Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Quantitative Analysis and GC/MS Profiling of Piliostigma thonningii, Euphorbia lactea and Richardia brasiliensis

09 June, 2026

Background and Objective: Traditional medicinal plants are extensively used in Southern Benin, yet the phytochemical profiles of several commonly used species remain insufficiently characterized. This study characterizes the phytochemical composition of Euphorbia lactea, Richardia brasiliensis and Piliostigma thonningii, three plants traditionally used in Southern Benin. Materials and Methods: Differential precipitation staining was used for qualitative screening and total flavonoids, polyphenols and hydrolyzable tannins were quantified by spectrophotometric and Mole-Waterman methods. GC/MS analysis of extracts from the three plants was conducted using an Agilent Technologies 7890A GC system coupled to an Agilent 7000 Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (GCMS TQ). Data were analyzed using ANOVA with Tukey’s or Dunnett’s post hoc tests (p<0.05). Results: Ethanolic extraction generally yielded higher recoveries than aqueous extraction, particularly in P. thonningii. Screening indicated that E. lactea contained abundant gallic tannins, flavonoids and Saponins, while P. thonningii was rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins and mucilages. Richardia brasiliensis, on the other hand, contained alkaloids, catechic tannins, gallic tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, mucilage and triterpenes. The results reveal that for quantitative assays, the ethanolic extract of P. thonningii had the highest levels of flavonoids, polyphenols and condensed tannins, whereas R. brasiliensis had the highest hydrolyzable tannin content (p<0.0001). The GC-MS analysis identified 50 compounds in E. lactea (19 of which were not previously reported), 35 in R. brasiliensis (11 of which were not previously reported) and 44 in P. thonningii (12 of which were not previously reported), belonging to chemical families including alcohols, esters, fatty acids, terpenes, steroids and phenolics. Conclusion: These findings provide a detailed chemical basis for further investigation and suggest the presence of potentially novel metabolites. While consistent with traditional use, the findings do not establish efficacy but highlight opportunities for future pharmacological exploration.

Asian Journal of Biochemistry - Current Issue

Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Quantitative Analysis and GC/MS Profiling of Piliostigma thonningii, Euphorbia lactea and Richardia brasiliensis