PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND GC-MS ANALYSIS OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OBTAINED FROM “AMARANTHUS HYBRIDUS”

Abstract

Phytochemicals are non-nutritive, chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants and have diverse protective properties. There is currently an upsurge of interest in phytochemicals as a new source of natural pharmaceutical agents to be used in foods and pharmaceutical preparations to replace synthetic medicines, which are being restricted due to their potential health risks and toxicity. Thus, the objective of the present investigation was to actuate the biochemical components of Amaranthus hybridus using Perkin Elmer Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry techniques. Amaranthus hybridus belonging to family Amaranthaceae is an annual Indian herb, is a tall herb with clusters of dark pink flowers. Methanolic extracts of Amaranthus hybridus was used for the qualitative phytochemical screening. Standard phytochemical screening tests were conducted for selected plant species and found that extract contains a variety of phytochemicals. Perkin Elmer Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry technique was used to chemically identify important bioactive compounds isolated from methanolic extract of Amaranthus hybridus. Present investigation revealed that GC- MS analysis of methanolic extract of Amaranthus hybridus confess the existence 28 compounds at 36 different peaks. Many compounds were presented such as Squalene, n-Hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-, methyl ester, Chondrillasterol, 6-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, (Z)-, 1,3- Propanediol, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-nitro-,Pentacosane, Tetracontane, Pentatriacontane and Benzenepropanoic acid. The present study provided evidence to approve the existence of various medicinally important bioactive compounds or phytochemicals that has got biological importance and it rationalizes their use in the traditional drugs for the treatment of different ailments.