GC-MS phytochemical profiling, FTIR analyses, and antimicrobial activities of the oily fraction from the ethyl acetate leaf extract of Pterocarpus osun

Abstract

The Fabaceae family includes Pterocarpus osun as one of its flowering plant species. Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon are among the West African nations with tropical climates where this plant is native. It has found applications in traditional medicine, where it is used to treat several medical conditions, such as gastrointestinal issues and inflammation. This research aims to determine which compounds in the plant extract provide its medicinal properties. n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol were utilized sequentially to extract the leaves. Using column chromatography, a thick, oily, golden-yellow fraction was obtained from the ethyl acetate crude extract. To ascertain the chemical composition of the isolated viscous oily material, GC-MS and FTIR analyses were conducted. Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were used as test organisms in an antibacterial test. Numerous chemical components with biological and pharmacological properties, including anti-allergic, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, were identified from the isolate's GC-MS studies. The recorded FTIR spectrum reveals the C-H bond present in alkanes (at 2921–2847 cm-1 and 1454–1379 cm-1), the C-O bond of carboxylic acids (1165–1032 cm-1), and the C=O bond in 1728–1709 cm-1. The observed zones of inhibition, especially at the maximum dose (10 mg/mL), demonstrated that the oily isolate was effective against the pathogenic organisms utilized, confirming its therapeutic efficacy in traditional medicine. Thus, the oily isolate from the P. osun leaf's ethyl acetate extract can be studied for the development of novel pharmaceuticals.