STUDY OF SECONDARY METABOLITES IN CITRUS MEDICA EXTRACT USING UV AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES
Aparna Tivari, Gyan Singh, Vivek Gupta
ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to investigate the secondary metabolites present in the hydroalcoholic extract of Citrus medica using spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. The extract was prepared using a suitable hydroalcoholic solvent system, yielding a dark-colored solid with a percentage yield of 10.28%. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of important bioactive constituents such as carbohydrates, glycosides, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, and proteins, while alkaloids and diterpenes were found to be absent. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) analysis using the solvent system Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (5:4:1) showed multiple spots, indicating the presence of diverse phytoconstituents. A spot with an Rf value close to that of standard quercetin confirmed the probable presence of flavonoid compounds. Quantitative estimation demonstrated that the extract contains 0.52 mg/100 mg of total phenolic content and 0.89 mg/100 mg of total flavonoid content, suggesting a significant presence of antioxidant compounds. Further chromatographic analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin in the extract with a retention time comparable to the standard (RT ? 2.5 min), and its content was found to be 0.12%. The results indicate that Citrus medica is a rich source of biologically active secondary metabolites, particularly flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which may contribute to its therapeutic potential. The study highlights the effectiveness of UV and chromatographic techniques in the identification and characterization of phytoconstituents
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