Herbal content analysis of ethanol extract of aerial part of Berberis vulgaris plant originating from Artvin (Türkiye)

Since ancient times, people have used plants in various areas such as nutrition, treatment and industrial purposes. Plants consist of various bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites. These compounds and metabolites are effectively used for various purposes in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry. Türkiye has a large number of plant flora that can be used as active pharmaceutical ingredients in terms of plant diversity. One of these plants, Berberis vulgaris, is a thorny shrub belonging to the Berberidaceae family that sheds its leaves in winter. The chemical composition of Berberis vulgaris is susceptible to considerable variation, contingent upon divergent ecological factors. Consequently, this study was conducted to ascertain the bioactive compounds present in the ethanol extract obtained from the aboveground (leaf and branch) parts of the Berberis vulgaris plant, which is known to be cultivated in the Şavşat district of Artvin province, Türkiye. As a first step to carry out the analysis, ethanol extraction of B. vulgaris leaves and branches was carried out using the maceration method. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the chemical constituents of B. vulgaris, and 7 compounds were identified in the leaf and 9 compounds in the branch. Octatriacontyl pentafluoropropionate was determined as 59.026% and 41.406% in both extracts, respectively. Other compounds determined in the leaf ethanol extract were 9-octadecenamide (19.639%), heptacosane (6.582%), α-tocopherol (6.344%), diisooctyl phthalate (3.166%), phytol (2.960%), tetraethyl silicate (2.127%); Other compounds determined in the branch ethanol extract were erucamide (27.679%), diisooctyl phthalate (10.174%), 2-hexadecanol (4.527%), 8-octadecenal (4.243%), hexa-t-butyl selenatrisiletane (3.786%), tetraethyl silicate (3.982%), hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester (1.617%), oleic acid, 3-(octadecyloxy)propyl ester (2.585%).