Evaluation of Antimicrobial Potential and GC-MS Profiling of Bioactive Compounds conferring antimicrobial potential in Achyranthes aspera L.

Achyranthes aspera L., commonly known as prickly chaff flower or devil’s horsewhip, is an annual or perennial herb of the Amaranthaceae family that grows up to a height of 1 meter. Achyranthes aspera has a wide geographical distribution across the globe. It is found in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia and the USA. The plant thrives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, wastelands, roadsides and agricultural fields. Even though the plant has been categorized as a weed, it possesses a range of pharmacological properties. Various parts of the plant such as the roots, leaves and seeds, have been used to treat a range of ailments including inflammation, gastrointestinal issues and skin conditions. The aim of the current study was to assess the potential antimicrobial activities of the methanolic inflorescence extract of A. aspera by determining the susceptibilities of various strains of microbes, Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus; Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungal strains Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata assessed by disc-diffusion assay. The bioactive compounds of the methanolic inflorescence extract were profiled using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The methanolic extract exhibited relatively significant antifungal activity compared to antibacterial activity. The highest antimicrobial activity was exhibited against fungal strain C. albicans. The GC-MS profile of the extract revealed the presence of bioactive constituents like cis-9-hexadecenal (4.63 %), n-Hexadecanoic acid (3.07 %), 1,3-Propanediol, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-nitro- (2.26 %), acetophenone (2.22 %), stigmasterol (1.47 %), gamma-sitosterol (1.07 %). The presented research provides evidence to substantiate the use of the plant as a nutraceutical agent against tested microbial strains.10.25303/207rjbt033042; (2025)