Abstract

ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES USED IN PHYTOCHEMISTRY- A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

K. P. Jithamol* and Kavitha S.

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Abstract

Medicinal plants are a rich source of bioactive phytochemicals or bio nutrients. Plants synthesise hundreds of chemical compounds for functions including defence against insects, fungi, diseases, and herbivorous mammals. Phytochemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the study of phytochemicals. Analytical techniques such as IR, UV-Vis, Mass, DART MS and Chromatographic techniques such as column chromatography, TLC, HPTLC etc. plays crucial role in characterization of plant molecules. This article gives a brief introduction to various spectroscopic methods used in the determination of phytoconstituents.

Keywords: Phytochemistry, UV, IR, Mass, DART-MS, Chromatographic techniques.