An Acyclic Triterpene from Alternathera sessilis plant commonly used in Nigeria

Abstract

Alternathera sessilis whole plant sample (leaves,stems and roots) was extracted with methanol .The methanol extract of Alternathera sessilis was subjected to column chromatography technique. The methanol extract afforded a compound.  The structure of the compound was elucidated using various spectroscopic techniques - Infra red spectroscopy (IR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonanance (13C NMR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC). The compound was identified as squalene, an acyclic triterpene .This is the first time the isolation of squalene is reported from Alternathera sessilis. The antioxidant activity of the compound was also investigated. It gave an IC50 value of 0.78 mg/mL. Keywords: Alternathera sessilis, squalene, 13C NMR, 1H NMR