Preliminary Phytochemical Investigation of Antidesma acidum Retz Preliminary Phytochemical Investigation of Antidesma acidum Retz. Leaves and Stem Bark ABSTRACT Antidesma acidum Retz. is wild edible plant belongs to family Euphorbiaceae and commonly called as Amita. Leaves are also pleasantly acidic and are cooked as a vegetable. In Western Ghats region Antidesma acidum leaves used against dysentery and in case of appetizer. The present investigation deals with the preliminary phytochemical evaluation of leaf and stem bark of A. acidum. Powder behaviour of leaves and stem bark indicates the presence of starch, alkaloids, xanthoprotein, tannin, cystine and oil etc. Phytochemical screening showed presence of phenols, flavones, tannins, saponins and reducing sugar, etc. in leaves and stem bark. Keywords: Medicinal value, Powder behaviour, florescence characteristics, leaf, stems bark, Antidesma acidum Retz. . INTRODUCTION Antidesma acidum Retz. is shrub, 3-5m tall. Traditionally leaves of Antidesma acidum are used for the treatment of stomachache of children and in case of digestion. Present attempt was made to standardize the drug on the basis of preliminary phytochemical screening. This study scientifically validates the use of plant in traditional medicine and it contributes to the development of standardized parameters of herbal drugs used in medicine. Poonam Patil and Varsha Jadhav (Rathod) Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 E-mail: vsrathod2003@yahoo.co.in poonamcpatil@gmail.com MATERIAL AND METHODS Plant were collected from Tillari Ghat, in the month of July to August and identified with the help of flora of Maharashtra (M. R. Almeida 1998), flora of Kolhapur district (S.R. Yadav and M.M. Sardesai 2002). The collected plant material ware washed and dried under the shade. These shade dried leaves were powdered with the help of an electric grinder till a fine powder was obtained. This powder was subjected to further study of powder behaviour, fluorescence study and preliminary phytochemical study of plant. Powder behavior and fluorescence study of the leaf with different chemical reagents was determined under natural light and fluorescent UV light (Chase etal 1949 and Kokoski 1958). Successive extractive values were performed with various solvent like Petroleum ether, Benzene, Chloroform, Acetone, Ethanol and Aqueous. The percentage yield of extract, Preliminary phytochemical tests of the extract were performed using specific reagents by methods of Trease and Evans (1985), Raman (2006), Kokate etal (1995), Kokate (2002) and Khandewal (2005). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The Powder behaviour of leaves and stem bark indicates the presence of starch, alkaloids, xanthoprotein, tannin, cystine and oil etc. Fluorescence study of leave shows the fluorescence with different chemical reagents in visible light and short wavelength. In the long wavelength leaves powder shows fluorescence except few chemical reagents like Aqueous NaOH, Conc.H2SO4 ,KOH, Iodine and FeCl3. Fluorescence of Stem bark powder observed in both visible light and short wavelength but not observed in long wavelength. Phytochemical screening of leaves and stem bark showed presence of phenols, flavones, tannins, coumarins, saponins and reducing sugar, etc. while Alkaloid are absent in both leaves and stem bark. Glycoside present in stem bark and absent in Leaves. Conclusion The present investigation serves as standard reference for identification and distinguishing the Antidesma acidum Retz. leaves and stem bark from its substituent and adulterants and assist in future drug evaluation. References Almeida, M. R. (1998). Flora of Maharashtra, Vol. I . Orient Press, Mumbai. Anonymous (1955): Indian Pharmacopoeia. Vol-II. New Delhi: Govt. of India, Controller of publication A: 53-55. Chase C.R.and Pratt R. (1949): Fluorescence of powdered vegetable drugs with particular reference to the development of a system of identification, J. Am. Pharmacology Assoc. 38:324-331. Khandewal K.R. (2005): Practical Pharmacognosy Techniques and experiments Nirali Prakashan, Pune: 38-161. Kokate C.K. (2002): Practical Pharmacognosy, Vallabh Prakashan, Pune:107-129. Kokate C.K., Purohit A.P. and Gokhale S.B. (1995): Methods of crude drug evaluation pharmacognosy, Nirali Prakashan, Pune:88-99. Kokoski C.J., Kokoski R.J. and Slama F.J. (1958): Fluorescence of powdered vegetable drugs under ultravivolet radiation. J. Am. Pharm Assoc. 47:715-717. Raman N. (2006): Phytochemical techniques, Publishing agency New India publications, New Delhi, 1st edition: 19-25. Trease, G. E. and Evans, W. C. (1985): Pharmacognosy, 12th ed. English Language Book Society, Bailliere Tindall, London: 394. Yadav, S. R. & M. M. Sardesai (2002): Flora of Kolhapur District, Shivaji University Press, Kolhapur.