Phytochemical Screening and Chromatographic Purification of <i>Bauhunia semibifida</i> ROXB Hexane-Dichloromethane Leaf Extract

Abstract

Bauhunia semibifida is among the several plants that have been studied for their medicinal properties. Bauhunia is native to India. However, some species have been found in Africa. It has several important uses, such as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous. This study is aimed primarily at carrying out a preliminary phytochemical screening to ascertain the classes of bioactive compounds present in Bauhunia semibifida and ascertain the solvent system(s) for their separation. Several solvents were used for the extraction as well as in the chromatographic profiling of all the products of extraction. Thin layer chromatography was performed on silica gel-coated glass plates using several mobile phase protocols (Hexane: Ethylacetate, Dichloromethane (DCM): Methanol). Further purification of the extracts was done using classical column (CcSiO 2 ) and gel filtration chromatography. TLC profiling of DCM and Hexane extracts shows the same Rf values of less than 1 and are thus combined to give the Hexane/DCM extract, which gave two compounds following isocratic elution from column chromatography. Phytochemical screening of the extract showed the presence of Tannins, Cardiac glycosides, Alkaloids, Flavonoids and Phenolic compounds. Hexane/DCM extract thus contains phytocompounds which can further be studied.