Preliminary phytochemical studies for the quantification of secondary metabolites of medicinal importance in the plant, Acalypha fruticosa Forssk

The medicinal plant, Acalypha fruticosa Forssk for the treatment of dyspepsia, stomachache, fever, jaundice, skin diseases and even as an antidote is generally distributed in different environments of tropical region in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. However, its occurrence is more common in lower hills of Western Ghats and other habitats in this region where the soil is stony with low moisture. So far, there was no study on the influence of habitat conditions on the change in the content of secondary metabolites of medicinal importance in this plant. Hence to know the changes in the content of such secondary metabolites in the leaves of A. fruticosa, the present study was undertaken in three different habitats. Thin layer chromatography revealed the presence of phytochemical compounds viz., alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins in the leaves of all the three populations. Further the content of all these compounds are found to be higher in the population of dry habitats