GC-MS Analysis of Hexane Extracts from the Roots, Stems, and Leaves of Hyptis suaveolens: Organ-Specific Phytochemical Profiling

Abstract

Phytochemical characterization of medicinal plants is essential for elucidating their bioactive constituents and supporting their ethnopharmacological applications. Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (Family Lamiaceae) is widely utilized in traditional medicine for the management of infectious, inflammatory, and febrile conditions. However, comparative organ-specific chemical profiling of its non-polar extracts remains limited. This study aimed to characterize and compare the volatile and semi-volatile constituents of hexane extracts obtained from the roots, stems, and leaves of Hyptis suaveolens collected in Kano, Nigeria using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Plant organs were air-dried, pulverized, and macerated in hexane, and the extracts were analyzed using Agilent 7890A GC system coupled to a 5975C mass selective detector. Compound identification was performed by comparison with the NIST spectral library using a similarity index ≥ 80%. GC–MS analysis revealed distinct organ-specific phytochemical distributions. The root extract was dominated by bicyclic and heterocyclic compounds, notably cis-7-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-one (24.535%) and 2-butynedioic acid, di-2-propenyl ester (21.555%). The stem extract was characterized predominantly by fatty acid methyl esters, with hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (27.757%) and 10-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (20.790%) as the major constituents. Similarly, the leaves extract was rich in fatty acid derivatives, particularly pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl ester (29.898%) and 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (21.847%), alongside the diterpenoid phytol (6.989%). These findings demonstrate pronounced organ-specific variation in lipophilic secondary metabolites of H. suaveolens, highlighting the chemical diversity of this species. The study provides phytochemical data for H. suaveolens from Kano Nigeria and establishes a basis for future bioassay-guided fractionation and pharmacological investigations.