GC-MS-Based Profiling of Bioactive Phytoconstituents in the Methanolic Whole Plant Extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken
F. Nishvanth
*
Department of Pharmacology, Adhiparasakthi College of Pharmacy, Melmaruvathur-603319, India.
B. Aswini
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Adhiparasakthi College of Pharmacy, Melmaruvathur-603319, India.
G. Kalaiselvi
Karpaga Vinayaga Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chengalpat-603308, India.
R. Abinaya
Department of Pharmacology, Adhiparasakthi College of Pharmacy, Melmaruvathur-603319, India.
T. Sangeetha
Department of Pharmacognosy, Adhiparasakthi College of Pharmacy, Melmaruvathur-603319, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional systems of medicine for managing inflammatory disorders, wounds, infections, kidney stones, and gastrointestinal ailments.
Aims: The present study was undertaken to characterise the phytochemical constituents of the methanolic whole-plant extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
Study Design: GC–MS analysis.
Place and Duration of Study: Trichy Research Institute of Biotechnology Pvt. Ltd., Trichy, from April to June 2026.
Methodology: The whole plant of Bryophyllum pinnatum was shade-dried, powdered, and extracted with methanol using standard extraction procedures. The concentrated extract was subjected to GC–MS analysis under optimised chromatographic conditions. The phytoconstituents were identified by comparing the obtained mass spectra with those available in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) mass spectral library.
Results: GC–MS analysis of the methanolic extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum identified 71 phytoconstituents belonging to diverse chemical classes, predominantly steroids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenoids, fatty acids, alcohols, esters, and sugars. Several identified compounds have previously been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, and cytoprotective activities, supporting the plant's therapeutic potential. The findings provide a valuable phytochemical fingerprint for quality control and future drug-discovery research. However, GC–MS identification remains tentative and requires confirmation using complementary analytical techniques, such as LC–MS or NMR spectroscopy.
Conclusion: The GC–MS profile demonstrated that the methanolic extract of Bryophyllum pinnatum contains a diverse range of phytochemicals that may contribute to its traditional medicinal properties. The identified constituents support the plant's potential as a source of bioactive molecules for pharmacological applications. Nevertheless, the isolation, structural characterisation, and biological evaluation of individual compounds are necessary to confirm their therapeutic significance and establish a correlation between the phytochemical composition and the observed pharmacological activities.
Keywords: Medicinal plants, GC-MS analysis, Bryophyllum pinnatum, phytochemical profiling, kalanchoe pinnata,, bioactive compounds, methanolic extract, phytoconstituents.