Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Thin Layer Chromatography Analysis of Swietenia Macrophylla King Methanol Extracts

The focus of this work was a preliminary phytochemical screening and thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis of various methanol extracts (leaves, seeds, stems and roots) of Swietenia macrophylla . The powdered plant parts (50 g each) were extracted with methanol using Soxhelt apparatus for six hours. The yield percentages obtained for the stems, roots, leaves and seeds were 3.6%, 4.4%, 6.8% and 8.6%, respectively. Phytochemical screening for flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids and phenolic compounds and thin layer chromatography analysis for alkaloids and terpenoids were per-formed according to standard methods. Phytochemical analysis of extracts showed the presence or absence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids and phenolic compounds in depending on the tested extract.  The TLC profile of seeds extract demonstrated two and seven spots for alkaloids and terpenoids, whereas leaves extract demonstrated only one and six spots for alkaloids and terpenoids, respectively. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profile of seeds extract of  S. macrophylla displayed 5 prominent peaks out of 15 compounds separated. The presence of these active groups in  S. macrophylla may justify it is wide medicinal uses.