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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

Qualitative and quantitative profiling of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the ethyl acetate extract of Iraqi Euryops pectinatus (L.) Cass. using RP-HPLC

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.15286
Submitted
28 April 2026
Published
31-08-2026 — Updated on 29-09-2026
Versions

Abstract

The exploration of under-investigated medicinal plants remains essential for discovering novel bioactive compounds. In this study, the ethyl acetate extract of Iraqi Euryops pectinatus (L.) Cass. was qualitatively and quantitatively profiled using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to investigate its polyphenolic composition. Sequential extraction following n-hexane defatting yielded a semi-polar extract enriched in phenolic constituents. A total of 8 major compounds, including rosmarinic acid, quercetin, naringenin, luteolin, apigenin, rutin, gallic acid and caffeic acid, were identified and quantified. TLC screening demonstrated significant chemical diversity, which was further characterized by RP-HPLC analysis. The analytical method showed excellent linearity with correlation coefficients (R² > 0.999), indicating high reliability for quantitative assessment. Rosmarinic acid was identified as the predominant compound, reflecting both the metabolic profile of the plant and the selective extraction efficiency of ethyl acetate. These results indicate that Iraqi E. pectinatus is a promising yet understudied source of bioactive polyphenols that may be useful in developing future phytopharmaceuticals.

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