ABSTRACT
In this project, the selected sample, spinach
leaves, were purchased from local market in Aung
Myae Thar San Township, Mandalay Region,
Myanmar. The phytochemical constituents in this
leaf were detected using standard method.
Keywords : Spinach leaf, phytochemical constituents, standard
method
INTRODUCTION
• Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for various
functions, including defense and protection against insects, fungi,
disease, and herbivorous mammals.
• Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been
discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since
prehistoric time.
• Medicinal plants are widely used as folk medicine in non-
industrialized societies, mainly because they are readily available
and cheaper than modern medicines.
• Medicinal plants contain bioactive substances viz tannins,
alkaloids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, steroids and flavonoids
which produce definite physiological action on the human body.
• They are of great importance to the health of individuals and
communities. Many of these indigenous medicinal plants are used
as species and food plants.
• The use of herbal medicines continuous to expand rapidly across
the world with many people now resorting to these products for
treatment of various health challenges in different national
healthcare settings.
• Ease of availability, least side effects and low cost of preparing
herbal are the main key player of all availability, least side effects
and low cost of preparing herbal are the main key player of all
available therapies.
• Although usage of these herbal medicines has increased, their
quality, safety and efficiency are serious concerns in industrialized
and developing countries thereupon traditional and folklore
medicines play an important role in health services around the
world.
• Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and
plant chemicals.
• They also contain fibre. There are many varieties of fruit and
vegetables available and many ways to prepare, cook and serve
them.
• A diet high in fruit and vegetables can help protect you against
cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• Spinach (Spinach oleracea) in an annual herb belongs to the
family Chenopodiaceae.
• It is native to South West Asia and widely distributed and cultivated
through the world including Iran as vegetables for its high nutrients
value.
• Spinach is a good source of minerals (iron, copper, phosphorous,
zinc, selenium), vitamin B complex (niacin and folic acid) ascorbic
acid, carotenoids (-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin), phenols
(flavonoids, p-coumaric acid), apocynin and Omega-3-fatty acids.
• It is a relatively quick-growing vegetable and easy to maintain and
distinguishable by its green color as well as smooth, oblong
shaped leaves that can be either crinlded or smooth.
• Also, the whole plant is medicinally important and are used in
tradiitonal medicine for numerous therapeutic effects because of
the presence of biological tannins and phenolic active
phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides,
terpenoids.
• It is used to treat diabetes, leprosy, asthma, urinary diseases, lung
inflammation, joint pains, thirst, sore throat, scabies, vomiting,
ringworm, sore eye, cold, sneezing, fever and the diseases related
to brain and heart.
• In this project, the phytochemical constituents in spinach leaf were
studied.
• The experiments of this project were done at Department of
Chemistry in Yadanabon University.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
Aim
The aim of research is to evaluate the phytochemical constituents in the
leaves of spinacia oleracea L.
Objectives
To fulfill the aim of this project, the following objectives were done at
Department of Chemistry in Yadanabon University.
To study literature survey
To discover medicinal plants
To collect the sample from Aung Myae Thar San Market, Mandalay
Region, Myanmar
To identify botanical name
To detect the phytochemical constituents using standard method
LITERATURE REVIEW
Botanical Description of Spinach Leaf
Scientific name : Spinacia oleracea L.
Family name : Amaranthaceae
Genus : Spinacia
Species : S. oleracea
English name : Spinach
Myanmar name : Hainn-nu-nwal
Distribution : Europe, North and Central America and
Asia
Part used : Leaf
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants,
generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections,
and also consumption by insects and other animals.
The name comes from Greek (phytan) 'plant'. Some phytochemicals
have been used as poisons and others as traditional medicine.
Phytochemicals aren't essential nutrients for the body the way
vitamins and minerals are but they do offer health benefits.
Tens of thousands of phytochemicals have already been identified.
Phytochemicals appear to be protective against heart disease,
cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and neurological diseases.
Types of compound in primary metabolites
• The primary metabolites consist of the vitamins, ethanol,
nucleosides, organic acid, and certain amino acids.
Types of compound in secondary metabolize
• Plant secondary metabolites can be classified into four major
classes: terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and sulphur
containing compounds.
Flavonoid: any of a large class of plant pigments having a structure
based on or similar to that of flavone. Chemically, flavonoids have
the general structure of a 15-carbon skeleton, which consists of two
phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ring, C the ring containing
the embedded oxygen. This carbon structure can be abbreviated C 6
– C3 – C6.
Saponin : any of the class of steroid and terpenoid, glycosides
which foam when shaken with water.
Steroids : any of a large class of organic compounds with a
characteristic molecular structure containing four rings of carbon
atoms (three-six-membered and one five).
Alkaloid : any of a class of naturally occuring organic nitrogen
containing bases.
Tannins : are a kind of polyphenolic compounds with complex
structures in plants. They are classified into three groups on the
basis of their structures: hydrolysable tannins, condensed tannins,
and complex tannins.
Polyphenol : Polyphenol a compound containing more than are
phenolic hydroxyl group.
Glycoside : A glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to
another functional group via glycosidic bond.
Carbohydrate
• Any of a large group of organic compounds that includes sugars,
starch and cellulose, containing hydrogen and oxygen in the
same ratio as water (2:1).
Reducing Sugar
• Sugars which act as reducing agents are called reducing sugars.
They contain an aldehyde or ketone group.
Amino Acid
• In chemistry, an amino acid is an organic compound that contains
both an amino (– NH2) and carboxylic acid (–COOH) functional
group, hence the name amino acid.
Medicinal Properties of Glycosides
• Several glycosides have therapeutic uses, with others known to
possess pharmacological activities with remarkable therapeutic
potential.
• The pharmacological activities include analgesic,
antiinflammatory cardiotonic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral
and anticancer effects.
Medicinal Properties of Polyphenols
• Polyphenols may help prevent blood clots, reduce blood sugar
levels and lower heart disease risk.
Medicinal Properties of Tannins
• Many classes of tannins have antioxidant properties, which have
been found to lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure and
stimulate the immune system.
Medicinal Properties of Alkaloids
• Alkaloids have been proved to be the most effective against
protective agents of metabolic operations and often act as
neurotransmitters and signaling systems.
• They have been used to treat various disorders, including
inflammation, allergies, cancer, diabetes and many others.
Medicinal Properties of Steroids
• Steroids can be used to treat a wide range of conditions,
including: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(CoPD) hay fever severe hives.
• They can be used to treat problems such as allergies, asthma,
inflammatory, bowel disease, Addison's disease and arthritis.
Medicinal Properties of Flavonoid
• Flavonoids are phytochemical compounds present in many plants,
fruits, vegetables and leaves with potential applications in
medicinal chemistry.
• Flavonoids posses a number of medicinal benefits, including
anticancer, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral
properties.
Medicinal Properties of Saponin
• Saponin decrease blood lipids, lower cancer risks and lower
blood glucose response.
Medicinal Properties of Terpenes
• Terpenes is also used to enhance skin penetration, prevent
inflammatory disease.
EXPERIMENTAL
Preliminary Phytochemical Tests for Spinacia
oleracea L. Leaves
Test for Alkaloid
Sample (i) 1 % HCl
(2 g) (ii) Boiled 10 mins
(iii) Filtered
Wagner's solution
filtrate Reddish brown ppt
Test for Steroid
Sample (i) Boiled with EtOH for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Cooled
(iii) Filtered
(i) Added 3 drops
AC2O
filtrate Pale green colour solution
(ii) 3 drops conc: H2SO4
(iii) 4 drops CHCl3
Test for Tannin
Sample (i) Boiled with H2O for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Filtered
(i) 10 % FeCl3
filtrate Deep blue color solution
(ii) Dil H2SO4
Test for Carbohydrate
(i) Add EtOH extract
Equal amount of sample solution
Yellow ppt
Fehling (A) + (B) (ii) Boiled
Test for -Amino Acid
Sample Distilled water 20 cooled
(2 g) +
mL 10 mins filtered
Ninhydrin reagent
filtrate Purple color solution
(10 mins)
Test for Saponin
Sample (i) Boiled with H2O for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Filtered
Shaken 3 min
filtrate Froth
Test for Phenolic Compounds
Sample (i) Boiled with H2O for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Filtered
Test 10 % FeCl3
filtrate Dark green color solution
Test for Glycoside
Sample (i) Boiled with H2O for 10 mins
(2 g) filtrate
(ii) Filtered
Added with
White ppt
10 % lead acetate
Test for Flavonoid
Sample (i) Boiled with EtOH for 10 mins
(2 g) (ii) Cooled
(iii) Filtered
(i) Mg coil
filtrate Greenish color solution
(ii) concs HCl
(iii) heated
Test for Reducing Sugar
Sample (i) Boiled with H2O for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Filtered
(i) Added with
Benedict's solution
filtrate Reddish brown ppt
(ii) Heated
Test for Polyphenol
Sample (i) Boiled with EtOH for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Cooled
(iii) Filtered
(i) conc: H2SO4
filtrate Dark blue color solution
(ii) CHCl3
Test for Terpene
Sample (i) Boiled with EtOH for 10 mins
(2 g)
(ii) Cooled
(iii) Filtered
(i) conc: H2SO4
filtrate Reddish brown color solution
(ii) CH3Cl3
CONCLUSION
In this project, spinach leaves, were selected to investigate the
phytochemical constituents . The phytochemical constituents in
this leaf were detected using standard method.
ONLINE MATERIALS
1. https://byjus.com/oxalci acid
2. https://digicomply.com/oxalic acid
3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/Medicinal plants
4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/Phytochemicals
5. https://www.goodrx.com/phytochemical
6. https://www.belterhealth.vic.gov.a/health/healthyliving/fruit-and-
vegetables
7. https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/view By Filed/749570.
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