Evaluation of antioxidant and bioactive phytochemical properties of Achyranthes aspera L.

Archeranthes aspera, a member of the Amaranthaceae family, is now widely distributed. This species has become invasive in Nigeria. Despite the natural antioxidant defense and repair mechanisms present in humans and other organisms, continuous exposure to free radicals inevitably causes biological harm that cannot be entirely mitigated. In a recent study, extracts of Achyranthes aspera were examined for their secondary metabolites, antioxidant properties, and antibacterial effects against several strains including Staphylococcus aureus (NCIB 8588), Bacillus cereus (NCIB 6349), Klebsiella pneumoniae (NCIB 418), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCIB). Phytochemical analysis of the plant leaf revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, general glycosides, and terpenoids. Quantitative analysis of secondary metabolites showed that the plant extract contained 7.0 ± 2.5 mg/100g alkaloids, 11.5 ± 2.0 mg/100g tannins, 15.0 ± 3.1 mg/100g general glycosides, and 14.0 ± 1.5 mg/100g terpenoids. The investigation revealed that the concentration of leaf extract enhanced DPPH scavenging activity, albeit to a lesser extent than ascorbic acid. At concentrations of 50 and 100µg/ml, ascorbic acid exhibited scavenging activities of 22.66 ± 2.34% and 40.55 ± 1.55%, respectively, whereas Achyranthes aspera leaf extract displayed activities of 6.33 ± 2.04% and 11.65 ± 6.18%. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that the plant extract inhibited the growth of bacteria, rendering them vulnerable. The minimum inhibitory concentration of Achyranthes aspera ethanol leaf extract was found to be lowest against S. aureus and highest against B. cereus. These findings suggest that the ingredients present in the plant leaf extract hold promise for potential use in chemotherapy.