Assessing the qualitative phytochemistry of Andrographis paniculata and Withania somnifera leaf extracts

Indian researchers investigated the phytochemical composition and estimated the total phenolic content of leaf extracts obtained from Andrographis paniculata and Withania somnifera. Their findings were published in The Journal of Phytopharmacology.

• A. paniculata (green chiretta) and W. somnifera (ashwagandha) are common herbs that are traditionally used to treat a wide variety of ailments in humans and animals.
• According to studies, both plants possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects, which can be attributed to their phytochemical components.
• For their study, the researchers used spectrophotometry and chromatography to screen the phytochemical composition of leaf extracts of A. paniculata and W. somnifera.
• They found that both A. paniculata and W. somnifera are rich in alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins.
• The researchers also reported that the total phenolic content of A. paniculata is 30.99 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per gram sample.
• Meanwhile, the total phenolic content of W. somnifera is 232.44 mg GAE per gram sample.

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that the leaves of A. paniculata and W. somnifera are abundant sources of medicinal compounds, especially antioxidant phenols.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Divisha R, Ranganathan V, Vijayakaran K, Elamaran A, Senthil Kumar P. QUANTIFYING PHYTOPHENOLS IN ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA AND WITHANIA SOMNIFERA LEAF EXTRACTS. The Journal of Phytopharmacology. 2018;7(6):477-479.