Phytochemical Screening and Quantitative Analysis of Annona muricata Leaf Ethanolic Extract by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID)

Abstract

Annona muricata (soursop) leaves have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes due to its potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, and analgesic properties. This study quantitatively determined the phytochemical composition of soursop leaf. Using a BUCK M910 Gas Chromatography with a flame ionization detector, the analysis of phytochemicals was carried out. A 15 m x 250 0.15 RESTEK MXT-1 column was used. Helium 5.0pa.s was used as the carrier gas, flowing at a rate of 40 ml/min, with a splitless injection of 2ul of sample at a linear velocity of 30cm/s. The injector temperature was 280⁰C. At first, operating at 200⁰C, the oven was then increased to 330⁰C at a rate of 3⁰C per minute, and this temperature was maintained for 5min. An operating temperature of 320⁰C was used by the detector. The result shows that soursop ethanolic extract contains phytochemicals that belong to the broad class flavonoids (a class of polyphenolic compounds). They include naringenin (5.92 ug/ml), flavan-3 ol (5.70 mg/l), rutin (2.79 ug/ml), flavanones (3.28 ug/ml), kaempferol (6.15 ug/ml), flavone (1.99 ug/ml), proanthocyanin (2.36 ug/ml). Other polyphenols (not flavonoids) present include resveratrol (7.03 ug/ml), tannin (2.90 ug/ml), catechin (2.49 ug/ml), and epicatechin (7.67 ug/g). The alkaloids found include lunamarin (4.72 ug/ml) and spartein (2.07 ug/ml) while saponins found include sapogernin (16.07 ug/ml) and sapogenin (3.08 ug/ml). Other classes of phytochemicals found include steroids, cyanogenic glycoside, anti-nutrient, and cardiac glycosides. Soursop leaf contains bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, steroids, cyanogenic glycoside and other phytochemicals with medicinal potentials.