Research Journal of Family, Community and Consumer Sciences ________________________ ISSN 2320 – 902X Vol. 1(1), 7-9, March (2013) Res. J. Family, Community & Consumer Sci. International Science Congress Association 7 Short Communication Ecofriendly Finishing of Fabric with Jatropha Curcas Leaves Babel Sudha, Mogra Dolly, Rajvanshi Rupali, Agrawal Neha and Sharma Sangeeta Deptt of Textiles and Apparel Designing, College of Home Science, MPUAT, Udaipur, INDIA Available online at: www.isca.in Received 8 th January 2013, revised 23 th January 2013, accepted 15 th March 2013 Abstract Earlier researchers have reported antibacterial activity of different specific parts, but none of the reports shows the phytochemical analysis of leaf extract for finishing of fabric. The Objective of present study was find out the phytochemical analysis of Jatropha curcas leaves and to investigate antimicrobial activity. The dried plant powder was subjected to extraction with ethanol 70 per cent, methanol 70 per cent, chloroform 100 per cent, acetone 100 per cent and aqueous solution. These solvent extracts were subjected to a preliminary phytochemical screening to detect the different chemical principles present viz., glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and phenolic compounds. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by Agar diffusion method. The phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloid, saponin, tanins, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, phenols and flavonoids. The antimicrobial activity showed by Jatropha curcas leaves was due to the presence of phytochemicals. Keywords: Jatropha curcas leaves, Ecofriendly finishing, Photochemical screening. Introduction industry continuously searches for new technologies in order to accomplish the consumers´ demands. Especially in recent years, new developments allowed the production of functional and smart textiles which are capable of sensing changes in environmental conditions or body functions and responding to these changes. Likewise, consumers’ attitude towards hygiene and active lifestyle has created a rapidly increasing market for a wide range of textile products finished with antimicrobial properties, which in turn has stimulated intensive research and development. There is a measureless resource of natural antimicrobial peptides which can be exploited for imparting antimicrobial properties to textile substrates. The main advantage of antimicrobial substances is that they are small molecules that can be impregnated or covalently bound to textiles in a very effective and homogeneous deposition. The latex of Jatropha curcas contains an alkaloid known as "jatrophine" which is believed to have anti-cancerous properties. Commercially non-edible vegetable oil used as bio-diesel, some countries use Jatropha curcas oil to manufacture soaps, bark of Jatropha curcas is utilized to make dark blue dye for clothing, fishing nets and lines, leaves are used for fumigating bed bugs. Uses of Jatropha curcas curcas are well known but use of Jatropha curcas curcas leaves extract for finishing the fabric is new concept, which is eco friendly not yet explored. At present, little has been reported of its use in textiles as an antimicrobial agent The objective of present investigation is to find out the phytochemical constituent of Jatropha curcas curcas and to apply its extract on cotton fabric for its finishing, to study the total bacterial count and total microbes count after finishing the fabric. Material and methods Selection of plant:- A local plant Jatropha curcas were selected on the basis of their medicinal properties against as reported in various literatures. Collection of plant materials: Jatropha curcas leaves were collection from local area of Udaipur India. Preparation of plant extract: Plant material was kept for drying for about two weeks, away from direct sunlight below 45c (shade dried). The dried material was crushed in an electric grinder to coarse powder consistency, about 500 gm. The powder material was uniformly stored into an air tight container. Sample extraction for photochemical screening: Powdered of the Jatropha curcas leaves were weighted 2 gm. each into five containers labeled Ethanol 70 per cent , Methanol 70 per cent, chloroform 100 per cent, Acetone per cent and aqueous solution 100 per cent, respectively for leaves, the solution amount were taken 25 ml. The mixture was left for 24 hours in incubation. After 24 hours the extract was centrifuged and amount of extract was measured. The residual extract was subsequently mixed with 25 ml. of the respective solvent and process repeated for the next 24 hr., after the whole procedure the final extract obtained and filtered with whatman filter paper. The final extract was stored in refrigerator with labeled.