Preliminary Phytochemical Analysis of some Plant Seeds

The screening and study of seven different plant specimens belonging to different families for phytochemical constituents was performed using generally accepted laboratory technique for qualitative determinations. The constituents screened for were tannins, saponins, phlobotannins, terpenoids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, combined anthraquinone, free-anthraquinone, carotenoids, steroids, reducing compounds and alkaloids. The distribution of these constituents in the plant specimens were assessed and compared. The plant seeds studied were Artocarpus communis, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Calophyllum inophyllum, Garcinia kola, Garcinia mangostana, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Treculia africana. All the plant specimens were found to contain flavonoids and reducing compounds but none of them contain phlobatanin, cardiac glycoside, combined anthraquinone, free anthraquinone, carotenoid and steroids. They also contain tannins (except Artocarpus communis), saponins (except Artocarpus heterophyllus) and terpenoids (except Artocarpus communis). Alkaloids were found in four out the seven specimens. Some of the plant seeds seemed to have potential as source of useful drugs.