Phytochemical characterization of aqueous extract from algarobeira pod (Prosopis juliflora)

Abstract

The algarobeira (Prosopis juliflora) is a xerophilous plant widely found in the Northeast region of Brazil due to its ease of flowering in arid regions and producing a sweet pulp pod much appreciated in the region and with high biotechnological potential. Several studies have already demonstrated this potential, mainly in the production of bread, brandy, vinegar, bioethanol, among others. Thus, this work aimed to characterize qualitatively the secondary metabolite compounds present in the aqueous extract of the algarobeira pod. The algarobeira extract was prepared and 20mL of this aqueous extract was vacuum-evaporated weighed, and subjected to phytochemical analysis, to check for the presence of alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenols, tannins, saponins, and terpenes. The final weight of the extract was 11.22 g. In the aqueous extract of algarobeira, it was not possible to detect the presence of alkaloids, sterols, flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenols, and tannins, only saponins and terpenes. These findings may be related to the sensitivity of the technique used. Another possible factor is obtaining the extract, which commonly uses alcohol, which has a greater extractive effect about water. Although the findings are satisfactory, considering water as an extractor, new analyzes with more demanding methodologies demonstrate the potential of this plant and its use in the industrial sector.