Phytochemical and Biological Studies of Vicia sativa, Chenopodium album and Chenopodium murale

Abstract

Recently, great interest has been focused on drugs isolated from natural sources. The selected plants of this study have been very promising from the stand point of providing valuable chemical and biological reports. Reports mentioned that Vicia sativa L. is considered to be useful in the treatment of rheumatism in the form of infusion. Seeds are taken internally against smallpox and measles. Vicia species have occasionally been recorded as producing an acute heamolytic disease known as favism. Chenopodium specJes used as sedative, antihysteric, antispasmodic,

antirheumatic, emmenagogue. Infusion of leaves digestive, carminative, stimulant, stomachic, antiasthmatic and diuretic. Also the essential oils in Chenopodium species were found to be responsible for the anthelmintic properties and considered to be valuable compounds used as antifungal. So a biological and chemical studies of the selected plants with a view to finding certain new compounds with medical value was carried out. Part I : Morphological study

The present work studied the systematics of Vicia sativa L. which belongs to Family Leguminoseae,as well as that of two species of Chenopodium (Chenopodium album L. and Chenopodium murale L.) which belong to the Family Chenopodiaceae. Part II: Phytochemical study

The preliminary phytochemical investigation of alcoholic extract of Vicia sativa L. revealed the presence of carbohydrates and or/glycosides, Tannins, Flavonoids and alkaloids. The two Chenopodium species contain carbohydrates and or/glycosides, tannins, flavonoids and alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinones and sterols.