Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, a potent hepatoprotective compound in leaves of Pistia stratiotes L.

Abstract

Pistia stratiotes L. is an invasive aquatic plant and through GC-MS analysis, the possible hepatoprotective bioactive chemical components from the n-butanol fractionated hydroethanolic extract of P. stratiotes leaves were identified. Moreover, the extract's GCMS analysis indicated the existence of several bioactive chemicals i.e., hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester; 2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediyl ester; octadecanoic acid; 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)- methyl ester; 7,10-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester; and squalene. Both physiologically and pharmacologically, these substances are significant. The study offers comprehensive information on the identification and chemical characterization of numerous medicinally significant phytocompounds with a variety of medicinal uses that have not been extensively studied.