Phytochemical, FT-IR and GC-MS analysis of bioactive compounds present in ethanolic extract of Senna occidentalis whole plant
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/usci.2652.034Keywords:
Antimicrobial, Bioactive, Coumarins, Maceration, TherapeuticAbstract
The increasing emergence of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for medicinal plants rich in bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. Senna occidentalis is traditionally used in ethnomedicine due to its diverse phytochemicals. This study aimed to characterize the phytochemical constituents, functional groups and bioactive compounds in the ethanolic whole-plant extract of S. occidentalis using phytochemical screening, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Whole plants were collected, authenticated and extracted with ethanol by cold maceration. The bioactive compounds present in the plant were analyzed using conventional phytochemical screening. Both FT-IR and GC-MS analyses were conducted following standard procedures at the Multi-user Laboratory of ABU, Zaria. A percentage yield of 11% was recorded. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, steroids, coumarins and other secondary metabolites. The FT-IR analysis yielded characteristic absorption bands linked to active functional groups. The broad band observed at 3330 cm⁻¹ corresponded to O-H stretching vibrations linked with hydroxyl-containing compounds such as phenols. While medium absorption bands (2923 cm⁻¹ and 2854 cm⁻¹) are attributed to terpenoids. A total of 67 peaks were identified via the GC-MS analysis. Nine of which were previously reported to possess antimicrobial activity. Oleic acid, Methyl palmitate, and1,2-Octadecanediol were among the identified compounds and have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. These findings demonstrate that S. occidentalis contains diverse bioactive phytochemicals and functional groups that may contribute to its reported medicinal properties and support its potential as a source of novel antimicrobial agents.
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