GC-MS Analysis of N-Hexane Extract of Epaltes divaricata

ISSN 2278- 4136 

ZDB-Number: 2668735-5 

IC Journal No: 8192 

Volume 2 Issue 1 

Online Available at www.phytojournal.com 

Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 

GC-MS Analysis of N-Hexane Extract of Epaltes divaricata 

(L.) Cass 

Amala K 1 , Saraswathy A* 1 , Amerjothy S 2 

1. Captain Srinivasa Murti Drug Research Institute For Ayurveda (Ccras), Anna Hospital Campus, 

Arumbakkam, Chennai – 106, India. 

[E-mail: amalavenkey@gmail.com] 

2. Department Of Plant Biology & Plant Biotechnology, Presidency College, Chennai. India. 

The investigation was carried out to determine the possible chemical components of Eplates divaricata (L.) Cass. 

Whole plant using GC-MS analysis of n-hexane extract which led to identification of 11 compounds. Not much 

information available on phytochemcial components of Epaltes divaricata (L.) Cass. This is the first attempt to 

investigate the GC-MS analysis of n-hexane extract of this plant. The analysis revealed that this plant contains 

mainly n-hexadecanoic acid (Rt 22.48); 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (Rt 24.67); hexacosane (Rt 31.06) observed 

found to be 5.06, 6.03 and 6.60% respectively. The content of hexatriacontane (Rt 32.30) was found to be 14.36%. 

Keyword: Epaltes Divaricata (L.) Cass., GC-MS Analysis, N-Hexane Extract 

1. Introduction 

The plants of the genus Epaltes (Asteraceae) are 

used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in Sri 

Lanka as diaphoretic, diuretic and stimulating 

expectorant and also cure various ailments viz. 

alleviate jaundice, urethral discharges and 

acute dyspepsia [1] . The roots are used as 

astringent and tonic [2] . Epaltes divaricata (L.) 

Cass. is one of the species of this genus, it is a 

small glabrous annual herb, 25 to 30 cm high 

with branched stem and aromatic roots. It is 

region specific found in Sri Lanka, also available 

in South India in minor quantity [3-8] . The 

chemical constituents of five closely related 

eudesmane derivatives have been isolated from 

the acetone extract of this plant [9] 

The present investigation was carried out to 

determine the possible chemical components 

from Epaltes divaricata whole plant by GC-MS 

2. Materials and methods 

2.1 Plant material 

Plant material was collected from Tirunelveli Dist 

of Tamilnadu. The botanical identity of the plant 

was confirmed by Dr. S. Amerjothy, Former 

Dean of Science and H.O.D., Department of 

Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, 

Presidency College Chennai – 600005. The 

voucher specimen (00629) is deposited in the 

department of Botany, Captain Srinivasa Murti 

Drug Research Institute for Ayurveda, Chennai 

for future reference. 

2.2 Preparation of Extract 

The shade dried powdered plant of E. divaricata, 

(4 g) were successively extracted with n-hexane, 

chloroform, ethyl acetate, and alcohol (95%) 

separately using Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts 

were filtered and distilled on a water bath and 

Vol. 2 No. 1 2013 www.phytojournal.com Page | 33


finally dried in vacuo. The n-hexane extract of 

the plant was used for GC-MS analysis. 

2.3 Instruments and Chromatographic 

Conditions 

Gas chromatography combined with mass 

spectroscopy is a preferable methodology for 

routine analysis of compounds. n-Hexane extract 

of the plant was injected into the Gas 

chromatography unit Shimadzu GC-MS QP2010 

was the instrument used for GC-MS analysis. It is 

separated into various constituents with different 

retention time which are detected by mass 

spectrophotometer. The chromatogram a plot of 

intensity against retention time was recorded by 

the software attached to it. From the graph the 

compounds are identified comparing the data 

with the existing software libraries like 

WILEY08, NIST08 and NIST08s. 

1 l of the n-hexane extract of the plant was 

injected into GC. The injector temperature was 

maintained at 250ºC. The detector used was 

flame ionization detector which was maintained 

at 280ºC. The pressure of the carrier gas, 

nitrogen was kept at 10 psi. The oven temperature 

was set at 60ºC to 280ºC with a gradual 

increment of 10ºC per min. The injected extracts 

was eluted in the DB-5 MS column of 30 m long 

and 0.25 mm inner diameter and the eluted 

constituents were detected by flame ionization 

detector and the GC chromatogram was recorded. 

3. Results and Discussion 

3.1 GC-MS analysis 

GS-MS chromatogram of the n-hexane extract 

study showed 11 peaks in E. divaricata, besides a 

number of peaks with very narrow retention time. 

The fragmentation patterns for some of the 

peaks were compared with that of the library 

of compounds. The n-hexane extract constituents 

along with their retention time and percentage 

area and superimposibility obtained from the GC- 

MS analyzer are tabulated in Table 1 and Fig. 1. 

Table 1: GC-MS Data of n-hexane extract of E. divaricate 

Retention time (Min.) Compound name Area % Super imposibility % 

9.033 Hexadecane 1.13 93 

13.542 n-Eicosane 1.19 93 

19.933 Neophytadiene 0.75 96 

21.375 Tetratriacontane 1.14 89 

21.975 n-Hexadecanoic acid 5.06 94 

22.483 Ethyl Hexadecanoate 1.30 93 

24.675 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) 6.03 96 

31.067 Hexacosane 6.60 97 

32.300 n-Hexatriacontane 14.36 96 

The GC/MS profiles were used and identified 

eleven constituents in E. divaricata. The 

percentage content of compounds are n- 

hexadecanoic acid (Rt 21.97); 9,12- 

octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z) (Rt 24.67); 

hexacosane (Rt 31.06) observed found to be 5.06, 

6.03 and 6.60% respectively. Regarding the 

content of hexatriacontane (Rt 32.30) it was 

found to be 14.36%. Other constituents were < 

2%. 



Fig.1: GC-MS chromatogram of the n-hexane extract of E. divaricate 

4. Conclusion 

In the present study eleven chemical constituents 

have been identified from n-hexane extract of the 

whole plant of Epaltes divaricata by Gas 

Chromatogram Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) 

analysis. The presence of various phytochemicals 

contributes to the medicinal activity of the plant. 

5. References 

1. Hewawasam R.P, Jayatilaka KAPW, Pathirana 

and Muddduwa LKB. Hepatoprotective effect 

of Epaltes divaricata extract on carbon 

tetrachloride induced hepatotoxixity in mice. 

Ind. J. Med. Res 2004; 120: 30-34. 

2. Anonymous. The Wealth of India, A 

Dictionary of Indian Raw materials and 

Industrial products, 

3. Publication and Information Directorate, 

Council of Scientific and Industrial 

Research, New Delhi, 1952; 

4. Vol. III; 177. 

5. Cooke T. C.I.E. The flora of Presidency of 

Bombay, Botanical survey of India, 1906; Vol. 

II; 83. 

6. Gamble J.S. Flora of Presidency of Madras. 

Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta, 1967; Vol. 

II; 485. 

7. Hooker J.D. Flora of British India, Botanical 

Survey of India, Calcutta, 1882; Vol. III; 274. 

8. Mathew KM. An exclusive flora of Central 

Tamil Nadu, The Ranipat Herbarium, St. 

John’s College, Tiruchirapalli, India, Published 

by CRC press, 1995; 259. 

9. Mayuranathan PV. The flowering plants of 

Madras city and its immediate neibourhood. 

Revised by Livingstone C and Henry AN. 

New series-Natural History Section, 1994; Vol. 

X; 153. 

10. Pullaiah T, Sri Ramamurthy K and 

Karuppusamy. S. Flora of Eastern Ghats, Hill 

11. Ranges of South East India, 2001; Vol. III; 264. 

12. Rojatkar SR, Puranik VG, Tavale SS, Guru, Row 

TN and Nagasampagi BA. Eudesmane 

derivatives from Epaltes divaricata. 

Phytochemistry, 1987; 26: 569-70.

GC-MS Analysis of N-Hexane Extract of Epaltes divaricata

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