Extraction and Profiling of Phytochemicals Present in Selected Ornamental Plants in Kericho County

Abstract

Bacterial infections are prevalent in most parts of Kenya causing diseases like pneumonia, typhoid, cholera and meningitis. This has contributed to unsustainable socio-economic development following the emergence of antimicrobial resistant strains of bacteria and hence the need for alternative strategies that are not only effective against bacteria but environmentally safe as well. This study was designed to extract and profile phytochemicals present within crude leaves, flowers and roots extracts of Iris versicolor and Nerium oleander for future antimicrobial activities. The plant parts were macerated and extracted to obtain phytochemicals that were then identified under different classes of compounds by treating them with different reagents following standard laboratory procedures. About 500gms of the grounded powder of the parts were soaked in 1.5litres of Hexane, DCM and Methanol and left to settle for 24 hours after which the solutions were filtered with Whatman No. 1 filter paper. The filtrate was then evaporated to a paste using a rotary evaporator equipment. The paste was aliquoted into 20gms and refrigerated for future qualitative analysis. About 2mls of different test solutions were added to 1ml of the plant extracts solutions to obtain tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, steroids, phenols and alkaloids. It was found that the test results of the three solvents used for the extraction of the phytochemicals showed gradient elution of the phytochemicals increasing from Hexane, DCM and Methanol. Hexane extracted tannins, flavonoids and phenols while DCM extracted tannins, saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids. Methanol with highest polarity extracted tannins, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids and phenols. It was also observed that the polarity of the solvent determined the type of bioactive compounds with the most polar extracting different classes of phytochemicals than the less polar solvent. In all considerations, methanolic extract of Nerium oleander leaves and flowers showed positive results for all the phytochemicals present in selected plant extracts.