BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS IN METHANOLIC FLOWER EXTRACT OF Ageratum conyzoides

In order to find out various bioactive compounds in flowers of Ageratum conyzoides, a weed of the family Asteraceae, the dried powdered flowers were extracted in analytical grade methanol and the extract was examined by GC-MS. In total, eight constituents were identified. The predominant compound in the extract was precocene II (59.50%). Three moderately abundant compounds included ethanone, 1-(7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-6-yl)- (9.77%), precocene I (8.61%) and caryophyllene (7.60%). Three compounds namely (E)-β-famesene (4.23%), β-cubebene (4.19%) and 1-nonadecene (4.07%) were categorized as less abundant. The eighth compounds phytol was the least abundant one with peak are of 1.99%. The literature survey showed that most of the identified compounds possessed various biological properties such as aphid repellant, antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial and/or anti-inflammatory.