Qualitative analysis and GC-MS/FTIR profiling of ethanol leaf extract of Hyptis suaveolens: implications for bioactive compound discovery

Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic herb widely used in traditional medicine to treat fever, gastrointestinal disorders, skin diseases, and respiratory infections. However, its phytochemical composition remains insufficiently characterized. This study investigated the phytochemical profile of its ethanolic leaf extract. Fresh leaves collected from Veritas University, Abuja, were authenticated, air dried, pulverised, and extracted with 90% ethanol by maceration for 72 h. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed for phytochemical profiling and functional group characterization, respectively. GC-MS analysis tentatively identified several constituents, with the major compounds including 1-hexadecene (8.43%), 1-nonadecanol (6.68%), 1-octadecanol (6.51%), 1-tetradecanol (5.55%), α-elemene (3.78%), 1,8-cineole (3.21%), and 2-propenoic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester (3.14%). The combined analyses indicated the presence of terpenoids, fatty alcohols, phenolics, and nitrogen-containing metabolites. These findings provide a preliminary phytochemical fingerprint of H. suaveolens leaves, highlighting their potential as a source of bioactive compounds and providing a basis for further pharmacological studies and extract standardization.