Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) Analysis of Essential Oil from Hyptis Spicigera Leaves

Hyptis spicigera is a medicinal plant widely used in folkloric medicine of Africa and Asia in treatment of numerous ailments such as wound healing, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract infections, colds, pain, fever, cramps and skin disease among others. The chemical constituent of methanol leaf extract of Hyptis spicigera was determined using Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Six major chemical compounds were identified in the methanol leaf extract and they are; hexadecanoic acid (15.19%), 9 - octadecenoic acid (24.68%), octadecenoic acid (7.60%), 5 - hydroxylmethyl heptadecane (11.08%), eicosane aldehyde (30.06%) and octadecyl vinyl ether (11.39%). These relatively diverse chemical compounds may be responsible for the therapeutic potentials of Hyptis spicigera leaf.