GC-MS ANALYSIS OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM STEM, ROOT AND CALLUS CULTURES OF CARALLUMA STALAGMIFERA C.E.C. FISCH

The present study investigates the GC–MS profiling of stem, root, and in-vitro–derived callus cultures of Caralluma stalagmifera C.E.C. Fisch., an Apocynaceae succulent endemic to Southern India, commonly known as the “dark purple Caralluma,” and traditionally valued for its anti-obesity, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The major bioactive constituents reported from the genus are pregnane glycosides and aglycone steroids. Methanolic extracts of stem and root from field-grown plants and in-vitro callus cultures were prepared and each extract was analysed using GC–MS to identify its phytochemical constituents. Compounds were identified based on retention times and mass spectral data, and comparative profiling was performed to assess variations in chemical composition among the stem, root and in-vitro callus culture extracts. The stem extract exhibited the highest phytochemical diversity with 27 compounds, including 10 major constituents. The root extract contained 17 compounds, of which 6 were major bioactive molecules. The callus extract comprised 20 compounds, including 10 major constituents, demonstrating its ability to synthesize diverse secondary metabolites under controlled in-vitro conditions. Overall, the study provides a scientific basis for the phytochemical characterization of C. stalagmifera and highlights the potential of its stem, root, and callus tissues as viable sources of pharmacologically important compounds for natural drug discovery and biotechnological applications.