Physicochemical, phytochemical and spectroscopic profile of ethanolic leaf extract of Cocculus hirsutus L. prepared by ultrasound-assisted extraction

Abstract

Cocculus hirsutus (L.) (Menispermaceae) is a medicinal plant with a well-established history of
traditional use and a chemically diverse profile. This study is aimed at characterizing selected
physicochemical properties of powdered leaves of C. hirsutus, as well as the qualitative phytochemical
and spectroscopic profile of a 70% ethanolic leaf extract obtained through ultrasound-assisted
extraction (UAE). The loss on drying, ash values, and solvent-extractive values will be assessed using
standard pharmacognostic techniques. Preliminary phytochemical screening will focus on identifying
glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, tannins, phenolics, carbohydrates, and
proteins/amino acids. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents will be measured through colorimetric
assays, and FT-IR and UV-Visible spectroscopy will be utilized to create preliminary spectral
fingerprints. Collectively, the physicochemical, phytochemical and spectroscopic findings demonstrate
that the 70% ethanolic leaf extract of C. hirsutus is a rich source of phenolic and flavonoid constituents
and provides a characteristic preliminary phytochemical fingerprint. These findings support the
potential of C. hirsutus leaves as a valuable source of bioactive plant metabolites and provide a basis
for further compound-specific chromatographic and spectrometric investigations.