Arun Bhimarao Joshi, Aswathi M, Maya Bhobe
The present study was undertaken to carry out phytochemical investigation of the ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Terminalia tomentosa Roxb (ex DC) Wight & Arnbelonging to the family Combreteaceae. The plant is known in Sanskrit as Asana, in English as Black murdah, in Hindi as Asan, Saj, Sain and in Marathi as Ain.The plant has been known to possess various pharmacological activities like antifungal, antioxidant, antihyperglycaemic, antidiarrhoeal, antileucorrheal etc. The bark of the plant is astringent& useful in ulcers, vata, fractures, haemorrhages, bronchitis, diarrhoea etc.Preliminary phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract of stem bark revealed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, triterpenoids,steroids, tannins and saponins. The chemical entities isolated and characterised includes 4 – methy l - 4 - hydroxymethylene - 6β - (10 - methyl octanyl) cyclohexane (Arjuna homoses quiterpenol), di-n-octyl phthalate, di isobutyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate. All these phytoconstituents are reported for the first time from the ethanolic extract of stem bark of T.tomentosa.
