Phytochemistry and antioxidant activity of Amaranthus viridis L (Green leaf)

Abstract

Phytochemistry and antioxidant activity of Amaranthus viridis L (Green leaf) were undertaken with standard methods. The leaf sample after being screening for phytochemicals, contained tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, phenolic compounds, proteins and anthraquinones at different concentrations. A further study using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analytic method on the leaf sample revealed a total of twenty-two detailed compounds among which are 3-Hydroxy-N-methylphenethylamine, Erucic acid, n-Hexadecanoic acid, 1,2-Propanediol,3-chloro-, and Cystamine. 3-Hydroxy-N-methylphenethy lamine had the highest retention time; Erucic acid had the highest molecular weight while n-Hexadecanoic acid had the highest peal area. Most of the compounds have important applications in body care products and cosmetics, pharmaceutical or food industries. A. viridis leaf extract exhibited a better antioxidant activity against the ascorbic acid used as control in the present study. The phytochemicals present in the leaf sample could be behind its antioxidant activity. The study has shown the phytochemistry and antioxidant activity of A. viridis leaf sample.