Phytochemical Investigation of Ethanolic Extract of Calotropis Gigantea Leaf Using GC–MS With Relevance To Wound Healing: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic and delayed wounds continue to pose a significant challenge in healthcare, and medicinal plants provide multi-faceted alternatives to single-pathway synthetic drugs. In Ayurveda, Calotropis gigantea is recognised for its wound-healing properties, and contemporary studies confirm its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capabilities; however, its ethanol-soluble phytochemical composition has not been analysed by GC-MS, and the link between this profile and its wound-healing pharmacology remains unexplored.

Aim of the study: To identify the phytochemical profile of Calotropis gigantea ethanolic leaf extract using GC-MS, and correlate these identified compounds with their reported significance in wound healing.

Materials and methods: This Experimental study was conducted at KAHERs Shri BM Kankanawadi Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Belagavi, in collaboration with Amrith Labs (AYUSH-approved), Shimoga, Karnataka, from April 2025 to June 2025. The Ethanolic extract was macerated, filtered, and analysed by GC–MS (Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010SE; electron ionization; oven program 80–330 °C). Compounds were identified against the NIST 2020 library, and 80% similarity index (SI) was used as a cut-off threshold to indicate confident (>80%) and tentative identification (<80%).

Results: A total of 26 chromatographic peaks (retention time range: 4.986–37.600 min) were resolved by GC–MS, representing 100% of the total peak area, and 22 were confidently identified (SI percentages ranging from 80 to 97%), while the remaining were tentatively identified (SI [%] between 54 and 79%). Other constituents were lipid-based: Dodecanoic acid (2.14%, SI 90), oleic acid (1.50%, SI 86), α-linolenic acid(0.50%, SI 90), methyl linolenate (1.01%,SI94), methyl palmitate(0.44%,SI95), long-chain alkynes, glycerol diesters, esters of octanoic acid, and vinyl laurate. Two peaks were excluded as contaminants; the refined biological assay is literature-based.

Conclusion: A lipid-rich profile of fatty acids and esters with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-regenerative qualities characterizes the ethanolic extract of C. gigantea leaves, offering scientific evidence for its traditional Vrana Ropana(wound healing) attribution, which is being evaluated in a comparative study. This phytochemical fingerprint provides a multi-targeted foundation for investigating C. gigantea as a plant-based wound-healing agent, supporting confirmation by confirmatory bioassay.