Phytochemical evaluation and GC-MS analysis of <i>Hyptis verticillata</i> cultivated in Calabar Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Hyptis verticillata is a medicinal plant reported to possess strong antioxidant activity growing in the American continent with no evidence of its cultivation in Nigeria. The present study was designed to investigate the phytocompounds present in n-hexane extract of the leaves of H. verticillata cultivated in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The phytochemicals found in relatively high amounts were flavonoids (19.67±1.53%), phenols (13.20±0.40 mg/g) and saponins (7.17±1.04%). Others including phytates (0.42±0.76 mg/g), cyanogenic glycosides (3.80±0.20%) and oxalates (2.01±0.09%) were present in low concentrations. The GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis of the extract revealed fifteen bio-active compounds, mainly hydrocarbons, fatty acid esters and alcohols. The most predominant compounds were, 9,12,15- octadecatrienoic acid, 2,3- bis(acetyloxy) propyl ester (18.17%), 5-cholestene-3-ol, 24-methyl-(17.48%), 1-iodo-2-methylnonane (10.89%), glycerol 1,2- dipalmitate (8.19%), 1- pentadecene (5.18%), 1- hexadecene (4.80%) and methyl-14-methylpentadecanoate (4.76%). The chemical profile of H. verticillata grown in Nigeria is akin to that in the West, hence may serve for similar aromatic and medicinal purposes.

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Keywords: Hyptis verticillata, phytocompounds, medicinal plants, GC-MS