COMPARATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF MENTHA PIPERITA L. (MINT) LEAVES EXTRACTED WITH DIFFERENT SOLVENTS

Abstract

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), a member of the Lamiaceae family, is a widely cultivated aromatic herb valued for its medicinal and commercial applications. This study investigated the phytochemical constituents of M. piperita leaves using different solvent extraction methods. Leaves were collected from Hazargangi, Quetta, dried, powdered, and subjected to extraction with chloroform, methanol, ethanol, acetone, and water; methanolic extracts were prepared using Soxhlet extraction. Phytochemical screening was performed through standard qualitative assays for major secondary metabolites. Results confirmed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, glycosides, and steroids. The richest phytochemical profiles were obtained from methanol, ethanol, and chloroform extracts, highlighting the influence of solvent polarity on metabolite recovery. These findings demonstrate that M. piperita leaves contain diverse bioactive compounds that may underpin their therapeutic potential. These results support the traditional uses of peppermint and suggest its value as a source of natural health-promoting agents for future nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.