Phytochemical Profiling of Ixora brachiata (Roxb.) Flower Powder by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) Analysis

Author(s): Jayshri Devidas Jagtap

Abstract:

Ixora brachiata (Roxb.), a member of the Rubiaceae family, is an important medicinal plant distributed in the Western Ghats of India. Although the plant has been traditionally utilized in indigenous medicine, detailed information regarding the phytochemical composition of its flowers remains limited. The present investigation aimed to characterize the phytochemical constituents present in the flower powder of Ixora brachiata using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The chromatographic analysis revealed twenty-five phytochemical constituents with varying retention times and relative peak areas. Among the detected compounds, n-hexadecanoic acid (37.56%) was the predominant constituent, followed by oleic acid (31.05%), octadecanoic acid (14.10%), octadecane (3.43%), oleoyl chloride (2.75%), hexadecanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl ester (2.69%), glycidyl palmitate (1.77%), glycidyl oleate (1.21%), heneicosane, levomenthol and several minor fatty acids, esters, hydrocarbons, and glycerides. Most of the identified compounds have been previously reported to possess antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, anticancer, insecticidal, and wound-healing activities. The predominance of long-chain fatty acids and their esters indicates that the flowers of I. brachiata constitute a rich source of bioactive metabolites with considerable pharmaceutical and nutraceutical importance. The findings provide the first comprehensive GC–MS-based phytochemical profile of I. brachiata flower powder and establish a scientific basis for its traditional medicinal use. The study further supports the exploration of this species for isolation of biologically active compounds and development of plant-based therapeutic formulations.

keywords:
Ixora brachiata, GC–MS, phytochemical profiling, fatty acids, palmitic acid, oleic acid, medicinal plants, bioactive compounds.

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