QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS IN BARK OF NOTHOPEGIA RACEMOSA (DALZ.) RAMAM. COLLECTED FROM GADIKALLU, SHIMOGGA, KARNATAKA

Plants are a source of bioactive compounds produced by different parts of the plant, maybe bark, leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, and seeds, during metabolic activities. These secondary metabolites may have protective and disease preventive properties, hence used by Traditional practioner to treat various ailments. Most plants of the Western Ghats of India remain unknown, poorly understood or unestablished for their effects on health because of unexplored phytochemical studies or insufficient scientific data. Improvement in health is possible through the intake of phytochemical supplements, which reduce oxidative stress. In recent years research on phytochemicals and search for novel high quality, inexpensive source of medicine is increasing as these do not have harmful side effects. In the present study Nothopegia racemosa, a member of Anacardiaceae, is investigated for the presence of phytochemical compounds, which would lead to further pharmacological studies. The investigation was carried out using dried and powdered bark extract using water, hydro alcohol, chloroform, petroleum ether, and hexane as solvents. The qualitative analysis revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, mucilage, steroids, and phenols. Quantitative analysis showed the presence of a significant concentration of phytochemicals.