INTRODUCTION:

Hamelia patens Jacq commonly known as Fire bush, Scarlet bush, Fire bush, Polly red head or Texas firecracker belongs to the Madder family (Rubiaceae). This species is bush or small tree, 1.4-3.0 m but sometimes reaches 7 m in height tall, trees produce flowers and fruits throughout the year.[1] Plants may have single or multiple stems. The twigs are orange to purple. Leaves are opposite or grouped in threes or fours, and finely hairy to glabrous. The leaves have petioles 1 to 3.5 cm long and blades that are mostly ovate-elliptic to obovate-elliptic with an acute or acuminate tip. The lateral and especially the mid veins are red or pink. In temperate areas, as temperatures turn cool in the fall, the foliage turns to a brilliant red, hence the common name.

The inflorescence is terminal, a modified dichasium with flowers that are tubular, 12 to 22 mm long, and orange to red in color. The fruit is a berry, spherical to elliptical, 7 to 10 mm long, turning red and then black at maturity. The seeds are orange brown, 0.6 to 0.9 mm long. [2] firebush has a tap and lateral root system with abundant fine roots. Stem bark is gray and smooth and the inner bark is light green. [3] Plant of Hamelia patens Jacq shows in Fig.1.

Fig.1 Plant of Hamelia patens Jacq

Hamelia patens Jacq are rich in active phytochemicals including alkaloids and flavonoids. It contains several of the same oxindole alkaloids as Cat’s Claw (Uncariatomentosa) including pteropodine and isopteropodine; both have been highly studied and even patented as effective immune stimulants. These two chemicals have also recently shown to have a positive modulating effect on brain neurotransmitters (called 5-HT2 receptors) that are targets for drugs used in treating a variety of conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, chronic pain conditions and obesity. Three new oxindole alkaloids have also been discovered in Hamelia patens which have never been classified before; they have been named Hamelia patens alkaloid A, B and C.

Scientists in India discovered that Hamelia leaves contain small amounts (00.05%) of ephedrine a stimulant alkaloid that has received some negative press of late. In addition, the aerial parts of the plant have been found to contain rosmarinic acid, a phytochemical that has demonstrated immune modulating and antidepressant activity. The main plant chemicals documented in Hamelia patens thus far include: apigenin, ephedrine, flavanones, isomaruquine, isopteropodine, maruquine, narirutin, oxindole alkaloids, palmirine, pteropodine, rosmarinic acid, rumberine, rutin, seneciophylline, speciophylline, tannin and Stigmast-4-ene3, 6-dione [4-15]. Hamelia patens Jacq shows Antifungal [16], antibacterial [17], hypoglycemic effect [18] wound healing [19] antioxidants [20] activity

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Plant materials:

The fresh flowers of Hamelia patens Jacq were collected from the medicinal garden of Ashokrao Mane College of Pharmacy, Peth Vadagaon, Taluka-Hatkanagle, District-Kolhapur. The flowers and the plant parts were identified and authenticated at Department of Botany, Yashwantrao Chavan Warana Mahavidyalaya, Warananagar.

Reagents:

All the reagents and chemical used for study were of analytical grade provided by Ashokrao Mane College of Pharmacy, Peth-Vadagaon.

Preparation of flower extract and litmus paper[21, 22, 23, 24]:

10 g Hamelia patens Jacq flower petals are cut into small pieces then these petals are soaked into methanolfor 24 h for extraction of pigment present in flower. Then after 24 h solution is filtered to get pure methanolic extract of Hamelia patens Jacq which we can use as natural indicator.

The extract was not only developed and used as indicator but also generated litmus paper indicator strip. Whatman filter paper were soaked in concentrated extract in methanol for 24 h and tested for the developing the strips as litmus paper indicator strip alternative to litmus paper.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

The experiment was carried by using the same set of glassware’s for all types of titrations. As the same aliquots were used for both titrations i.e. titrations by using standard indicators (Phenolphthalein) and flower extract, the reagents were not calibrated. The equimolar titrations were carried using 10 ml of titrant with three drops of indicator of both Natural and Standard indicator (Phenolphthalein) was titrated against strong acid-strong base, strong acid-weak base, weak acid-strong base, weak acid–weak base. All these parameters are shown in Table-1. For all titrations the equivalence point obtained by the flower extract matched with the equivalence point obtained by standard indicators. Stability of indicator colour was checked after every hour. Colour of synthetic indicator used titration solution was disappeared or become colorless after 5-6 h but colour of flower extract indicator used titration solution was remain unchanged even after 24 hours. The results of screening were listed in Table-2. In basic medium it showed light yellow colour while in acidic medium it doesn’t showed any color changes (Fig.2)

Table.1: Parameters Used for Analysis and the Comparison of Color Change.

Titrant	Titrate	Indicator Color Change	Standard Flower Extract
HCl	NaOH	Pink to Colorless	Faint yellow to Colorless
CH₃COOH	NaOH	Pink to Colorless	Faint yellow to Colorless
CH₃COOH	NH₃	Colorlessto Faint orange	Faint yellow to Colorless
HCl	NH₄OH	Pink to Colorless	Faint yellow to Colorless

Table. 2: Screening Results of various titrations.

Sr. No.	Titration (Titrant v/s Titrate)	Strength in Moles	Indicator	Indicator Readings
1	HClV/SNaOH	0.1	Flower Extract	6.78±0.04
			Phenolphthalein	6.90±0.02
		0.5	Flower Extract	8.74±0.06
			Phenolphthalein	9.98±0.04
		1	Flower Extract	9.72±0.06
			Phenolphthalein	9.80±0.02
2	CH₃COOH V/SNaOH	0.1	Flower Extract	22.78±0.04
			Phenolphthalein	6.94±0.05
		0.5	Flower Extract	11.28±0.02
			Phenolphthalein	9.02±0.06
		1	Flower Extract	10.08±0.06
			Phenolphthalein	9.32±0.07
3	HClV/SNH₄OH	0.1	Flower Extract	18.22±0.06
			Phenolphthalein	19.98±0.04
		0.5	Flower Extract	16.42±06
			Phenolphthalein	15.82±0.065
		1	Flower Extract	23.28±05
			Phenolphthalein	20.82±0.06
4	CH₃COOH V/S NH₃	0.1	Flower Extract	22.78±0.04
			Mixed indicator	20.38±0.04
		0.5	Flower Extract	16.42±0.02
			Mixed indicator	12.54±0.05
		1	Flower Extract	14.22±0.09
			Mixed indicator	14.72±0.05

Fig. 2: Development of litmus paper

CONCLUSION:

Hamelia patens Jacqflower extract single-handedly can serve the purpose of indicator in weak acid and weak base titration, where generally mixed indicators are employed. Another benefit of this titration is that it gives colored end point at the equivalence point with stability of result after 5-6 hours. Litmus paper also developed which shows colour changed in alkaline medium. From results it can be concluded that it was shows sharp color changed occurs at the end point and because of economy, simplicity and availability, it is beneficial to use Hamelia patens Jacqflower extract as an indicator in all types of acid base titrations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Authors are thankful to Dr. S. Y. Jadhav sir, Assistant Professor and Head of Department Botany, Yashwantrao Chavan Warana Mahavidyalaya, Warananagar for helping in authentication of plant. Authors are thankful to Ashokrao Mane College of Pharmacy for providing the lab facility and chemicals for carry out the research work.

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Received on 29.06.2019 Modified on 23.07.2019

Res. J. Pharma. Dosage Forms and Tech.2019; 11(3):178-180.

DOI: 10.5958/0975-4377.2019.00031.4