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Peer-Reviewed Open Access Publication · ISSN: 2321-8681 · CC-BY 4.0 International

Open Access ISSN: 2321-8681 Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December) 2026

Comparative GC-FID Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Chemometric Profiling of Five Floral Color Varieties of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis

Authors: Arun Dev Sharma & Herman S. Uppal India
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Abstract

Background: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. is a high-value ornamental and medicinal shrub exhibiting significant variations in floral color morphotypes. While polar pigments are widely studied, a comprehensive comparative mapping of their lipophilic and secondary metabolite profiles across different color variants is highly scarce.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a definitive chemical fingerprint profile of five distinct floral varieties of H. rosa-sinensis (Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, and White) using Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID) coupled with unsupervised chemometric analysis.

Methods: Dried floral petals were subjected to exhaustive solid-liquid extraction via a Soxhlet system using methanol. GC-FID was used to identify phytocompounds. Chemometric variations were modeled using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation metrics.

Results: Chromatographic screening revealed strong phenotype-to-metabolite variations. The Red variety was characterized by an overwhelming accumulation of anthocyanin complexes, predominantly Cyanidin-sophoroside (40.58%) and Delphinidin-3-sambubioside (18.90%). The Pink variety retained a down-regulated fraction of Cyanidin-sophoroside (15.53%). Diverging into the flavonol pathway, the Orange morphotype uniquely expressed Kaempferol-dihexoside (29.22%), while the Yellow variant was driven by Quercetin 7-O-rutinoside (28.76%) and Kaempferol-3-glucoside (21.72%). Conversely, the White variety targeted pale anti-inflammatory compounds, yielding Gossypin (14.74%), Hibiscus acid (7.91%), and Falcarinol (7.57%). Unsupervised PCA successfully resolved the five varieties into separate quadrants, with PC1 and PC2 explaining 81.53% of the cumulative dataset variance.

Conclusion: These findings reveal that visual floral variations in H. rosa-sinensis co-occur with major shifts in lipophilic, defensive, and volatile pathways. This comparative fingerprint baseline provides critical molecular insights for the targeted extraction of variety-specific metabolites in the cosmetics, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries.

Keywords: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis; GC-FID; Phytochemical Profiling; Chemometrics; Cyanidin-sophoroside; Chemotaxonomy.

Journal Research and Reviews in Biotechnology and Biosciences
Peer Review Double-Blind Peer Reviewed
Publication Year 2026
Volume Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December)
Page Range 37-52
DOI https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22155801
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Arun Dev Sharma & Herman S. Uppal (2026). Comparative GC-FID Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Chemometric Profiling of Five Floral Color Varieties of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis. Research and Reviews in Biotechnology and Biosciences, Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December) , 37-52. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22155801
Arun Dev Sharma & Herman S. Uppal, 2026. Comparative GC-FID Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Chemometric Profiling of Five Floral Color Varieties of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis. Research and Reviews in Biotechnology and Biosciences, Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December) , pp. 37-52.
Arun Dev Sharma & Herman S. Uppal. "Comparative GC-FID Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Chemometric Profiling of Five Floral Color Varieties of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis." Research and Reviews in Biotechnology and Biosciences Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December) (2026): 37-52.
@article{rrbb_325_ArunDevS, title = {{Comparative GC-FID Phytochemical Fingerprinting and Chemometric Profiling of Five Floral Color Varieties of Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis}}, author = {Arun Dev Sharma & Herman S. Uppal}, journal = {Research and Reviews in Biotechnology and Biosciences}, issn = {2321-8681}, year = {2026}, volume = {Volume: 13, Issue: 2 (July-December) }, pages = {37-52}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22155801} }
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