A re-investigation of the phytochemical composition of the edible herb Amaranthus retroflexus L.

Abstract In this paper the presence of selected prenylated and unprenylated phenylpropanoids of nutraceutical value, namely umbelliferone, apigenin, 4′-geranyloxyferulic acid, 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, auraptene, and umbelliprenin have been determined in all parts of the edible herb Amaranthus retroflexus extracted with different methodologies. Roots were seen to contain the widest variety of unprenylated and prenylated phenylpropanoids both in terms of number of secondary metabolites and their quantitites. Findings described in the present study underline how A. retroflexus can be considered as a potential nutraceutical for human welfare.