Assessment of the bioactive qualities of chemical substances (chromenes) present in ageratum conyzoides
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20961/n13wc209Keywords:
Ageratum conyzoides, Assessment , Characterization , Bioactive Components, Extraction, SeparationAbstract
Ageratum conyzoides is a medicinal plant widely utilized in traditional healthcare systems and recognized for its diverse bioactive compounds. This study assessed the bioactive qualities of chromene-based chemical substances present in Ageratum conyzoides. Fresh leaves, roots, and flowers were extracted using chloroform equilibrated with a basic aqueous solution to enhance the extraction of moderately polar metabolites. The resulting extracts were analyzed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Nineteen compounds were identified in the leaf extract, fifteen in the roots, and eight in the flowers, with considerable compositional similarities observed between the root and flower extracts. Prominent compounds identified in the leaves included N-2-fluorenyl acetamide and isoheptadecanol, alongside coumarin derivatives. Several chromene compounds were detected exclusively in the fresh leaves, including 7-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene, 6-(1-methoxyethyl)-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene, 6-vinyl-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene, and 6-(1-ethoxyethyl)-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene. Root and flower extracts contained lipid-related isomeric compounds such as butyric acid decyl ester. Additionally, n-butoxyretrocine and two previously reported isomeric pyrrolizidine alkaloids were identified, confirming these as the only alkaloids present in the plant. The predominance of chromenes and lipid compounds highlights the potential non-food and pharmacological applications of Ageratum conyzoides and provides valuable insight into its bioactive chemical profile.
References
Adebayo, A. H. (2009). Phytochemical, biochemical and toxicological studies on Ageratum conyzoides Linnaeus (Ph.D. thesis). Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
Anthonsen, T. (1969). Extraction and isolation of four new chromenes from the Australian plant Eupatorium riparium Regel. Acta Chemica Scandinavica, 23, 3605.
Burkill, H. M. (1985). The useful plants of West Tropical Africa (Vol. I). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Chapman, J. R. (1993). Practical organic mass spectrometry (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Cordell, G. A. (2000). Biodiversity and drug discovery: A symbiotic relationship. Phytochemistry, 55, 463–480. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)00242-8
Dalziel, J. M. (1937). The useful plants of West Africa. Crown Agents.
Dipti, B., Manisha, C., Ganga, L., & Binod, P. (2022). Ageratum conyzoides: A potential source for medicinal and agricultural products. Turkish Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 10(12), 2307–2313. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v10i12.2307-2313.5146
Dromey, R. G., & Foyster, G. T. (1979). Rapid calculations of elemental compositions for high mass spectra data (Working Paper No. 21). Department of Computing Science, University of Wollongong.
Ekundayo, O., Laakso, I., & Hiltunen, R. (1988). Essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides. Planta Medica, 54(1), 55–57. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-960038
Finar, I. L. (2004). Organic chemistry: Stereochemistry and the chemistry of natural products (Vol. 2, 5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Hiramatsu, Y., Adfa, M., Ninomiya, M., Yoshimura, Y., & Koketsu, M. (2013). Effect of 2,2-dimethylchromenes against the feeding behavior of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Journal of Pest Science, 38, 228–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0545-0
Hites, R. A. (1992). Handbook of mass spectral environmental contaminants (2nd ed.). Lewis Publishers.
Ho, M. H. (1990). Analytical methods in forensic chemistry (Chap. 2, pp. 16–20). Ellis Horwood.
Hussien, T. A., Salah-Eldin, N. M., Mahmoud, F. M. M., & El-Sayed, M. A. (2010). [Title not available]. European Journal of Chemistry, 1(2), 140–146.
Kamboj, A., & Saluja, A. K. (2008). Ageratum conyzoides L.: A review on its phytochemical and pharmacological profile. International Journal of Green Pharmacy, 2, 59–66.
Kitomura, R. O. S., Romaff, P., Young, M. C. N., Kato, M. J., & Lago, J. H. G. (2006). Antifungal activity of two new prenylated chromenes including one with a 6-carboxylic acid group isolated from the methylene chloride extract of the leaves of Piperonia serpens. Phytochemistry, 67, 2398–2402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.07.010
Lago, J. H. G., Ramos, C. S., Cassanova, D. C. C., Morandim, A. A., Bergamo, D. C. B., Cavalheiro, A. J., Bolzani, V. S., Furlan, M., Guimaraes, E. F., Young, M. C. M., & Kato, M. J. (2004). Some biologically active chromenes isolated from species of the genus Piper, including the prenylated chromene from Piper gaudichaudianum. Journal of Natural Products, 67, 1783–1787. https://doi.org/10.1021/np049929u
LeNoble, W. G. (1978). High pressure chemistry. In H. Kelm (Ed.), High pressure chemistry (p. 307). Reidel.
Igoli, J. O., Ogaji, O. G., Tor-Anyiin, T. A., & Igoli, N. P. (2005). Nigeria part II. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 2, 134–144.
Linstrom, P. J., & Mallard, W. G. (Eds.). (n.d.). NIST chemistry webbook (NIST Standard Reference Database No. 69). National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Mao, L., Henderson, G., & Dong, S.-L. (2010). Biological activity and the effect of precocene I on the termite soldier population. Journal of Entomological Science, 45, 27–36. https://doi.org/10.18474/0749-8004-45.1.27
Margolin, Z., & Long, F. A. (1973). Studies of the base hydrolysis of chloroform. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 95, 2757–2763. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00794a058
McLafferty, F. W., & Tureček, F. (1993). Interpretation of mass spectra (4th ed.). Wiley.
Miller, J. A., & Wood, H. C. (1968). The pharmacological activities of some classes of compounds obtained from the plant Ageratum conyzoides L.: Anti-depressant, analgesic, and antipyretic properties of simple chromenes and chromans. U.S. Patent No. 3,421,307.
Onwudinjo, F. U., & Nnoli, J. N. (2024). Assessment of the elemental composition of Ageratum conyzoides and its contribution to ethnomedicine. Adpebi International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences, 3(1), 11–20.
Paul, S., Datta, B. K., Ratnaparkhe, M. B., & Dholakia, B. B. (2022). Turning waste into beneficial resource: Implication of Ageratum conyzoides L. in sustainable agriculture, environment and biopharma sectors. Molecular Biotechnology, 64, 221–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-021-00409-5
Pratap, R., & Ram, V. J. (2014). Natural and synthetic chromenes, fused chromenes, and versatility of chromenes in organic synthesis. Chemical Reviews, 114, 10476–10512. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr500484x
Taylor, D. R., & Wright, J. A. (1971). A natural chromene from the Jamaican weed Eupatorium riparium Regel. Phytochemistry, 10, 1665–1666. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)85522-5
Wiedenfeld, H., & Roder, E. (1991). Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Ageratum conyzoides. Planta Medica, 57, 578–580. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-960061
Wiedenfeld, H. (2011). Plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids: Toxicity and problems. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 28(3), 282–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2010.547340
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Innovations in Science Education and Practice
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
