Investigation of Chemical Components of Hexane Extract from the Stem of Arcangelisia flava via Phytochemical Test, GC-MS Analysis, FTIR Fingerprinting, and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity

Arcangelisia flava, also known as yellow root, is a woody vine indigenous to the Philippines. It has been established that it possesses medicinal properties, and several of its bioactive compounds have been identified. However, most of its possible bioactive nonpolar chemical compounds remain unidentified. In this study, the stem of A. flava was investigated for its chemical components, FTIR fingerprinting, and antioxidant activity. The stem of A. flava was chopped, ground, and then extracted with hexane per gram of A. flava. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), phytochemical screening, GC-MS and FTIR analyses, cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assays were performed to evaluate the chemical components of A. flava hexane extract. TLC and phytochemical screening revealed the presence of some organic acids, triterpenes, sterols, essential oils, phenols, and flavonoids. Further characterization using GC-MS analysis revealed 64 chemical components classified into hydrocarbon, ketone, alcohol, aromatic compounds, aldehyde, ester, organosilicon, and other chemicals. The most abundant compound was hexacosane with a relative abundance of 43.17%. This was followed by tetracosane (8.85%), o-xylene (8.09%), and hexatriacontane (5.72%). The FTIR spectrum also revealed the presence of hydrocarbons such as alkanes and alkenes, confirming the 60% abundance of such class of compounds as revealed by GC-MS. Meanwhile, based on the CUPRAC and DPPH assay conducted, the hexane extract from the stem of A. flava had low antioxidant capacity. Based on the literature search, this is the first time the chemical composition of A. flava hexane extract has been evaluated and its chemical compounds identified. The findings presented in this paper should be taken into account for any future research on the species’ therapeutic properties.