Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transformed Infra-Red analysis of <i>Senna occidentalis</i> root

Abstract

Senna occidentalis Linn is a member of the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae family). Different parts of the plant have been used in Hausa traditional medicine to treat various ailments ranging from microbial infections, jaundice and body weakness to fevers. The roots, leaves, flowers and seeds have been employed in herbal medicine around the world in various treatments. Senna occidentalis root was extracted using distilled water and methanol and was used to carry out phytochemical screening which revealed the presence of carbohydrates, monosaccharides, reducing sugars, combined reducing sugars, tannins, free anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, glycosides, terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids. Fractionation of the methanol extract was done with four different solvents. The ethyl acetate fraction was further used for thin layer chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC) and the sub-fractions obtained were coded ARE-GRE. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was performed on ARE sub-fraction where fifteen different phytochemical compounds were identified. Fourier Transformed-Infra Red (FT-IR) analysis also showed sixteen peaks of different shapes and wavelengths. The presence of these phytochemicals in the roots of the plant could justify its use in traditional medicine to treat antimicrobial infections and other diseases.