Phytochemical screening of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. Flowers and chlorophyll content in leaves of South-eastern Rajasthan, India

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the presence of phytochemicals in the flowers and chlorophyll content in the leaves of Butea monosperma in South-eastern Rajasthan, India. Butea monosperma is a large deciduous tree popularly known as Flame of the Forest, belongs to family Fabaceae. Almost all the parts of the plant namely root, leaves, fruit, stem bark, flowers, gum are used as medicine, food, fibre and for other miscellaneous purposes such as fish poison, dye, fodder, utensils, etc. Samples of flowers and leaves were collected from 4 different locations (Kota, Bundi, Baran and Jhalawar district) from south-eastern Rajasthan, and 12 different individuals of Butea monosperma trees (3 individuals from each site). Methanol and ethanol were used to extract and screening of phytochemicals present in flowers and leaves. The present results revealed that flowers of Butea monosperma indicate the presence of phenol, alkaloid, flavonoid, anthocyanin, xanthophyll, saponins, β-carotene, lycopene, total carotenoid in the methanol extract whereas the flowers subjected to extract with ethanol indicate the presence of phenol, alkaloid, flavonoid, xanthophyll, saponins, β-carotene, lycopene and total carotenoid. Chlorophyll content analysis showed that leaf of Butea monosperma had chlorophyll-a (1.91±0.02), chlorophyll-b (1.26±0.03) and total chlorophyll (3.18±0.03). The presence of phytochemical in the flower might find application for medicinal purpose and presence of chlorophyll pigment suggest the photosynthetic efficacy of plant.