GC-MS analysis of bioactive phytochemicals present in ethanolic extracts of leaves of Annona muricata: A further evidence for its medicinal diversity

Abstract

Background: Folk medicine has taken an important place especially in de¬veloping countries where limited health services are available. However, the absence of scientific evaluation of medicinal plants may cause serious adverse effects. Objective: To analyze the phytochemical composition of the ethanolic extracts of leaves of Annona muricata using gas chromatog¬raphy mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Materials and methods: GC-MS Anal¬ysis was used. Results: The GC-MS Analysis revealed 25 constituents of which 12 of the compounds were identified. The major constituents were two unidentified compounds with percentage peak areas of 23.51% and 16.8%. Of the identified compounds, the outstanding in composition were 7-Tetradecenal, (Z) (peak area 9.39%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (peak area 7.12%), Oleyl Alcohol (peak area 6.15%), Phytol (peak area 5.61%), cis, cis, cis-7,10,13-Hexadecatrienal (peak area 4.26%), 2-Pentadecanol (peak area 3.93%), 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, ethyl ester (peak area 3.21%), 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, butyl octyl ester (peak area 2.67%), and 1,E- 11,Z-13-Octadecatriene (peak area 2.15%), while the rest had less than 2% composition by peak area. Conclusion: The current study suggests that ethanolic extracts of leaves of Annona muricata are a potent therapeutic agent and paves the way for the development of several treatment regi¬mens based on compounds from this extract.