Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and GC-MS Analysis of Methanolic Extract of Roots of Pandanus fascicularis

Pandanus fascicularis, a small branched tree or shrub belonging to the family Pandanaceae with fragrant flowers, is found in India, Burma, and Andaman. Pandanus fascicularis is used in traditional systems of medicine to treat varying conditions like rheumatism, fever, headache, earache and also used as antispasmodic. It is a small, slender, branching tree with a flexuous trunk supported by brace roots. With rosettes of long-pointed, stiffly leathery, spiny, bluish-green, fragrant leaves. It bears very fragrant flowers in summer. They are used to produce dyes and in the production of traditional medicines. Roots are used as a decoction for the treatment of skin diseases, ulcers, dyspepsia, diabetes, fever, and leprosy. The GC-MS study of the Pandanus fascicularis root extract displayed about 20 peaks. At the retention time of 22, there was a presence of only one major peak was identified. The peak indicates the existence of decanoic acid with a molecular weight of 826. Subsequently, at the retention period of 4.50 to 22.97, there is the presence of 7 minor peaks and 3 moderate peaks at 19.22, 20.44, and 22.97 period due to the presence of Hematoporphyrin (MW: 598), 1(Trimethylsilyloxy) cyclopentene (MW: 156) and Ethanedioic acid, bis(trimethylsilyl) ester (MW: 234) compounds, respectively. This work was the preliminary study to identify the phytoconstituents from the root of Pandanus fascicularis. As the major constituents from the Pandanus fascicularis like hematoporphyrin, decanoic acid, etc have been reported to have antipsychotic, antidepressant, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities, further studies on isolation and pharmacological activity of the plant are in progress in our lab.