Title: Recent Advances In Phytochemical Techniques For Natural Product Isolation And Characterization
Authors: Ahmed Attahiru
Volume: 9
Issue: 9
Pages: 216-225
Publication Date: 2025/09/28
Abstract:
Natural products remain a cornerstone of modern drug discovery, representing a major source of pharmacologically active compounds with diverse structures and biological activities. The field of phytochemistry has undergone significant methodological advancements in recent years, particularly in extraction, isolation, and characterization techniques. This review provides a comprehensive overview of traditional and modern phytochemical methods with an emphasis on recent innovations. Methodologically, a narrative review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Comparative analysis reveals that traditional techniques such as maceration and Soxhlet extraction are still valuable but are increasingly complemented or replaced by advanced techniques such as supercritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and pressurized liquid extraction. On the characterization side, spectroscopic and spectrometric methods including UV-Vis, IR, NMR, MS, LC-MS, and GC-MS have become indispensable. Hyphenated and integrated approaches are particularly effective for dereplication and structural elucidation of complex mixtures. The discussion highlights the complementary roles of these techniques and the integration of computational tools and omics approaches. While challenges such as cost, reproducibility, and standardization remain, these advances underscore the importance of phytochemical techniques in drug discovery, nutraceutical development, and natural product research. Future directions point toward artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology as critical drivers of innovation in the field.