Determination of volatile bioactive compounds from extracts of bael (Aegle marmelos) plant parts and their comparative analysis

Abstract

Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the bioactive compounds from the extracts of wildly growing Aegle marmelos plant parts. Methods: A. marmelos root, stem, leaves, bark, fruit peel, and pulp were screened for the presence/absence of phytochemicals. Bioactive compounds in all the plant parts were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. For evaluation of bioactive compounds first, the column chromatography was done using various solvents and found that the methanolic extracts gave better elution and separation of compounds and hence used further for GC/MS analysis. Result: GC/MS analysis revealed chromatograms of methanol extract of A. marmelos plant parts, and all the plant parts were found to have a number of phytochemicals. Some compounds, namely, benzene, nitro-, benzenepropanoic acid, 3, 5-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, methyl ester, and tetradecene were found in all parts with a varying percentage. Phenol only found in the fruit of the plant with more percentage in fruit peel (4.38%) than in fruit pulp (0.58%). Dibutyl phthalate is the major compound found in Aegle root (10.43%), fruit peel (34.56%), and pulp (13.18%). Other important compounds such as coumarin (2H-1-Benzopyran-2-one, 7-[(3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl)oxy]-, (E)-), skimmianine (Furo[2,3-b] quinoline, 4,7,8-trimethoxy-), and cyclobarbital were found in plant root. Conclusion: After the GC/MS analysis, it was concluded that all the parts of this wildly growing plant contain a significant amount of pharmaceutically important compounds.