GC-MS analysis of phytocomponents in the ethanol extract of Polygonum chinense L

INTRODUCTION

Plants are used medicinally in different countries, and they are the source of many potent and powerful drugs. Plants have been an important source of medicine with qualities for thousands of years. Mainly on traditional remedies such as herbs for their history, they have been used as popular folk medicines.[1] It has been shown that in vitro screening methods could provide the needed preliminary observations necessary to elect crude plant extracts with potentially useful properties for further chemical and pharmacological investigations.[2]

The genus Polygonum belongs to Polygonaceae comprises about 150 species. The presence of diverse secondary metabolites such as flavonoids,[34] anthraquinones,[56] phenylpropanoids,[7] and proanthocyanidines[8] have been reported from species of the genus Polygonum. Moreover, the biological activities of Polygonum species such as antihypertensive effect of P. perfoliatum,[9] myocardial protective action of P. multiflorum,[10] anti-allergic effect of P. tinctorium,[11] and anti-viral activity of P. Punctatum[12] have been investigated, but there have not been much reports on the phytochemical components and biological activity of P. chinense. In this study, the bioactive components of P. chinense have been evaluated using GC-MS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

GC-MS chromatogram analysis of the ethanolic extract of P. chinense [Figure 1] showed five peaks which indicating the presence of five phytochemical constituents. On comparison of the mass spectra of the constituents with the NIST library, the five phytocompounds were characterized and identified [Table 1]. The various phytochemicals which contribute to the medicinal activities of the plant were shown in Table 2. The mass spectra of all the phytochemicals identified in the whole plant ethanolic extract of P. chinense were presented in Figure 2. Of the five compounds identified, the most prevailing compounds were squalene, a triterpine compound (47.01%) and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester, a plasticizer compound (40.30%). Among the compounds, four compounds were reported to have antimicrobial activity, in general, and no activity was reported in 4-hexen-1-ol, 5-methyl-2-[1-methylethenyl]-, acetate, (R)-, a third major compound (9.70%) of the sample [Table 2].

Figure 1

GC-MS chromatogram of P. chinense ethanolic extracts.

Table 1

Phytocomponents^a identified in the ethanolic extract of P. chinense by GC-MS

Table 2

Bioactivity of phytocomponents identified in the ethanolic extracts of P. chinense by GC-MS

Figure 2

Mass spectrum and structure of phytocomponents identified by GC-MS in the ethanolic extracts of P. chinense.

In addition to antimicrobial activity, the squalene was also reported to have anticancer, anti-oxidant, chemo-preventive, pesticide, anti-tumor, and sunscreen properties, and the coumarin compound (8-methyloctahydrocoumarin) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [Table 2]. The squalene (triterpine) is a phenolic compound and that the terpines are found in latex and resines of some plants and physiological function of these compounds are generally believed to be a chemical in defense against certain pathogens causing human and animal diseases.[13] Their activity is a function of the lipophilic properties of the constituent terpines, the properties of their functional groups, and their aqueous solubility.[14]

The presence of various bioactive compounds in the P. chinense justifies the use of whole plant for various ailments by traditional practitioners. However, isolation of individual phytochemical constituents and subjecting it to the biological activity will definitely give fruitful results. From the results, it could be concluded that P. chinense contains various bioactive compounds. Therefore, it is recommended as a plant of phytopharmaceutical importance.