Determination of phytocomponents and validation of squalene in ethanolic extract of Clerodendrum serratum Linn roots—using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and GC-FID technique

Abstract Background Clerodendrum serratum Linn commonly known as Bharangi in India has wide applications in the Ayurveda and Siddha system of medicine which has been attributed to the treatment of various diseases like asthma, cough, fever, rheumatism, and cephalalgia ophthalmia. Squalene has nutritional, medicinal, and pharmaceutical health benefits, hence possess antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. Method The study presents the GC-MS analysis of phytoconstituents present in the Clerodendrum serratum roots and further estimation of one of the constituents, i.e., squalene which is ought to be present in the roots as per mass spectral data obtained. Squalene was determined from the ethanolic extract of C. serratum roots using GC-FID without derivatization. Results Four major constituents, i.e., squalene, methyl palmitate, hexadecenoic acid, and stigmasterol were detected by GC-MS. Squalene from the extract was eluted at 17.5min which was confirmed with the standard squalene peak eluted at the same retention time. The linearity range chosen was 5–30ug/mL, and the method was found to be pretty linear (R=0.995), accurate with satisfactory repeatability. Hence, the phytochemical compounds were detected by GC-MS and the squalene was determined and validated according to the ICH guidelines. Conclusion Thus, the green gas chromatographic method can be used for quantification and qualification of active constituents in the roots of ethanolic extract of C. serratum. In addition, the presence of metabolite squalene by the GC-FID method was developed for the extract which is simple, fast, and environmentally friendly.