PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF THE LEAVES OF CITRONELLA (Cymbopogonnardus), PIGNUT (Hyptis suaveolens) AND AFRICAN BASIL (Ocimum gratissimum)

Abstract

The leaves of Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), Pignut (Hyptis suaveolens), and African basil (Ocimum gratissimum) were investigated. The phytochemical screening of the leaves carried out in the laboratory using standard methods revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, resins, anthraquinones, terpenoids, steroids, and glycosides. This investigation shows that Hyptis suaveolens has the most components as it contains alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and tannins, which are major components of plants. The phytochemical screening shows that these plants are volatile oils that possess medicinal and insecticidal properties due to the presence of these phytochemical constituents.