Determination of bioactive constituents of Spondias mombin leaves by GC-MS analysis

The therapeutic capabilities of abundant herbal products have been known. However, further researches are required to properly screen, isolate and probably characterize their various active components.  In this study, an attempt was made to identify the compounds present in the ethanol and n-hexane extracts of S. mombin leaves using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Spondias mombin leaves were collected, air dried and pulverized into powdery form and extracted with ethanol and n-hexane at room temperature. The ethanol and n-hexane extracts of S. mombin leaves were analyzed by GC-MS. The GC-MS analysis of the ethanol extract of S. mombin leaves showed twenty-five (25) compounds, while twenty-nine (29) compounds were identified in n-hexane extract of S. mombin leaves. However, both extracts had ten compounds in common: n-Hexadecanoic acids, Phytol, Phenol 3-pentadecyl-, Phenol 3-methyl-, Phenol 2-methyl-, 2H-1-Benzopyran-6-ol, Gamma-Tocopherol, Vitamin E, Lup-20(29)-en-3-one and Stigmast-4-en-3-one. The percentage proportion of these compounds differed in each extract. In view of this, the possible biological properties of these identified compounds suggested that S. mombin might possibly be potential therapeutic agents.