Identification of phytocemical compounds in ethanol and n-hexane leaf extracts of Piper retrofractum vahl. by gas chromatography mass spectrometry

Piper retrofractum or Javanese chili is one of the Piperaceae family species which has the potential to be used as herbal medicine. The purpose of this research was to investigate bioactive compounds of ethanol and n-hexane extracts in the P. retrofractum leaves. P. retrofractum leaves were first washed and dried, crushed into powder, before being extracted with ethanol and n-hexane. Chromatogram profile showed that ethanol and n-hexane extracts contained 21 compounds and 16 compounds respectively. The ethanol extract contained three main components, which were piperine (41.71%), 5,6-Dihydro-2,10,11-trimethoxy-3H-phenathro (9,10,1-only) (1) pyridine (10.90%), and 3,3a, 4,5,6,7-hexahydro-2H-indene (9,03%), while n-hexane extract of P. retrofractum leaves contained three main components, which were phytol isomer (23.95%), germacrene (16.66%), and 13-acetyl-2,3,3a, 5,6,7,8,13, 13a, 13b-decahydro-11,12-dimethoxy-2,6-dimethyl-.