Qualitative and GC-MS analysis of medicinally potent aquatic herb Pistia stratiotes L. Assam, India

Pistia stratiotes L. belongs to Araceae family, is a free-floating aquatic plant found in rivers, lakes, and ponds It is commonly known as water cabbage or water lettuce. P. stratiotes stands out as a prominent Ayurvedic remedy, extensively utilized over time for treating a multitude of ailments, The present study was aimed to carry out the detailed preliminary phytochemical and GC-MS analysis of the leaves and root of P. stratiotes. The preliminary phytochemical analysis of P. stratiotes indicated the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrades, reducing sugars, glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic, tannins, triterpinoids, saponins, proteins and amino acids. GC-MS analysis was also carried out to detect the phytoconstituents present in the methanolic, hexane and ethylacetate extract of leaves and root of P. stratiotes.