Exploring the Phytochemical and Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Dracaena Leaves

Dracaena is among the most representative genera of the Asparagaceae, endemic in Africa, southern Asia, northern Australia, and tropical Central America, with approximately 120 species. Different species of Dracaena are used as ornamentals and medicinal plants, as well as colorants, etc. dracaena species are grown and sold as ornamentals in Europe and Canada owing to its richly colored evergreen leaves and thick irregular stems. (Ghalloo, B.A.,el al.,2022). Dracaena is one of the top ten important crops in floriculture around the world, and in the Netherlands, it is in the top five most exported pot plants, with an annual turnover of approximately 33 million euro. It is remarkable that, despite its importance, the taxonomy of various species remains unstable, while new species discovered on a regular basis. (Damen,T.H., et al., 2018).  Dracaeana species are among the most significant ornamental foliage plants in Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. The most frequently cultivated species are D. fragrans (L) Ker Gawler, D. marginata Lam. Hort., D.deremensis Engl., D. reflexa Lam., and D. sanderiana Sander. (Klimko,M., and Wiland-Szymanska, J., 2008).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Plant collection

The Dracaena varieties like Dracaena reflexa, Dracaena fragrans, Cordyline terminalis and Cordyline fruticosa collected from Gujarat University in January, 2025. Upon procurement careful selection of leaves were conducted to ensure superior Quality. Selected four types of leaves were dried in hot air oven at 50ºC for 2-3 days to remove moisture. The dried materials were grind to fine powder for extract preparation.

Extract preparation: 10g leaf powder was weighed and put to separate flasks followed by add 10ml methanol and acetone respectively. The flask was sealed with Aluminum foil and placed at room temperature for 24 hours. Following incubation, the extracts were filtered using whatman filter paper No.1 in pre-weighed petri dishes. The solvent was allowed to evaporate and the petri dishes were weighed again to calculate the extract yield. Extract`s yield was calculate using following formula. (EI Mannoubi, I., 2023). Yield (%) = A Mass of extract after solvent Evaporation/ Total mass of plant material*100.

Qualitative Phytochemical Analysis

Test for Alkaloid

A little portion of the crude extract was diluted in diluted hydrochloric acid and filtered.

Mayer’s Test: Take 2ml of extract add 1ml of Mayer’s reagent side by side; white creamy precipitate indicates the presence of alkaloids.

Wager’s Test: Take 2ml of extract and add 2ml of wager’s reagent side by side. Reddish Brown precipitate indicates the presence of Alkaloids.

Test for Phenols

Ferric Chloride Test: Mix 2ml extract with 1-2 Drops of 5% Ferric chloride, the bluish black colour indicates the presence of Phenols.

Lead Acetate Test: Mix 2ml extract with 0.5ml lead acetate, white precipitates indicate the presence of phenols.

Test for Flavonoids

Alkaline Test: 1ml extract with 10% sodium hydroxide; yellow colour was seen then add dilute Hydrochloric acid; yellow colour disappears that indicates presence of flavonoids.

Zinc-HCL Test: Take 1ml extract mix with Zinc dust and add Conc. HCL, Magenta colour Show the presence of Flavonoids.

Test for Tannins

Lead acetate Test: 1ml extract was treated with 10%lead acetate solution, resulting in white precipitates indicating tannins.

Ferric Chloride: 1ml extract was treated with 1ml 5% ferric chloride solution. The presence of tannin is indicated by the green hue.

Test for Lignin

Labat Test: 1ml extract and 1ml Gallic acid was taken, olive green precipitates show the presence of lignin.

Test for Steroid

Liberman Burchard’s Test: In 1ml extract add 1ml chloroform with 2ml Acetic Anhydride and 1-2 drops H2SO4, Array of colour change Blue- green- Red (ring at junction) is seen.

Test for Terpenoids

Salkoski Test: Take 1ml extract treated with 1ml chloroform, filter it and add 1ml conc. H2SO4, yellow precipitates show that terpenoid is present. (Banu, K. S. and Cathrine, L., 2015)  

Quantitative Analysis:

Total Phenolic Content: Leaf of selected four Dracaena Varieties Total Phenolic content were determined by folin-ciocalteu reagent method. 1ml extract of four selected leaf standard Gallic acid (10-100 µg/ml) were taken and 1.5ml 1N folin-ciocalteu reagent added. 10ml distilled water and 4ml 20% sodium carbonate added. Make final volume upto 25ml with distilled water. After 30 minutes of incubation, the absorbance at 765nm was measured using UV visible spectrophotometer. A result of total phenolic content of leaves was representing as a milligram Gallic acid equivalent per gram (mg GAE/g). (Sembiring et al., 2018).

Total Flavonoid Content: Leaf of selected four Dracaena varieties total Flavonoid Content were determined by Aluminum Chloride method. 1ml extract of four selected leaf and standard Quercetin (100-1000 µg/ml) were taken and 0.3 ml 5% sodium nitrate added. Followed by 0.3 ml 10% Aluminium Chloride added. 2ml 1M sodium hydrocside were added. Make final volume upto 10ml with distilled water. Absorbance at 510nm was measured using UV visible spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-1800, Shimadzu corporation Kyoto, Japan). A result of total flavonoid content of leaves was reported as a milligram Quercetin equivalent per gram (mg QE/g). (Quettier-deleu et al., 2000).

Total Tannin Content: Total Tannin Content of selected four Dracaena varieties leaves were determined by Folin-Denis method. 1ml extract of four selected leaf and standard tannic acid (100-1000 µg/ml) were taken and 0.1 ml 1N folin-Denis reagent added. Followed by 1 ml 7.5% sodium carbonate added. Make final volume upto 10ml with distilled water. Absorbance at 510nm was measured using UV visible spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-1800, Shimadzu corporation Kyoto, Japan). A result of total tannin content of leaves was reported as a milligram tannin equivalent per gram (mg TE/g). (Vala, M, and Maitreya,B., 2022).

Antioxidant Activity

DPPH Radicle Scavenging Activity

The DPPH (2, 2 -diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl) method was used to determine the antioxidant activity (DPPH scavenging activity) of selected four Dracaena varieties leaves. Take 200-1000 extract and 100-1000 mg/ml Ascorbic acid standard and make final volume 1ml using methanol and acetone solvent and 3ml DPPH solution was added followed by, incubate for 30min in dark condition and the absorbance at 517nm was measured using UV-visible spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-1800, Shimadzu corporation Kyoto, Japan). Check the inhibition using following formula.

Inhibition (%) = Control – Test/Control×100

Where, Control is the absorbance of the control (DPPH solution without the addition of Leaf extract) and Test is the absorbance of reaction mixture samples (in the presence of Leaf extract). IC?? value obtained from the results of DPPH method, indicates the sample quantity was derived from a correlating the discoloration of the sample with its concentration. (Stankovic, M. S. 2011)

RESULTS

Yield of extract

Figure: 1 yield of selected four Varieties of Dracaena Leaf Extract.

Figure 1 shows 9.2 and 14.4 percentage yield in methanol and acetone extract of Dracaena fragrans leaves respectively. Dracaena reflexa leaves shows 10.1 percentage in methanol and 11 percentages in acetone solvent`s extract. Cordyline fruticosa leaves shows 9.5%, and 8 percentages respectively in methanol and acetone solvent`s extract respectively. Cordyline terminalis leaf methanol and acetone extract shows the 12.9 and 14.4 percentage yield respectively.

Qualitative Analysis

Table 1: Qualitative Phytochemical Screening of four Dracaena Varieties leaf.