Preliminary Qualitative and Quantitative Screening of Phytochemicals in the Corticolous Lichen Lepraria leuckertiana (Zedda) L. Saag, Dhamtari District, Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Background: Lepraria leuckertiana, a corticolous lichen from Central India, remains poorly studied despite lichens being recognized as rich sources of pharmacologically important secondary metabolites. Aims: The objective of this study was to examine the phytochemical profile (qualitative and quantitative) of the ethanolic extract of the corticolous species of lichen Lepraria leuckertiana (Zedda) L. Saag, and to assess any potential pharmacological activity based on the phytochemical composition of the lichen. Study Design: The lichen extract was subjected to qualitative phytochemical screening using standardized spectrophotometric methods, and additionally to quantitative phytochemical screening, in accordance with standardized phytochemical methods. Place and Duration of Study: The collection of lichen specimens was from the fringes of the forest in Nagari Bhitarra, Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, India. Taxonomic identification was done through CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute. The research for this study was conducted from 2025 to 2026. Methodology: The shade-dried lichen thalli were ground into powder forms and then subjected to maceration using ethanol as a solvent. The crude extract obtained from maceration was tested for the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins, and terpenoids following standardized biochemical methods of qualitative screening for each of the classes of compounds listed above. The quantitative analysis of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and terpenoids was performed spectrophotometrically with respect to a standard of atropine, quercetin, gallic acid and linalool. Results: Results of the phytochemical screening indicated that all 7 types of Secondary Metabolites were found in Lepraria leuckertiana. The qualitative components of alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids were all abundant (+), while saponins were moderate (+). Flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and steroids were all lowly present (+). For quantitative data, terpenoid concentrations (40.13 mg/L of linalool eq) and alkaloid concentrations (39.77 mg/L of atropine eq) exceeded those of phenolic compounds (5 mg/L of gallic acid eq) and flavonoids (1.22 mg/L of quercetin eq). With such a large proportion of the Secondary Metabolites found being alkaloids and terpenoids, it is likely that L. leuckertiana possesses antimicrobial or antioxidant properties. Conclusion: This research found that L. leuckertiana is an excellent source of biologically active Secondary Metabolites with terpenoid concentrations (40.13 mg/L of linalool eq) and alkaloid concentrations (39.77 mg/L of atropine eq., and therefore likely has pharmacological value. The lack of availability of Secondary Metabolites may limit further studies on the medicinal usefulness of L. leuckertiana, but other studies should be performed, including: 1) additional chromatographic studies; 2) bioactivity tests; 3) compound characterisation studies; to demonstrate whether or not L. leuckertiana is therapeutically active.