DIFFERENTIAL EXTRACTION OF FLAVONOIDS, TOTAL PHENOLS AND REDUCING SUGARS USING WATER, METHANOL AND ETHYL ACETATE FROM MEDICINAL PLANTS OF BANKURA

摘要

Different parts of medicinal plants collected from different forests of Bankura district were extracted with water, methanol and ethyl acetate at room temperature for qualitative screening of total phenol, flavonoids and reducing sugars. Different parts of twenty-eight plants that are used for treating age-related degenerative diseases were targeted for this study. Determination of the level of anti-oxidants was done semi-quantitatively by colour matching against known standards. Most of the plants showed high to medium level of flavonoids when water was used as an extractant. Extraction of flavonoids with methanol was lower compared to that using water. Extraction using ethyl acetate showed the least quantity of flavonoids from the tested plants. Similar results were found on extraction of gallic acid equivalent total phenol contents from the plants - water extracts were found to have highest amount of gallic acid equivalent antioxidant followed by that from methanol and ethyl acetate extracts. About 17% (5 out of 28) of the plants showed high reducing sugar content in all the three solvents used. Very little or no reducing sugar was extracted from 60% of the plants using any of the extractants.