GC-MS ANALYSIS OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF NEWBOULDIA LAEVIS COLLECTED FROM UNICROSS STAFF QUARTERS CALABAR CAMPUS

Newbouldia laevis is a medicinal plant widely used in African ethnomedicine for treating infections, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, and oxidative stress-related disorders. Despite its broad traditional applications, scientific evidence on its chemical composition remains limited. This study aimed to profile the bioactive constituents of the ethanolic leaf extract of Newbouldia laevis using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The leaves were collected, shade-dried, powdered, and extracted with ethanol. The resulting extract was subjected to GC–MS analysis under standard conditions, and compounds were identified through spectral matching with the NIST library database. A total of thirty-one compounds were detected, with major constituents including phytol, n-hexadecanoic acid (palmitic acid), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (linoleic acid), oleic acid, squalene, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, and ursolic acid methyl ester. These phytochemicals were classified into fatty acids, terpenoids, sterols, triterpenoids, and hydrocarbons, with fatty acids and sterols dominating the profile. Many of these compounds are pharmacologically significant, possessing antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, and anticancer activities. The findings validate the traditional medicinal uses of Newbouldia laevis and highlight its potential as a source of lead compounds for drug development. Further studies are recommended to isolate, characterize, and evaluate the bioactivities of the identified phytochemicals through in vitro and in vivo models.