Preliminary Phytochemical Profiling of Extracts from Unidentified Cactus Species

Abstract

The phytochemical composition and extraction efficiency of an unidentified cactus species were investigated using eleven solvents with varying polarities. The study demonstrates that both the yield and the profile of extracted bioactive compounds are strongly dependent on solvent choice. Highest yields were achieved with benzene (2.98%) for moderately polar compounds and methanol (2.79%) for high-polarity compounds, while less polar solvents like chloroform (1.73%) and hexane (1.77%) were less effective. Extraction kinetics also showed variation, with benzene and petroleum ether providing the shortest extraction times, highlighting a trade-off between speed and final yield. Qualitative analysis revealed a diverse range of secondary metabolites. Alkaloids and glycosides were consistently present in all organic extracts but absent in the aqueous extract, indicating their nonpolar to moderately polar nature. Conversely, reducing sugars were universally present across all solvent types, while protein detection was selective, observed only in acetone and petroleum ether extracts. Flavonoids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and triterpenoids were widely detected, with varied solubility patterns. Confirmed presence of coumarins, quinones, saponins, resins, and oils further underscores the species\' rich chemical diversity. These findings confirm that selective solvent extraction is a critical factor for isolating specific bioactive constituents and provide a foundation for future pharmacological and characterization studies.

Introduction

The Cactaceae family consists of perennial succulent plants adapted to arid environments and widely used in traditional medicine. Phytochemical analysis is essential for identifying bioactive compounds responsible for their therapeutic effects. While some cactus species have been studied, many remain unexplored for their chemical composition and medicinal potential.

This study conducted a preliminary phytochemical screening of unidentified cactus species collected from Kalimpong, India. After drying and powdering cactus stems, extracts were prepared using a range of solvents with varying polarity via Soxhlet extraction. Extraction yields and kinetics were analyzed, revealing solvent-dependent differences in efficiency and compound recovery.

Results showed that solvents like benzene, methanol, and ethyl acetate yielded the highest extract amounts, indicating the presence of moderately polar phytochemicals such as phenolics and glycosides. Nonpolar solvents like chloroform and hexane showed lower yields, suggesting fewer highly nonpolar compounds. Extraction times varied, with nonpolar solvents extracting compounds faster than polar solvents, likely due to differences in compound accessibility and solubility.

Preliminary phytochemical tests detected various secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins, and glycosides, which are known for antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. This foundational data supports further research to isolate and quantify bioactive compounds from these underexplored cactus species.

Conclusion

The selectivity and efficiency of solid-liquid extraction from the cactus stem are fundamentally governed by the solvent\'s intrinsic properties. Highest yields were obtained with solvents of moderate to high polarity, which correlated with the detection of a diverse phytochemical profile, including flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids. The differential solubility of specific compound classes was evident, with cardiac glycosides and alkaloids showing limited or no extraction in aqueous and highly polar solvents, respectively. Furthermore, extraction kinetics were shown to be inversely proportional to solvent polarity, suggesting that process optimization strategies, such as sequential or multi-solvent extraction, could be employed to maximize the isolation of specific phytochemical classes based on their solubility profiles. This work provides a foundation for developing targeted and efficient extraction protocols.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Ashwath Kesari, Ramesh Londonkar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.