Screening and Chromatographic identification of the phytochemicals in the Powdered leaves of <i>Urena lobata</i> L. (Malvaceae)

Abstract

Urena lobata is a widely distributed tropical and subtropical weed with varying pharmacological activities, ascribed to the presence of bioactive principles in the plant. This study aimed to identify phytochemicals in the powdered leaves of Urena lobata using two chromatographic techniques. Phytochemical screening was evaluated for the powdered leaves using standard methods, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were utilized to determined the phytochemicals in the methanolic extract of the leaves. Results obtained indicate that alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids were detected in the methanolic extract of the leaves. The GC-MS analysis showed the presence of 4-(3-dimethylaminopropoxy)benzaldehyde, pyridine, 9-octadecenamide, 2-amino-5-chlorophenyl phosphonic acid, 2-propenenitrile, 2,1-benzisoxazole-4-carboxlic acid, 1,2,4-triazin-5(2H)-one, pyridine-3-carboxamide, 2-pyrazoline, 4-aminobenzoic acid, 3-nitrophthalhydrazide, 2,4 (1H, 5H)-imidazoldione and bromophos-ethyl, semicarbazide. While the HPLC analysis for selected alkaloids detected imidazole and pyrazoline alkaloidal moieties from the extract. Owing to the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that phytochemicals of important pharmacological potentials were detected in the methanolic extract of Urena lobata leaves.