Phytochemical Profiling and Quantitative Analysis of Bioactive Compounds in Sansevieria trifasciata Laurenti Leaf Extracts

Sansevieria, also known as bowstring hemp, is a durable plant fiber historically used for making bowstrings. In addition to being used as hair nutrients, species in this genus have historically been used to cure a wide range of illnesses, such as cold, diarrhoea, cough, respiratory tract inflammation, swelling, bruises, ulcers, and dangerous snake bites. They are also used to address earaches, jaundice, pharyngitis, skin itches, urinary diseases, and possess analgesic and antipyretic properties. This study explores the phytochemical profile and quantitative content of key bioactive compounds in various solvent extracts of Sansevieria trifasciata leaves. Upon preliminary qualitative examination, the following substances were identified: proteins, carbohydrates, fats/oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, glycosides, saponins, and steroids/terpenoids. The primary quantitative evaluation metrics were total phenolic (TPC), total alkaloid content (TAC), and total flavonoid content (TFC). Aluminium chloride colorimetric technique was used to determine the flavonoid concentration, which indicated methanol, ethanol, and aqueous extracts as the richest sources. Using the Folin-Ciocalteu technique, the phenolic content of the methanol and chloroform extracts was found to be greatest. The highest alkaloid concentration was found in the n-hexane extract, with significant amounts also present in ethanol and chloroform extracts. Additional GC-MS analysis revealed 25 key phytoconstituents, mainly including pharmacologically important alkanes, esters, terpenoids, and acids. In the process of isolating and characterizing the leaf extracts of Sansevieria trifasciata, two specific compounds, tridecane,3-methylene and isophytol, were identified. The study underscores the significant variability in phytochemical composition across different solvent extracts, highlighting the potential for specific extracts to be utilized in pharmacological applications due to their distinct bioactive profiles.