Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of leaves and roots of barleria dinteri with varying exposure to road-dust pollution

© 2018 Chemical Publishing Co. All rights reserved. The aim of the study was to undertake qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the samples of an African traditional herb, Barleria dinteri, with varying exposure to road-dust pollution. Both leaves and roots samples of B. dinteri were collected at two collection sites, one near a dusty road (test sample) and another away from a dusty road (control sample) in Zebediela sub-region of the Limpopo province of South Africa. The sample extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis through chemical tests, thin layer chromatography and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The sample extracts were also subjected to spectrophotometric quantitative analysis of total phenolic content, total tannin content, total flavonoid content and total saponin content. Qualitative analysis results showed no substantial differences in the phytochemical compositions of the extracts obtained from test and control samples. Quantitative analysis results showed higher amounts of total phenolic, total tannin, total flavonoid and total saponin contents in the leaf test sample extracts than those of the control sample. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also present in higher amounts in the root test sample, whereas total tannins were higher in the control sample. The results demonstrate that the exposure to road-dust pollution have some moderate effect on the quality of phytochemicals possessed by the leaves and roots of B. dinteri, although substantial quantitative effect in the phytochemicals was demonstrated. The findings of the study therefore suggest that the exposure to road-dust pollution enhance accumulation in the phytochemicals possessed by Barleria dinteri, more especially in the leaves.