Phytochemical Screening and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Caesalpinia Pulcherrima (Caballero) Crude Extract

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The use of plant extract is well documented either as alternative or complimentary medicine for treatment of different diseases. Many people depend on herbal medicine because it is more affordable and has lesser side effects. Medicinal plants are beneficial because of the presence of phytochemical constituents, a variety of plant-derived compounds with therapeutic activities. Caesalpinia pulcherrima, also known as Caballero, belongs to the legume family, Fabaceae, the second largest family of medicinal plants being used as traditional medicine. Leaves of C. pulcherrima have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral and purgative properties. With this background, an investigation was undertaken to identify the bioactive molecules that will back-up the claimed medicinal benefits of C. pulcherrima.

METHODS

Fresh samples of Caesalpinia pulcherrima leaves were collected from Manuel I. Santos Memorial National High School for crude oil extraction. The crude extract of C. pulcherrima leaves was subjected to different phytochemical test using standard procedures to identify the phytochemical constituents qualitatively. To determine the antioxidant activity of C. pulcherrima, the crude extract was also used for DPPH free radical scavenging activity.

RESULTS

Based from the data, C. pulcherrima crude oil extract, revealed the presence of carbohydrates, reducing sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, saponins, sterols and triterpenoids which is found to be good source of medicinally active elements that can be attributed to its high antioxidant activity. The crude extract free radical scavenging activity of C. pulcherrima shows that the Caballero crude extracts have radical scavenging capacity (RSC) in all concentrations.

DISCUSSIONS

The crudeextract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima leaves contained many bioactive chemical constituents including carbohydrates, reducing sugars, flavonoids, alkaloids, catecholic tannins, cardiac glycosides, saponins, sterols and triterpenoids which is found to be goodsource of medicinally active elements. Thus, the leaves of C. pulcherrima possesses a high antioxidant activity. The phytochemical constituents screened from the crude extract of C. pulcherrima have medicinally active elements which can be further exploit to isolate and synthesize modern medicines. The result of the study implies that C. pulcherrima has a therapeutic value that can be used in traditional and folk medicine.