Preliminary and quantitative chemical profiling of Pogostemon benghalensis leaf extracts: Phytochemical screening, quantification, and antioxidant activity

Abstract

Background: Bioactive components are present in Pogostemon benghalensis, which may include flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and terpenoids, and may serve as protective agents against numerous diseases. Objective: This study presents both preliminary and quantitative plant chemical profiling of P. benghalensis leaf extracts. Methods: A soxhlet apparatus extracted dried leaf materials using solvents such as water, methanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and petroleum ether. Results: Initial phytochemical screening identified steroids, reducing sugars, sugars, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, catechins, flavonoids, saponins, triterpenoids, and tannins. The highest quantitative phenolic content was observed in the methanol extract (15.56 mg GAE/g for 80 μL), and the highest flavonoid content was present in the methanol extract (23.00 ± 0.63mg QE/g for 80 μL). In FTIR, different solvents contain more functional groups in P. benghalensis leaf, including phenols, alkanes, amines, alkenes, carboxylic acid derivatives, arenes, aldehydes, and ketones. Conclusion: The leaf extracts demonstrated promising DPPH scavenging activity. This study will further focus on profiling the plant chemicals from P. benghalensis.