Herbal plants are valuable gift of nature for mankind and they are the source of a variety of phytochemicals which are utilized for human and animal diets also. It is capable of synthesizing an overwhelming variety of low molecular weight organic compounds called secondary metabolites, usually with unique and complex structures. The medicinal actions of plants unique to particular plant species or groups are consistent with the concept that the combination of secondary products in a particular plant is taxonomically distinct [
The plant species
Despite these wide medicinal uses, no information on qualitative account of phytochemicals is available for this species. To address this lacuna, GC-MS studies were undertaken to explore the phytochemical constituents present in the leaf, stem, and tuber parts of
The leaf, stem, and tuber parts of
50 g of powdered leaf, stem, and tuber parts of
GC-MS analysis was carried out on a 5975C Agilent equipped with a DB-5ms Agilent fused silica capillary column (30 × 0.25 mm ID; film thickness: 0.25
By GC-MS, the compounds were separated and then they were eluted from the column and made enter into the detector which was capable of creating an electronic signal. Then they were processed by the computer for generating chromatogram. Then the compound entered into the electron ionization (mass spectroscopy) detector, where they were bombarded with a stream of electrons causing them to break apart into fragments. These fragments were actually charged ions with certain mass. The
To identify the compounds, the extract was assigned for comparison of their retention indices and mass spectra fragmentation patterns with those stored on the computer library and also with the published literature. National Institute of Standards and Technology library sources were also used for matching the identified compounds from the plant materials [
The gas chromatograms of leaf, stem, and tuber parts of
Compounds identified in the methanolic leaf extract of
S. number | Name of the compound | RT | Molecular formula | Molecular weight | Peak area % | Structure | Category of the compound | Activity* |
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1 | Hexahydropyridine, 1-methyl-4-[4,5-dihydroxyphenyl]- | 6.761 | C12H17NO2 | 207.12 | 10.75 |
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Aromatic piperidine | No activity reported |
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2 | 1-Octanamine | 11.990 | C8H19N | 129.24 | 16.16 |
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Aliphatic amine | No activity reported |
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3 | 1-Tetradecanamine | 12.091 | C14H31N | 213.40 | 10.24 |
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Aliphatic amine | No activity reported |
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4 | Carane | 16.317 | C10H18 | 138.24 | 18.76 |
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Terpene | Antifeedant, antioxidant |
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5 | Pentane-2,4-dione, 3-(1-adamantyl) | 16.753 | C15H22O2 | 234.33 | 5.85 |
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Aliphatic diketone | No activity reported |
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6 | Phytol | 18.990 | C20H40O | 296.53 | 38.24 |
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Diterpene | Anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antitumor, chemopreventive, antimicrobial, use in vaccine formulations |
*Source: Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (online database).
Compounds identified in the methanolic stem extract of
S. number | Name of the compound | RT | Molecular formula | Molecular weight | Peak area % | Structure | Category of the compound | Activity* |
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1 | 1,3-Cyclopentanedione | 3.929 | C5H6O2 | 98.09 | 4.47 |
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Cyclic diketone | No activity reported |
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2 | Undecane | 6.718 | C11H24 | 156.30 | 3.92 |
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Alkane | Antimicrobial agents, transducer for immunosensor and its method of production. carcinogens, enzyme inhibitors, solvents |
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3 | 1,2,4-Triazino [5,6-E] |
7.633 | C4H8N6O2 | 172.14 | 0.36 |
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Triazine | No activity reported |
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4 | 4-Hydroxyphenyl 3-nitrobenzoate | 10.218 | C13H9NO5 | 259.21 | 0.52 |
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Aromatic nitro compound | No activity reported |
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5 | Taurolidine | 10.261 | C7H16N4O4S2 | 284.35 | 0.17 |
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Taurine amino acid derivative | Antimicrobial, anti-lipopolysaccharide, anti-tumor properties, anti-infective agents, antineoplastic agents |
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6 | 4-(4-Ethoxyphenyl) but-3-en-2-one | 12.033 | C12H14O2 | 190.24 | 56.90 |
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Aliphatic acid | No activity reported |
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7 | Trehalose | 12.469 | C12H22O11 | 342.29 | 11.49 |
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Sucrose | Treat amyloidosis (prevent the deposition of amyloid protein in the body) |
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8 | d-Glycero-d-tallo-heptose | 12.701 | C7H14O7 | 210.18 | 1.68 |
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Aldo heptose | No activity reported |
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9 | Benzaldehyde, 6-hydroxy-4-methoxy-2,3-dimethyl- | 13.442 | C10H12O3 | 180.20 | 1.71 |
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Aromatic benzaldehyde | No activity reported |
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10 | 9-Tetradecen-1-ol, acetate, (Z)- | 16.303 | C16H30O2 | 254.40 | 1.40 |
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Aliphatic ester | No activity reported |
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11 | Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester | 17.174 | C17H34O2 | 270.45 | 6.52 |
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Linoleic acid ester | Anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, cancer preventive, hepatoprotective, nematicide, insectifuge, antihistaminic, antieczemic, antiacne, alpha reductase inhibitor, antiandrogenic, antiarthritic, anticoronary |
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12 | 1-Methyl-3-ethyladamantane | 17.581 | C13H22 | 178.31 | 1.37 |
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Bicyclic alkane | No activity reported |
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13 | 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester | 18.844 | C19H36O2 | 296.48 | 6.76 |
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Linoleic acid ester | Anti-inflammatory, antiandrogenic cancer preventive, dermatitigenic hypocholesterolemic, |
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14 | Benzaldehyde, 2-nitro-, diaminomet hylidenhydrazone | 18.975 | C8H9N5O2 | 207.18 | 1.42 |
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Nitrogen compound | Antimicrobial |
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15 | Heptadecanoic acid, 10-methyl-, methyl ester | 19.077 | C19H38O2 | 298.50 | 1.29 |
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Fatty ester | No activity reported |
*Source: Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (online database).
Compounds identified in the methanolic tuber extract of
S. number | Name of the compound | RT | Molecular formula | Molecular weight | Peak area % | Structure | Category of the compound | Activity* |
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1 | Dodecanoic acid | 13.776 | C12H24O2 | 200.31 | 2.40 |
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Fatty acids | No activity reported |
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2 | Tetradecanoic acid | 16.071 | C14H28O2 | 228.37 | 0.95 |
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Myristic acid | Antioxidant, cancer preventive, nematicide, hypocholesterolemic, lubricant |
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3 | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester | 17.189 | C16H22O4 | 278.34 | 0.74 |
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Phthalic ester | Used in preparation of perfumes and cosmetics, plasticized vinyl seats on furniture, cars, and clothing including jackets, raincoats, and boots and used in textiles, as dyestuffs, cosmetics, and glass making |
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4 | Pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl ester | 17.842 | C17H34O2 | 270.45 | 4.61 |
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Fatty ester | No activity reported |
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5 | n-Hexadecanoic acid | 18.176 | C16H32O2 | 256.42 | 21.75 |
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Palmitic acid | Antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, nematicide, pesticide, lubricant, hemolytic inhibitor, antiandrogenic |
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6 | Cystodytin | 18.510 | C22H19O3N3 | 373.78 | 1.58 |
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Aromatic alkaloid | Antiproliferative activity in human tumor cell lines |
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7 | 1-Decanol, 2-hexyl- | 18.583 | C16H34O | 242.44 | 1.21 |
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Aliphatic alcohols | Antimicrobial |
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8 | 10,13-Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester | 19.469 | C19H34O2 | 294.47 | 4.72 |
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Linoleic acid esters | Anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, cancer preventive, hepatoprotective, nematicide, insectifuge, antieczemic, anticancer, antiarthritic, insectifuge, antihistaminic, anticoronary |
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9 |
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19.527 | C19H36O2 | 296.48 | 3.55 |
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Linoleic acid esters | Anti-inflammatory, antiandrogenic, cancer preventive, dermatitigenic, irritant, antileukotriene—D4, hypocholesterolemic, 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, anemiagenic, insectifuge, flavor |
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10 | 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- | 19.817 | C18H32O2 | 280.44 | 9.35 |
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Linolenic acid | Anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, cancer preventive, insectifuge, antiarthritic, hepatoprotective, antiandrogenic, nematicide, antihistaminic, antieczemic |
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11 | 9,17-Octadecadienal, (Z)- | 19.876 | C18H32O | 264.44 | 21.77 |
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Unsaturated aldehyde | Antimicrobial |
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12 | Phthalic acid, di(2-propylpentyl) ester | 23.201 | C24H38O4 | 390.55 | 9.48 |
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Dicarboxylic acid ester | Oral toxicity during pregnancy and sucking in the Long-Evans Rat |
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13 | Anthracene, 9-ethyl-9,10-dihydro-10-t-butyl- | 25.699 | C20H24 | 264.40 | 1.26 |
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Hydrocarbons | No activity reported |
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14 | 4-Dehydroxy-N-(4,5-methylenedioxy-2-nitrobenzylidene) tyramine | 32.148 | C16H14N2O4 | 298.29 | 6.72 |
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Tyramine derivative | No activity reported |
*Source: Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (online database).
GC-MS chromatogram of methanolic leaf extract of
GC-MS chromatogram of methanolic stem extract of
GC-MS chromatogram of methanolic tuber extract of
(a) Mass spectrum of carane. (b) Mass spectrum of phytol. (c) Mass spectrum of 4-(4-ethoxyphenyl) but-3-en-2-one. (d) Mass spectrum of trehalose. (e) Mass spectrum of n-hexadecanoic acid. (f) Mass spectrum of 9,17-octadecadienal, (Z)-.
The gas chromatogram shows that the relative concentrations of various compounds are getting eluted as a function of retention time. The height of the peaks indicates the relative concentrations of the compounds present in the plant. The mass spectrometer analyzes of the compounds eluted at different times to identify the nature and structure of the compounds. The large compound fragments into small compounds give rise to appearance of peaks at different
Generally, the reliability of medicinal plant for its usage is evaluated by correlating the phytochemical compounds with their biological activities [
Our investigation through the present study revealed that the species
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.
The authors graciously acknowledge the financial support given by University Grants Commission, New Delhi (Grant no. F. 41-415/2012(SR)), to carry out the work.