Initially, the extracts were fractionated by liquid/liquid partition with chloroform to separate the lipophilic compounds. The presence of secondary metabolites of the classes listed above was determined in water-alcohol fraction using the following reactions: 1) the presence of phenols and tannins was determined by reaction with ferric chloride (FeCl3) at 2 % (w/v); 2)
the presence of flavonoids was investigated by Shinoda reaction and was observed by comparative thin layer chromatography; 3) to analyze the presence of xanthone was used magnesium in hydrochloridric acid; 4) index of foam was used to indicate the presence of saponins; 5) the Liebermann-Bouchard reaction was used to investigate the presence of triterpens and steroids; and 6) after acid-base extraction, the presence of alkaloids was determined by general reactions of precipitation