BackgroundEmilia sonchifolia (L.) DC is an annual herbaceous plant used in the Ayurveda and Unani therapeutic systems. It treats various conditions such as diarrhea, sore throat, night blindness, rashes, fever, measles, earache, eye inflammation, ophthalmia, asthma, malaria, stomach tumors, chest pain, liver diseases, cuts, and wounds. PurposeThis study aimed to assess the functional groups and bioactive compounds present in the leaves of E. sonchifolia using FT-IR and GC-MS analyses and explore their antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer effects. Materials and methodsDifferent leaf extracts of E. sonchifolia were subjected to Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses to determine the presence of functional groups and for chemical characterization. Biological evaluations such as antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS assays) and antidiabetic (α-amylase enzyme inhibition and glucose uptake using yeast cell assays) and anticancer (HepG2 cell lines) potentials were also analyzed. ResultsFT-IR analysis revealed the presence of various functional groups such as amines, alcohols, alkanes, alkenes, halo compounds, aldehydes, sulfates, esters, phenols, and carboxylic acids. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 32 bioactive compounds in different leaf extracts. Among the extracts, petroleum ether (16) contained the highest number of chemical compounds, followed by ethanol (14), chloroform (9), and acetone (4). Lanosterol was the most significant compound in petroleum ether extract, whereas phytol (44.05 %) in the acetone extract and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid in the chloroform (82.47 %) and ethanol (50.49 %) extracts. The ethanol leaf extract showed the highest antioxidant potential in DPPH (63.38±0.46 µg/mL) and ABTS (60.74±0.59 µg/mL) assays. It also showed better results in antidiabetic activity in both α-amylase enzyme inhibition (135.69±2.08 µg/mL) and glucose uptake using yeast cell (114.37±1.71 µg/mL) assays. Ethanol leaf extract exhibits good anticancer activity with 59.52±0.76 µg/mL against HepG2 cell line. ConclusionFTIR and GC-MS analyses confirmed the presence of bioactive functional groups and phytoconstituents. These results justify the leaves as a traditional remedy in Ayurveda and Unani therapeutic systems. Antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer assays suggested that E. sonchifolia leaves have good antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticancer potential compared to standards. Further studies are required to identify the chemical compounds responsible for these activities.
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