methanol and ethanol). It was noticed that ethanolic extract of flowers
showed highest number of secondary metabolites followed by methanol
and aqueous extracts (Table 1; Figures 4-6).
Table 1: Phytochemical analysis of different extracts of
C. fistula
flowers
Bioactive
compounds
Aqueous
Methanol
Ethanol
Tannin
-ve
-ve
-ve
Saponin
+ve
+ve
+ve
Flavonoids
-ve
-ve
-ve
Terpenoids
-ve
-ve
+ve
Phenolic
compounds
-ve
-ve
-ve

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
25
Reducing sugar
-ve
+ve
+ve
Steroids
-ve
-ve
-ve
Alkaloids
-ve
-ve
-ve
Carbonyl
compounds
-ve
-ve
-ve
(-ve: negative; +ve: positive)
Figure 4: Screening of bioactive compounds of aqueous extract of
C. fistula
flowers
Figure 5: Detection of secondary metabolites of methanolic extract of
C.
fistula
flowers

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
26
Figure 6: Phytochemical screening of ethanolic extract of
C. fistula
flowers
Conclusion
The bioactive compounds detected in three extracts of C. fistula flowers
showed pharmacological potential, and the study also recommends that there
is a need to explore ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological potentials.
References
Devi RS, Bihari SK and Kumar S. (2023). Validation of tribal claims for formulation of
future drugs through evaluation of ethno-pharmacological values of
Ludwigia
adscendens
. Medicinal Plants. 15(4): 691-697.
Kumar M, Das K, Jena N, Kumar M, Devi Rs and Kumar S. (2024). Phytochemical screening
of umbrella tree. Medico Bio-wealth of India. 15: 27-35. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11126711.
Kumar S, Behera SP and Jena PK. (2013). Validation of tribal claims on
Dioscorea
pentaphylla
through phytochemical screening and evaluation of antibacterial
activity. Plant Science Research. 35: 55-61.
Kumar S, Jena PK, Sabnam S, Kumari M and Tripathy PK. (2012b). Study of plants used
against the skin diseases with special reference to
Cassia fistula
L. among the king
(Dongaria Kandha) of Niyamgiri: a primitive tribe of Odisha, India. International
Journal of Drug Development and Research. 4(2): 256-264.
Kumar S, Mahanti P, Rath SK and Patra JK. (2017). Qualitative phytochemical analysis and
antibacterial activity of
Dioscorea alata
L.: a nutraceutical tuber crops of rural
Odisha. J Alt Med Res. 3(1): 122-122.
Kumar S, Tripathy PK and Jena PK. (2012a). Study of wild edible plants among tribal
groups of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Odisha, India; with special reference
to
Dioscorea
species. International Journal of Biological Technology. 3(1): 11-19.

Medico Biowealth of India, Volume XVI; ISBN: 978-81-967170-0-1
27
Kumar S. (2015). Life support plant species among aboriginals of Similipal Biosphere
Reserve Forest, Odisha: Diversity and Conservation. International Journal of
Biological Sciences and Engineering. 6(2): 80-86.
Mohanty M, Choudhury R, Kumar S and Maggirwar R. (2021). Phytochemical screening
and antibacterial activity of
Dioscorea bulbifera
L. fruits. Plant Archive. 21(9):
862-86.
Sharma BP, Jena N and Kumar S. (2024). Medicinal values and phytochemical screening
of Torchwood (
Lepisanthes tetraphylla
Radlk.) fruits. Medico Bio-wealth of India.
15: 36-43.
Singh A, Lama R, Panda A, Marndi S, Devi RS, Kumar S. (2022). Phytochemical and Anti-
bacterial Activity of
Toddalia asiatica
: A Wild Nutraceutical. Asian Pac. J. Health
Sci.9(2):235-239.
Swain J, Kumar S, Parida S and Jena PK. (2020). In-vitro screening of antibacterial activities
of selected wild tuberous plants of Odisha, India. Asian Journal of Biological and
Life Sciences. 9(1): 79-87.