Phytochemical profiling and GC-MS analysis of methanolic leaf extract of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) H. Gross: An important ethnomedicinal plant

Abstract

Medicinal plants are the best source of alternative medicine and are acquiring recognition in the area of pharmacological research for the production of plant-based medicines with improved efficacy. Persicaria hydropiper (L.) H-Gross is known worldwide for its use in traditional medicine systems. It possesses numerous therapeutic properties. The present endeavor was taken up to analyze the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity by DPPH assay of various extracts of Persicaria hydropiper leaves. The preliminary phytochemical screening of acetone, methanol, and aqueous extract of P. hydropiper leaves showed the presence of important phytochemicals such as phenols, tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The quantitative estimation revealed elevated amounts of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and total alkaloid content. The antioxidant activity also revealed higher radical scavenging activity by the extracts. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry assay of methanol extract of P. hydropiper leaves detected and identified altogether 54 phytocompounds including 7 major compounds displaying higher peaks such as Andrographolide, 1H-cyclopropa[a] naphthalene, 1a,2,3,5.6,7a7b-octahydro-1,1,7,7a-tetramethyl-[1aR-(1a?,7?,7a?,7b?)-, Cis-Z alpha bisabolene epoxide, 1,8-cyclopentadecadiyne, Aromadendrene oxide (2), Bicyclo[4.1.0]heptane-3-cyclopropyl 7-hydroxymethyl, (cis) and Alpha-guanine. The concentration of phenols, flavonoids, and tannins revealed in the phytochemical profiling of three extracts might be responsible for the strong antioxidant activity of the extracts and the bioactive compounds identified in the GC-MS investigation exhibit important therapeutic properties required for the treatment of various human diseases. Thus, the medicinal use and properties of Persicaria hydropiper may be attributed to the presence of these phytochemical constituents. Further study of the compounds may provide scope for the production of novel drugs with increased efficacy and potency with the ability to cure harmful human diseases.