GC-MS Analysis of Bioactive Components of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Amaranthus spinosus

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants remain an important source of biologically active compounds used in modern drug discovery. This study investigated the phytochemical constituents of Amaranthus spinosus leaf extract using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify potential bioactive compounds responsible for its pharmacological properties. Materials and Method: Resh leaves of Amaranthus spinosus were collected, shade-dried, pulverized, and extracted using aqueous extraction methods. The crude extract was subsequently analyzed by GC–MS, and the compounds were identified based on retention time, molecular weight, molecular formula, and comparison of mass spectra with the database of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Results: The GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of twenty-four phytochemical compounds with retention times ranging from 1.422 to 22.795 minutes. The identified constituents belonged to several chemical classes, including esters, lactones, fatty acid derivatives, terpenoids, aromatic compounds, and nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds. Among the detected compounds, 4-Methoxy-6-methyl-6,7-dihydro-4H-furo[3,2-c]pyran showed the highest relative abundance (11.78%), followed by 3,4-Di-O-methyl-2-deoxy-D-ribono-1,5-lactone (10.00%), Cyclohexanemethyl propanoate (6.08%), 1-Propanone, 1-[5-ethyl-3-(5-nitro-2-furanyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl] (5.72%), and 2-Naphthalenemethanol derivatives (5.26%). Other notable compounds included Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene, and several pyrrole, pyridine, and triazole derivatives. Many of the identified compounds have previously been reported to possess important biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer properties. The presence of these diverse phytochemical constituents supports the traditional medicinal uses of Amaranthus spinosus and suggests that the plant may exert its therapeutic effects through synergistic interactions among multiple bioactive molecules. Conclusion: the GC–MS profiling of Amaranthus spinosus leaves showed that it is a rich source of pharmacologically relevance. The Plant has the potential in drug discovery, development and discovery. Further studies focusing on the isolation, purification, and biological evaluation of the identified compounds are recommended to fully elucidate their therapeutic potential.