PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL AND GC MS ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT EXTRACTS OF SPHAERANTHUS INDICUS LEAVES

The use of plants as sources of medicines is an age old practice. The present study deals with the phyto-chemical and GC MS analysis of different extracts of one medicinal plant, Sphaeranthus indicus. The results indicated the presence of flavonoids and alkaloids in methanol and water extracts. Triterpenoids and saponins were present in ethanol and water extracts. Tannins were present in methanol and water extracts whereas steroids were present in ethanol and methanol fractions. Amino acids and anthraquinons were present in water and cardiac glycosides in ethanol fractions. The GC MS results of methanol and water extracts indicated the presence of some important biomolecules such as 2-Cyclohexen-1-one, 4-hydroxy-3,5,5-trimethyl-4-(3-oxo-1-butenyl) (21.41%), 2,2,6- Trimethyl-1-(3-methylbuta-1,3-dienyl)-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-3-ol (10.96%), 3-Hexenoic acid, 2-methyl-, methyl ester (10.55%) etc. which indicated the medicinal values of this plant. Key words: Sphaeranthus indicus, GC MS, Phytochemical, Triterpenoid, Steroid, Flavonoid,