Phytochemical Screening and Total Phenolic Content in Phyllanthus Niruri and Mimosa Pudica Collected from Kuching, Sarawak (Malaysia)

Abstract

Phyllanthus niruri and Mimosa pudica are herbal plants that have been traditionally used as medicine to treat numerous ailments. This study has identified the major phytochemicals and quantified the total phenolic content (TPC) in the ethanolic extract of the plants. Plant samples were collected from several locations in Kuching, Sarawak. They were cleaned, dried, and ground prior for analysis. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, protein, amino acids, tannins, and flavonoids in P. niruri extract, while only alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids were identified on M. pudica extract. Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to determine the TPC and the results expressed as mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram of extract. From the results, P. niruri extract (59.06 mg GAE/g) exhibited slightly higher phenolic content compared to M. pudica extract (44.29 mg GAE/g). These findings emphasize the phytochemical abundance and antioxidant ability of these plants, supporting their effectiveness as medicinal plants.