Phytochemical Screening and Biological Activity of Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) Flower

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) flower petal extracts were prepared in the laboratory by extracting with different solvents. Different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques were adopted for purification and identification of the compounds. Fractions obtained after column chromatography of solvent extracts showed the presence of six compounds. From the mass fragmentation pattern, the molecules identified were dodecanoic acid (I), myristic acid (II), palmitic acid (III), stearic acid (IV), octaeicosane-8-one (V) and triacontane-1-ol (VI). The crude extract, solvent fractions and the purified compounds were subjected to bioassay against two agriculturally important pest Spodoptera litura and Meloidogyne incognita. The hexane extract and the purified compounds showed highest activity against Spodoptera larvae while the methanol fractions and the purified compounds again yielded best result against Meloidogyne incognita.