Quantitative analysis of primary and secondary metabolites of ethanol seed extract of Origanum majorana (Marjoram)

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the phytochemical profile of the seed extract of marjoram (Origanum majorana) an important ethnomedicinal plant. The seed sample of the plant was collected, washed, shade dried and powdered. The powder was successively extracted with ethanol by soxhalation method. The ethanolic seed extract was used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis to find out the phytochemical constituents in seed extract of plant. The qualitative analysis showed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, sterols, alkaloids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates in the seed extract. The Quantitative analysis of total flavonoids (aluminium chloride colorimetric assay), total phenols (Folin ciocalteau’s reagent method), lipid (rapid method) carbohydrate (anthrone method) and protein (Lowry’s method) was evaluated. The results revealed the presence of total flavonoids (104.89±8.96 mg/g dry weight), total phenol (39.82±1.57 mg/g dry weight), proteins (36.83±0.01mg/g dry weight), carbohydrate (31.80±0.05 mg/g dry weight) and lipid (10.27±0.39 mg/g dry weight) respectively in seed extract. The crude seed extract from marjoram showed high concentrations of flavonoids which can be used as antibiotic for several diseases. Also, the richness in phenol in this plant can be correlated with its antioxidant property and could be a good source of natural antioxidant. The finding of this study gives the green line that traditional use of marjoram has been credited with medicinal properties.