Phytochemical profiling and evaluation of medicinal values of Geranium nepalense Sweet from Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Geranium nepalense Sweet (fam. Geraniaceae) known as an astringent and in treatment in renal diseases was evaluated for its phytochemical profile and elucidation of prospective medicinal value. Present study confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds like terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins in the methanolic extract. Activities like anti-inflammatory, IC50 value based anti-oxidative potential and nitric oxide scavenging largely correlated to high content of phenols and flavonoids. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of majorly three classes of bioactive compounds as sesquiterpenes namely α-cubebene and its derivatives; phenyl alkoxy; and fatty acids like octa-decanoic acid, hexa-decanoic acid and their esters. These compounds are largely responsible for the medicinal and aromatic nature of plant finding their use in perfumery and pharmaceuticals as therapeutics.