Study of secondary metabolites of Gomphostemma niveum Hook.f. in Assam, India

Abstract

Gomphostemma niveum Hook.f., an ethnomedicinal plant of Assam, India, was screened for secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins and saponins, and total phenol, flavonoid and alkaloid contents were also studied. It was found that the methanol extract of leaves contains all the screened compounds. The total phenol, flavonoid and alkaloid contents were found 75.04 mg/g, 28.23 mg/g and 0.083 mg/g in terms of gallic acid, quercetin and colchicine equivalent respectively. Findings of the study provided evidence that crude extract of the plant species contains medicinally important bioactive compounds and justifies the uses of the plant in the traditional medicine for the treatment of different diseases.