Phytochemical screening of tray dried Amaranthus viridis L. (Chirryaku) and Alternanthera sessilis (Ponnaganti koora aaku) methanol extracts

Amaranthus viridis L. (chirryaku) and Alternanthera sessilis (ponnaganti koora leaves) were traditional medicinal plants from the Amaranthaceae family. These were found in tropical and subtropical regions and used for their analgesic, anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antiproliferative, antifungal and antiviral properties. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition of these plants. The leaves were processed to extract their bioactive compounds using cold maceration in methanol. Preliminary phytochemical screenings revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins, tannins, phlobatinins, phenols, and quinones, while fixed oils and fats were absent. The results underscore the potential of Amaranthus viridis and Alternanthera sessilis as valuable sources of bioactive compounds for pharmacological and pharmaceutical applications which further needed to be explored.