Learning Activity No.

14

EXTRACTION AND
IDENTIFICATION OF
TANNINS AND
POLYPHENOLIC
COMPOUNDS

OBJECTIVES
1. To determine if the specific plant
extract contains tannins.
2. Identify and perform the different
test on detecting tannins in plant
extracts.
3. Give the different reasons for
important steps on the given
procedures.

INTRODUCTION
Tannins was first applied to plant
constituents capable of combining with
proteins of animal hides, preventing
their putrefaction and converting them
into leather. Recent report shows that
tannins have potential as cytotoxic or
antineoplastic agents.

Tannin
s
Hydrolyzable tannins

Condensed tannins

First type

Second type

aka Pyrogallol tannins

aka Catechol tannins

Phenolic compounds united

to glucose units by ester
linkages

Polymers
of
phenolic
compounds
related
to
flavonoid pigments

Ferric chloride test solutiongives blue or blue-black

color

Treatment
w/
acid

decomposed to red insoluble

compounds
(phlobaphene
or tannin reds)
Ferric chloride test- gives
blue-green color

Tannins are detected in plant

extracts by gelatin test. In such test,
tannins precipitate gelatin protein.
Sodium chloride is added to enhance
the salting out of protein-tannin
complex.
Positive results are confirmed by
ferric chloride test. Polyphenolic
compounds also give characteristic
color reaction with ferric chloride
test.

PROCEDURES
Preparation of plant extract
Evaporate
plant extract
to incipient
ddryness

Use aqueous sol.

of tannic acid as
reference
standard

Extract
residue with
20 ml hot
distilled
water

Take one portion

as control

Add 5 gtts of
10% NaCl

Filter and
divide
filtrate into
3 test tubes

 Gelatin Test
Treat one portion of filtrate with 3 gtts of
gelatin salt solution

Do likewise with tannic acid

Compare with the control

Formulation of the precipitate indicates the presence of

tannins

 Ferric chloride test

Trear another portion of filtrate with 3 gtts
of Ferric chloride solution

Do likewise to the tannic acid

Compare with the control

A blue-blackcolr indicates hydrolysable tannins while a brownishgreen color indicates condensed tannins
Polyphenols also give colored products with test reagent

Data and Results:

Plant: Averrhoa carambola leaf
extract
aka
Balimbing or Starfruit
Test

Result

Gelatin test

No distinct change was observed

(-) negative for tannins

Ferric chloride
test

No distinct change was observed

(-) negative for tannins

LEARNING OUTCOME EVALUATION

1. Enumerate 3 examples of tannins.
Give its pharmacological uses
Tannins

Plant Source

Pharmacological
uses

Hamamelitannin

Hamamelis
virginiana

Astringent,
Preparation for
treating insect bites
and teething
preparations

Tannic acid

Quercus infectoria

Treatment for
burns,bed sores, and
minor ulcerations

Phlorotannins

Durvillaea antarctica

Have anti-diabetic,
anti-cancer, antioxidation,
antibacterial,
radioprotective

2. Differentiate hydrolyzable tannins

from condensed tannins.
Hydrolyzable tannins

Condensed tannins

aka pyrogallol tannins

aka catechol tannins

Yields gallic or ellagic acids

Yields anthocyanidins

Are phenolic compounds united to

glucose units by ester linkages

Polymers of phenolic compounds

related to flavonoid pigments

Ferric chloride test solution- gives

blue or blue-black color

Ferric chloride test- gives bluegreen color

References
Tyler,V., et al. :Pharmacognosy Ninth
Edition, Washington Square,
Philadelphia. Lea and Febiger. 1988
Wikipedia.(2016). Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc. Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conden
sed_tannin