Phytochemical screening of Etlingera coccinea (Blume) S. Sakai & Nagam from Ranau and Tambunan, Sabah using HPLC and mass spectrometry-based approach

Secondary metabolites (phytochemicals) are important in plant beneficial capabilities, however Etlingera coccinea's chemical composition is poorly known in comparison to other members of the Etlingera genus. This work fills this gap by examining the metabolite profiles of E. coccinea stalks obtained from two different locations in Sabah—Ranau and Tambunan—to determine whether geographical variation influences phytochemical composition. Crude extracts were obtained via maceration using 10% aqueous methanol, followed by partitioning with n-hexane and chloroform. Ranau samples provided more crudes and methanolic extracts than Tambunan samples. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, and tannins in all extracts. HPLC studies demonstrated similar maximum absorption wavelengths of 200-210 nm and ~240 nm. LC-MS profiling identified ten metabolites in the Ranau methanolic extract and eight in the chloroform extract, whereas the Tambunan samples contained eight and four, respectively. The GC-MS study identified fifteen metabolites in Ranau n-hexane extracts against nine in Tambunan. While both locations had similar phytochemical classes, variations in metabolite amounts and extract yields indicate that locale may alter E. coccinea's chemical composition. This is the first comparable metabolomic study of the species, and it demonstrates its potential as a source of various bioactive chemicals for future pharmacological and structural research.