PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF METHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINAL PLANT PIPER CHABA

Abstract

Medicinal plants have served as an important source of therapeutic agents for centuries and continue to play a significant role in the discovery of novel drugs. The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, chronic diseases, and the adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs has renewed interest in medicinal plants as safer and more affordable alternatives. Piper chaba, an indigenous medicinal plant belonging to the family Piperaceae, is widely distributed in South and Southeast Asia and has been traditionally used for the treatment of cough, asthma, fever, digestive disorders, rheumatism, inflammation, and various microbial infections. Despite its widespread ethnomedicinal use, scientific validation of its phytochemical constituents remains limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to qualitatively screen the phytochemical constituents present in the methanolic extract of Piper chaba using standard phytochemical screening methods. Fresh plant material of Piper chaba was collected, authenticated, shade-dried, and powdered before extraction with methanol. The methanolic extract was subjected to preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening following established laboratory protocols. Standard chemical tests were performed to detect the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, glycosides, saponins, phytosterols, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, and amino acids. Alkaloids were identified using Mayer's, Wagner's, Dragendorff's, and Hager's tests. Carbohydrates were evaluated using Molisch's, Benedict's, and Fehling's tests. Other phytochemicals were detected using specific qualitative assays, including the Modified Borntrager's test, Legal's test, Froth test, Foam test, Salkowski's test, Liebermann–Burchard's test, Ferric chloride test, Gelatin test, Alkaline reagent test, Lead acetate test, Xanthoproteic test, and Ninhydrin test. The qualitative analysis revealed the presence of several biologically active secondary metabolites in the methanolic extract of Piper chaba. Alkaloids were detected by all four alkaloid tests, indicating their abundance in the extract. Glycosides, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, and proteins also produced positive results in their respective tests. Among the carbohydrate tests, Benedict's test was positive, indicating the presence of reducing sugars, whereas Molisch's and Fehling's tests were negative. The extract did not show the presence of saponins, as both the Froth and Foam tests were negative. Similarly, the Ninhydrin test was negative, suggesting the absence of free amino acids, although proteins were detected by the Xanthoproteic test. The presence of these phytochemicals suggests that Piper chaba possesses significant pharmacological potential. Alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and tannins are known for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties, while phytosterols and glycosides contribute to various therapeutic effects. The findings of this study support the traditional medicinal use of Piper chaba and indicate that methanol is an effective solvent for extracting its bioactive constituents. This preliminary phytochemical investigation provides a scientific basis for further quantitative phytochemical analysis, isolation and characterization of active compounds, and pharmacological evaluation to establish the therapeutic efficacy of Piper chaba. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on indigenous medicinal plants and highlights the importance of conserving and scientifically exploring plant resources for future drug development.