U.T. Mamza, O.A. Sodipo2 and I.Z. Khan
Phyllanthus amarus belongs to the family of Euphorbiaceae and it is well known in Nigerian traditional system for its traditional uses. The present investigation was carried out to determine the possible bioactive components of leaves of P. amarus using GC-MS analysis. Nine (9) components from P. amarus leaves were identified. The prevailing components in the ethanolic extract of leaves were 3,5-di-t-butylphenol (1.2%), methyl 14-methyl pentadecanoate (1.4%), palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid) (11.8%), 10-octadecanoate (5.5%), 9-hexadecenal (9.0%), glycerol 1, 3-dipalmitate (5.7%), 2, 13-octadecadiene-1-ol (8.2%), dioctytl ester (10.1%) and heptanoic acid (9-dece-1-yl ester), (4.6%). The presence of various bioactive compounds confirms the application of P. amarus for various ailments by traditional practitioners. However, isolation of individual phytochemical constituents may proceed to find a novel drug or lead compound.
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