UNVEILING THE CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOACTIVE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS FROM RUELLIA PROSTRATA LEAF PETIOLE EXTRACT USING SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES

ABSTRACT : The present study focuses on the comprehensive characterization of bioactive phytochemical compounds present
in the hydro-ethanolic extract of Ruellia prostrata leaf petiole using advanced spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques.
Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of diverse secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, alkaloids,
terpenoids, saponins, polyphenols, glycosides and steroids. UV–Visible spectroscopy revealed characteristic absorption peaks
corresponding to conjugated sypetioles and phenolic compounds, while FTIR analysis identified key functional groups such as
hydroxyl, carbonyl, amine and aromatic groups, indicating structurally diverse bioactive constituents. Further, LC–MS analysis
enabled the identification of fourteen compounds, including hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives, flavonoids (apigenin- and kaempferol
like compounds), quinoline-type alkaloids and several high molecular weight triterpenoid and steroidal saponins, with good
database matching scores. The predominance of saponins and polyphenolic compounds suggests significant pharmacological
potential, particularly in antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory applications. The integration of multiple analytical
techniques provided a robust and reliable approach for phytochemical profiling, enhancing the accuracy of compound identification.
The findings highlight Ruellia prostrata as a promising natural source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in
pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and functional food development. This study contributes to the growing body of research on
plant-based therapeutics and supports the use of advanced analytical tools for comprehensive phytochemical investigations.
Key words : Ruellia prostrate, phytochemical characterization, LC–MS, FTIR, UV–Visible spectroscopy, bioactive compounds,
saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, natural products