Phytochemical investigation of methanolic leaf extract of Phyllanthus niruriusing fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used for millennia to treat a wide variety of ailments and promote health and well-being.This study analyzed the chemical composition of methanolic leaf extracts of Phyllanthus niruri using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). FTIR identified functional groups including methyl (2922 cm^-1), hydroxyl (2858 cm^-1), carbonyl (1707 cm^-1), alkyl (1452 cm-1), and ester (1031 cm^-1) while GCMS detected 15 compounds with the most abundant being octadecanoic acid (23.84%) and hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (18.25%). Other relatively abundant compounds included 12,15-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (5.38%) and tetradecanoic acid (3.88%). Many of the identified compounds are fatty acids and derivatives documented to have hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties aligning with P. niruri's reported effects. However, further isolation, testing, and clinical evidence are still needed to fully elucidate therapeutic mechanisms and develop standardized extracts or derivatives as botanical therapies.