Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactivity Screening of Primary and Secondary Metabolic Products of Medicinal Plants in the Valleys of Medina Region Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Medicinal plants are highly valued for their active compounds. These plants can be used in various fields and preservation of these plants in their environment. The present study aimed to screen medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in Medina valleys for the presence of metabolites, and to answer the following question: is the ethnomedicinal importance of medicinal plants used in Medina valleys conform to their primary and secondary metabolite content. Eight plants (Pulicaria incise, Heliotropium arbainense, Commicarpus grandiflorus, Rumex vesicarius, Senna alexandrina, Rhazya stricta, Withania somnifera and Asphodelus fistulosus) were collected from the Medina valleys and were biochemically analyzed to determine the different compounds after leaves extraction analyzed statistically to clarify the content of primary compounds. The chemical compounds in the most active fraction were determined using quantitative phytochemical and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analytical methods, comparing the mass spectra of the GC/MS identified compounds with those of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES) database library. The result showed 16 aroma compounds representing the GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of various compounds like 4,4-Dimethyl octane, 5H-1-Pyrindine and 1,3- Cyclopentadiene, 1,2,5,5-tetramethyl- in the ethanolic extract of Pulicaria incisa. The most prevalent plants were Pulicaria incisa, Senna alexandrina and Heliotropium arbainense the study plants have high content of protein. There is a need to focus phytochemical screening on ethnobotanical studies to complete research into traditional medicine which leads to the discovery of new drugs.