Qualitative Phytochemical Analysis of Yemeni Vachellia flava Fabaceae and Its Honey

Abstract

Vachellia flava, synonym Acacia ehrenbergiana, known as “Salam” in Arabic, is a wild flowering tall tree belong to Fabaceae family. In Yemen, it thrives in specific ecological niches and traditionally utilized for charcoal and Qataran production, firewood and apiculture, yielding high-quality honey. This study aimed to conduct the first qualitative analysis of the phytochemical constituents of different solvent extracts of the leaves, bark, and pods of Yemeni V.flava, alongside the aqueous solution of its produced honey. The plant parts were subjected to serial exhaustive extraction using petroleum ether, acetone, and methanol using Soxhlet extraction. The obtained extracts were subjected to the test of several phytochemical classes following the standard procedures. Phytochemical screening revealed distinct profiles across extracts. The petroleum ether leaves extract contained exclusively phytosterols, triterpenes, and terpenoids, whereas methanol and acetone extracts shared alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolics, carbohydrates, proteins, and fatty acids with methanol uniquely containing saponins and acetone exhibiting amino acids and phytosterols. Bark petroleum ether extract showed glycosides, phytosterols, triterpenes, and terpenoids, while methanol and acetone extracts both contained alkaloids, anthraquinones, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolics, proteins, amino acids, and fatty acids; methanol included saponins, and acetone had additional carbohydrates and phytosterols. Pods petroleum ether extract contained alkaloids and phytosterols, while methanol and acetone extracts featured glycosides, carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenolics, proteins, amino acids, and phytosterols while methanol extract alone contained anthraquinones. Analysis of aqueous honey solution detected only alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenols, flavonoids, and proteins. Notably, petroleum ether extracts of bark and pods contained glycosides and alkaloids, respectively, suggesting the presence of nonpolar forms of these metabolites in Yemeni V. flava. The findings demonstrate that both V. flava and its honey harbor a diverse array of bioactive phytochemicals with potential applications in medicinal and industrial sectors.