PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND GC-MS PROFILING OF Ziziphus jujuba ETHYL ACETATE LEAVES EXTRACT

Abstract

Ziziphus jujuba is a medicinal plant traditionally used across Africa and Asia for treating infections, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Despite widespread use, limited data exist on its ethyl acetate leaf extract constituents. This study performed comprehensive phytochemical screening and GC-MS profiling of Z. jujuba leaf extract to identify major bioactive constituents and validate traditional uses. Fresh leaves were dried, powdered, and extracted with ethyl acetate by maceration. Preliminary phytochemical screening used standard qualitative methods. GC-MS analysis employed an Agilent 7890B system with electron ionization at 70 eV. Phytochemical screening revealed flavonoids, tannins, phenols, glycosides, saponins, and terpenoids; alkaloids were absent. GC-MS identified 26 compounds representing 89.3% of total composition. Major constituents included linoleic acid (37.29%), oleic acid methyl ester (9.61%), and various long-chain alcohols with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. The extract contains diverse phytochemicals, predominantly fatty acids and esters, supporting traditional medicinal uses and warranting further bioactivity-guided studies.