Volatile Composition and gc-ms Profiling of Essential Oil from Fresh Leaves of <i>Senna alata</i> (<i>l</i>) roxb. Cultivated in South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) remains one of the most reliable techniques for the characterization of volatile phytochemicals in essential oils. This study presents the GC–MS profiling of essential oil extracted from the fresh leaves of Senna alata (Roxb.), a medicinal plant widely known in traditional medicine for its antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. The fresh leaves of S. alata (600 g) were subjected to hydro-distillation using an all-glass Clevenger-type apparatus to obtain the essential oil, which was subsequently analysed by GC–MS for determination of its constituents. The identification of these compounds was achieved by comparing their mass spectra and retention indices with those available in standard libraries such as NIST database. The percentage essential oil yield was 0.12% (v/w) and the essential oil was colourless and had an herbal smell. A total number of seventeen (17) compounds were identified from the essential oil which accounted for 95.7%. The major compounds identified were phytol (35.31%), (Z)-9-octadecamide (16.38%), geraniol (16.31%), and citronellol (14.37%). The predominance of these bioactive terpenoids and fatty acids derivatives strongly supports the traditional use of S. alata as an antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agents, highlighting its potentials for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Bottom of Form