Establishment of quality parameters of Quisqualis indica leaves through sophisticated analytical techniques

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Quisqualis indica (Q. indica; Rangoon creeper) is found in Asia and finds its place in Ayurvedic texts, ethno-medicine as well as modern research. Its leaves contain important constituents like rutin, quisqualis acid, trigonelline, L-proline and L-asparagine. Traditionally, the leaves are used as antipyretic, anti-flatulent, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and anti-diarrhoeal. Modern pharmacological research also supports these claims. However, this plant remains unexplored phytochemically, which restricts any means for standardization of its formulations. The present research focuses on analysis of leaves of Q. indica using sophisticated chromatographic and spectral techniques. Thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques were used. After several pilots, TLC analyses, an HPTLC fingerprint of methanolic extract of the leaves was performed using chloroform: methanol: ethyl acetate (7: 3: 3) solvent system, which showed 12 peaks at 254 nm and 9 peaks at 366 nm. GC-MS analysis of the methanolic extract detected 7 known phytochemicals, some of them having pharmacological importance. This research may serve the parameters for quality control of Q. indica leaves in herbal industries, in the detection of adulteration of its formulations as well as open new avenues for phytochemical research, including isolation of a marker compound.   KEY WORDS: Quisqualis indica, Adulteration, Fingerprinting, GC-MS, HPTLC, Standardization Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(2), 289-298.                                                            DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i2.4