Vol. 8, Issue 5 (2019)

Methodology: Andrographis paniculata leaf, stem and callus (obtained from leaf explant) samples were dried at room temperature, powdered and then sequentially extracted in Methanol and Petroleum Ether as solvents using soxhlet apparatus. Total five extracts were prepared viz: Methanolic Leaf Extract (MLE), Methanolic Stem Extract (MSE), Methanolic Callus Extract (MCE), Petroleum Ether Leaf Extract (PELE) and Petroleum Ether Stem Extract (PESE). Further, these five extracts obtained were analyzed for the presence of various volatile phytochemical compounds using GC-MS technique.

Results: The GC–MS analysis of the five extracts revealed the presence of 34 different high and low molecular weight phytochemicals with varying quantities. Some of the phytochemicals detected in A. paniculata are 1-(+)-Ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadeconoate, Eicosane, à-D-Glucose, 3-Nitrobenzyl iodide,2-Pentadecanone 6,10,14-trimethyl, 6-Tetradecanesulfonic acid, butyl ester, Phytol,1-Hexyl-2-nitrocyclohexane, N-'Methy-l-N-'phenyl-N-tosylformohydrazide etc. These phytochemicals are considered biologically active and pharmacologically important.

Conclusion: The results obtained from the comparative GC-MS analysis of different samples of A. paniculata shows the presence of various bioactive compounds with some newly identified compounds. Therefore, A. paniculata is recommended as a phytopharamaceutically important plant.