Phytochemical and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Chenopodium album and Stellaria media

The current study was designed to conduct the physicochemical, phytochemical and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of Chenopodium album and Stellaria media L. Methanolic extract of dried leaves of Chenopodium album and Stellaria media was prepared and subsequently fractionated using different solvents like hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate. Obtained plant fractions were analyzed for the presence of different secondary metabolites using phytochemical screening methods. Further, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and total alkaloid content in different plant fractions were also estimated employing Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometric methods. Results of phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of different secondary metabolites including flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides and saponin. Further, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis indicated presence of total 30 and 31 phytoconstituents in hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of methanolic extract of Chenopodium album respectively whereas chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of methanolic extract of Stellaria media showed presence of total 33 and 35 phytoconstituents respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry chromatogram showed abundance of polyphenolic compounds (85 % Phenol-2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl), phosphite (3:1) in hexane fractions of Chenopodium album, long-chain fatty acids (51 % hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester in chloroform fractions of Chenopodium album), higher alkanes (66 % Octasiloxane1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7,9,9,11,11,13,13,15,15-hexadecamethyl in ethyl acetate fractions of Chenopodium album). Outcome of the study would certainly assist the investigators to explore these plants and to identify and develop new leads for the treatment of different pathological conditions.