Phytochemical analysis of Ophiorrhiza pectinata ARN. (Rubiaceae) a potential anticancer plant

Ophiorrhiza pectinata (whole plant) solvent extracts (chloroform, methanol and water) were prepared by Soxhlet extraction method and these extracts were subjected to thin layer chromatography. The mobile phase used was chloroform: methanol (24: 1 ratio). Camptothecin (authentic standard) served as the reference. Retention factor value (0.6) was observed in the extracts of chloroform and ethyl acetate, corresponding to the similar band observed from reference standard (Camptothecin). Camptothecin appeared blue fluorescence under UV light and turned orange red colour while spraying dragondorff’s reagent. Camptothecin was quantified using High performance liquid chromatography, A standard graph of Camptothecin was made using Camptothecin and the Camptothecin content of whole plant (field grown plant) was quantified by calibration with this standard graph. Presence of Camptothecin was confirmed, the yield of Camptothecin (field grown plant) was 250.54 µg g-1 d.wt.