Phytochemical Profiling of the Classical Siddha Ayush Formulation Poosani Nei Using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)

Abstract

Poosani Nei is a classical Siddha herbal formulation prescribed for the management of respiratory disorders such as Kaasam (cough) and Suvasakasam (bronchial asthma). Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) is a sensitive analytical technique widely employed for identifying volatile and semi-volatile bioactive compounds in herbal formulations. Objective: The present study was undertaken to characterise the phytochemical constituents of Poosani Nei using GC–MS analysis and to correlate the identified compounds with their reported pharmacological activities. Methods: Poosani Nei was prepared in accordance with the classical Siddha literature using authenticated raw materials. The formulation was subjected to GC–MS analysis under standardised instrumental conditions. Identification of phytoconstituents was performed by comparing the obtained mass spectra with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) spectral library. Results: GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of nine major phytochemical constituents, including pentadecanoic acid, cyclopropane decanoic acid, trioxolane, 1-hexadecanol-2-methyl, tetradecane, 1-hexadecanol, heptadecane, hexadecenoic acid, and 3-methyl pentadec-1-ol. Pentadecanoic acid constituted the highest peak area (32.40%), followed by cyclopropane decanoic acid (11.50%), hexadecenoic acid (10.30%), and tetradecane (11.20%). Several identified compounds have been reported to possess documented anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and immunomodulatory properties that may contribute to the therapeutic efficacy of Poosani Nei in respiratory diseases. Conclusion: The GC–MS profile demonstrated that Poosani Nei contains multiple pharmacologically active phytoconstituents with potential synergistic effects against inflammatory and infectious respiratory disorders.