SCREENING OF PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICALS OF GRACILARIA CYLINDRICA BOERGESEN IN KOOTHANKUZHI, TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

In the present study, the preliminary phytochemical constituents were screened from Gracilaria cylindrica Boergesen from Koothankuzhi, Tirunelveli district in the south east coast of Tamil Nadu, India. The preliminary phytochemical analysis was conducted in seven extracts namely methanol, acetone, chloroform, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether, benzene and hexane by Harborne method. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, anthocyanin, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, diterpenes, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, phlobatannins, steroids, quinones, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. Alkaloids showed the maximum presence being found in seven different extracts, followed by cardiac glycosides, coumarins and flavonoids in six extracts, phenols, saponins and steroids in five extracts, glycosides and tannins in four extracts, anthocyanin and diterpenes in three extracts, anthraquinones, phlobatannins, quinines and terpenoids in two extracts. From the results, it was concluded that the extracts of Gracilaria cylindrica Boergesen was found to be the presence of a number of active secondary metabolites. This report will lead to the isolation and characterization of these active secondary metabolites for bioefficacy and bioactivity. Keywords: Phytochemical, Seaweed extracts, Gracilaria cylindrica, Tamil Nadu