Studies and analysis of Phytochemicals and N.P.K in crude leaf extract of Bel fruit (Aegle marmelos)

Abstract

Bel fruit, (Aegle marmelos), bel also spelled bael, also called Bengal quince, tree of the family Rutaceae, cultivated for its fruit. The plant is native to India and Bangladesh and has naturalized throughout much of Southeast Asia. The unripe fruit, sliced and sun-dried, is traditionally used as a remedy for dysentery and other digestive ailments. The ripe fruit is sweet, aromatic, and cooling. The trees wood is yellowish white and hard but not durable ^[1].

Phytochemical studies of the ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol and aqueous extracts of the leaf, obtained by the cold maceration method, indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, steroids, tannins, triterpenoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, phlobatannins, thiols, anthroquinone, protein and amino acids, resins, fixed oils & fats, and phytosterols.    Qualitative estimation of phytochemicals was performed in different solvent extracts, namely ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol and aqueous extracts. The results were represented as + for the presence and for the absence of phytochemicals. N.P.analyses were done by total Kjeldahl digests by UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and K analysis was done in Kjeldal digests by Flame photometry method.