GC–MS based phytochemical profiling of Nesphostylis bracteata (Baker) D. Potter & J. J. Doyle

Abstract

Nesphostylis bracteata (family - Fabaceae) is a critically endangered legume native to the
Western Ghats and known for its ethno-botanical and ethno-medicinal significance. The current
study focused on identifying phytochemicals from the methanolic extracts of the stem, leaves, and
seeds of N. bracteata through GC-MS analysis. The GC-MS profile revealed the occurrence of a
total of 83 phytochemicals in the stem, leaves, and seeds. Among the identified compounds, 14
were found in all examined plant organs, while 21 were present in at least two of the plant organs
of N. bracteata. Additionally, several compounds were specifically found to occur in certain plant
organs only. Numerous compounds reported in N. bracteata are known to have pharmacological
properties. To our knowledge, this is the first documentation of the phytochemical components of
N. bracteata, as there is no existing literature on the phytochemicals associated with this species.
The findings from this study will pave the way for the creation of herbal remedies for various
ailments using N. bracteata extracts, potentially leading to the development of new drugs.