When we conduct different screening tests to identify phytochemicals in plant extracts, we use more than one solvent. What are the criteria or how do we select the best solvent rather than using many solvents?
It is because of the extractability and solubility of different plant extracts/ residues in different solvents as all of them are not extracted in a particular solvent. The best solvent can be selected for a particular plant-drug on the basis of its higher extractability percentage.
There are lots of phytochemicals owning unique to themselves, water soluble ones e.g. sugars or amino acids, water insoluble ones e.g. essential oils and steroids. Some phytochemicals are soluble slightly in water and work like surfactants i.e. saponins.
Ubiquitous solvents such as methanol and ethanol can dissolve many of phytochemicals and then we seperate the extracts using water and organic sovlents like hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethers.
In pharmaceutical sight, the solvents should be traditionally used ones, such as liquor or water. Because traditional medicines generally extracted in water or alcohols.
Very nice. Thank you very much for your valuable contribution.
The use of different solvents is to be able tp separate the hydrosoluble molecules from the liposoluble one. One use different organic solvent that going to separate the molecules according to their relative lipocicity.
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