Qualitative phytochemical analysis of indigenous freshwater fish Pohala (Cirrhinus reba Hamilton, 1822)

Among various fish available in the Mahanadi River, Pohala is a popular edible fish with high nutritious value. The fish contains a good amount of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. They are also well-liked by fishermen providing them with high income. However, documentation of their nutritional values is lacking, therefore, a study has been carried out to account for the primary and secondary metabolites of Pohala to acknowledge their food importance. The study revealed that tannin and saponin secondary metabolites were present in the ethanolic extract and only terpenoids were found in the n-hexane extract of Pohala. Proteins and lipids were present in the ethanolic extract and lipids and amino acids were present in the n-hexane extract of the Pohala fish. The study concluded that Pohala could be a local nutraceutical food in the Mahanadi River areas.