Original Articles
U. S. Jijith, C. R. Sudhakaran
Abstract
Phytochemical screening of plants or plant parts with reported medicinal and therapeutic properties could be highly beneficial in proposing their pharmacological actions. Anamirta cocculus Willd is a well known medicinal plant and belongs to family Menispermaceae. The purpose of the present study was to carry out phytochemical screening of alcoholic extract of stem bark of Anamirta cocculus. A crude alcoholic extract was obtained from the stem bark of Anamirta cocculus Willd., family Menispermaceae and was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening. Qualitative tests were conducted for the detection of phytochemicals and the results showed that the alcoholic extract contains sugars and carbohydrates, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, steroids, tannins and phenolic compounds. Based on the results of phytochemical screening, appropriate pharmacological evaluation of the extract could be carried out for the identification and separation of potent bioactive phytoconstituents of Anamirta cocculus.