Phytochemical Evaluation of Marchantia polymorpha montivagans

DAVID, Julius1, GALLARDO, Luis Augusto III2, SAN JUAN, Ramuel3, VIDAD,
Jericho4
Department of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Baguio

Introduction
Marchantia polymorpha is one of the largest thallose liverworts, with
dichotomously branching, prostate or ascending flat thalli up to 2 cm broad, often
growing in dense mats. (Long, 2009) Our specimen was gathered within the campus,
and was analyzed phytochemically. Phytochemical analysis involves the identification of
bioactive chemical components of the plant. These components are directly responsible
for some of the characteristics of the plant. The significance of performing this assay is
that it identifies components which then can be further analyzed for other uses (e.g.
antimicrobial properties, medicinal purposes). The objective of this experiment is to
identify the bioactive chemical compounds of the thalloid liverwort.
The first plants that colonized land were probably plants at a bryophyte level of
organization, most likely a liverwort. (Porley, 2013) Liverworts have a distinct
alternation of two generations, as do the mosses. (Moore, 2014) They actually tend to
bypass the threadlike protonemal stage and grow immediately to become the
gametophyte body. The complex-thalloid liverwort Marchantia polymorpha was the
first plant for which the chloroplast genome was sequenced. (Bock, 2012) After this, its
complete mitochondrial genome was then fully sequenced. As the term complex
thalloid liverwort says, these are liverworts with the highest internal differentiation.
They are structured like a leaf with dorsal and ventral epiderm, parenchyms and even air
pores. (Frahm, 2014)

Methodology
Prior to extraction is the identification of a common thalloid liverwort up to its
subspecies found within the vicinity of the UP-Baguio located at Governor Center Road,
Baguio City Philippines1 that has an elevation of approximately 1,540 meters. The
specimen was gathered and then identified using an online field guide of the British
BryologicalSociety2. Several methods were executed for the identification of the thalloid
liverwort by its morphological features using a stereomicroscope and measuring tools.
Then the researchers prepared it for the acid, aqueous and methanolic extraction of the
liverwort by air-drying it for almost one month. After the preparation, the extraction of
the plant active components of the specimen was conducted using 70mL of distilled
water, 3mL conc. HCl and 80mL methanol. For the final phase of the experiment, the
phytochemical screening process published by the InternationalePharmaceuticaSciencia
was but only six tests were followed because of the unavailability of the reagents. (Tiwari
et al 2011)

Results and Discussion

Test

Detects the presence of

Result

Wagners Test

Alkaloids

(+)

Anthraquinone Test

Glycosides

(-)

Froth Test

Saponins

(+)

Liebermans Test

Triterpenes

(-)

Benedicts Test

Carbohydrates

(-)

Flavonoid Test

Flavonoid

(+)

Table 1.1 Results of the phytochemical assay.

The results showed that Marchantia polymorpha montivagans contains alkaloids,
saponins and flavonoids. The solutions of alkaloids are intensely bitter. These
Nitrogenous compounds function in the defense of plants against herbivores and
pathogens, and are widely exploited as pharmaceuticals, stimulants, narcotics, and
poisons due to their potent biological activities. In nature, the alkaloids exist in large
proportions in the seeds.1 (Doughari, 2012) Some compounds found in alkaloids include

morphine, codeine, caffeine, berberine and sanguinarine which all have pharmacological
uses. Wagners test was used to determine the presence of alkaloids because alkaloids
react with Wagners reagent (iodine in potassium iodide), producing a reddish brown
color in the solution.(Fig. 1)
Saponins are a diverse class of natural surfactants, or detergents, found in many
plants, but they are most abundant in the desert plants Yucca and Quillaja. Extracts from
these plants are commonly used as foaming agents for beverages such as root beer. These
biochemicals also have commercial applications such as ore separation in industrial and
mining operations, and are useful in products such as photographic emulsions, cosmetics,
and shampoos.2 (Davidson, 1995)

Froth test was used to determine if Marchantia

polymorpha montivagans contains saponins because if a 1 cm layer results 15

minutes(Fig.2) after being diluted with 20 ml distilled water, it means that the saponins
reacted with the solution containing 10 ml benzene.4
Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are ubiquitous in nature and are
categorized, according to chemical structure, into flavonols, flavones, flavanones,
isoflavones, catechins, anthocyanidins and chalcones. Over 4,000 flavonoids have been
identified, many of which occur in fruits, vegetables and beverages.3 (Buhler, D. et al.,
2000) The flavonoids test was used because flavonoids react with dilute NaOH,
producing a golden yellow color.4 (Fig. 3)
Anthraquinone test is used to determine presence of glycosides in a plant sample.
Glycosides in general, are defined as the condensation products of sugars (including
polysaccharides) with a host of different varieties of organic hydroxy (occasionally thiol)
compounds (invariably monohydrate in character), in such a manner that the hemiacetal
entity of the carbohydrate must essentially take part in the condensation.1 (Doughari,
2012) A positive result will showcase a pink or violet color at the base of the aqueous
solution.
Marchantia polymorpha montivagans projected a negative result therefore
determining the absence of glycosides.
Benedicts

test

detects

presence

of

reducing

sugar.

Marchantiapolymorphamontivagans extract/ solution showed a negative result which

might have occurred due to transformation of the reducing sugars to their nonreducing
form since sugars in plants are translocated in their nonreducing form.

Conclusion
Based on the results, it can be concluded that Marchantia polymorpha
montivagans contains alkaloids that have a variety of uses not just for the plant but also
for pharmacological and industrial uses. However, because each test that was used was
just focused on determining the presence of a certain alkaloid, it eliminated the possibility
of determining the presence of other alkaloids. Also, only 6 alkaloid tests were used
because of the limited resources, meaning only a few alkaloids were observed on the
thalloid liverwort.

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