2.

12 TEST METHOD FOR ALKALOID, FLAVONOID AND TERPENES

ALKALOID
A precise definition of the term alkaloid (alkali-like) is somewhat difficult because
there is no clear-cut boundary between alkaloids and naturally occurring complex
amines. Typical alkaloids are derived from plant sources, they are basic, they contain
one or more nitrogen atoms (usually in a heterocyclic ring) and they usually have a
marked physiological action on man or other animals. The name proto-alkaloid or
amino-alkaloid is sometimes applied to compounds such as hordenine, ephedrine
and colchicine which lack one or more of the properties of typical alkaloids.

Before that I would like to show what is the function of alkaloids in plants. The
characteristic nature of alkaloids and their often very marked pharmacological effects
when administered to animals naturally led scientists to speculate on their biological
role in the plants in which they occurred.

1 . Being of such diverse nature, alkaloids as a group could not be expected to have a
common role (if any) in the, except possibly in situations requiring a non-specific
basic compound. In this respect the increase in putrescine in barley seedlings when
grown in a medium deficient in potassium is of interest.

2 . Alkaloids often occur in plants in association with characteristic acids.For example,

the tropane alkaloids of the Solanaceae and the developing fruits. Oxidation
reduction involving N -oxides and tertiary bases is a probability. It has been
suggested that N -oxides may be involved in demethylations and their participation
in the biosynthesis of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids has also been proposed. The
solubility properties of N -oxides could influence the transport of alkaloids both
throughout the plant and also within the cell itself.

NAMA PENYEWA JUN JULAI OGOS SEPT OKT NOV DIS

FLAVONOID
Flavonoids or bioflavonoids are a class of plant secondary metabolites. Flavonoids were
referred to as Vitamin P because of the effect they had on the permeability of vascular
capillaries.According to the IUPAC nomenclature they can be classified into:

flavonoids or bioflavonoids
isoflavonoids, derived from 3-phenylchromen-4-one (3-phenyl-1,4-benzopyrone)
structure
neoflavonoids, derived from 4-phenylcoumarine (4-phenyl-1,2-benzopyrone)
structure

The three flavonoid classes are all ketone-containing compounds, and as such, are
anthoxanthins (flavones and flavonols). This class was the first to be termed bioflavonoids.
The terms flavonoid and bioflavonoid have also been more loosely used to describe non-
ketone polyhydroxy polyphenol compounds which are more specifically termed flavanoids.
The three cycle or heterocycles in the flavonoid backbone are generally called ring A, B and
C. Ring A usually shows a phloroglucinol substitution pattern.

The stock solution (1 mL) was taken in a test tube and added few drop of dilute NaOH solution. An
intense yellow colour was appeared in the test tube. It became colourless when on addition of a few
drop of dilute acid that indicated the presence of flavonoids.