Phytochemical and Elemental Characterization of Eleusine coracana Seed Extract for Preliminary Evaluation of Its Radioprotective Potential

Abstract

The study investigated the phytochemical and elemental characteristics of an aqueous extract of Eleusine coracana seeds using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). The work was undertaken as an initial characterization component of a broader radio protective investigation. NAA revealed a mineral-rich elemental profile, with potassium (K) being the most abundant detected element at 15460 ± 62 mg/kg, followed by rubidium (Rb) at 364 ± 9 mg/kg, sodium (Na) at 219 ± 1 mg/kg, bromine (Br) at 38.4 ± 0.2 mg/kg, zinc (Zn) at 55 ± 4.29 mg/kg, barium (Ba) at 23.9 ± 5.7 mg/kg, and iron (Fe) at 33 mg/kg. Several trace elements, including La, Sm, Sc, Co, Cs, Eu, Tb and Th, were also detected, while As, U and Sb were below the detection limit. FTIR analysis showed characteristic absorption bands between 3160.8 and 663.5 cm⁻¹, indicating molecular groups associated with O–H/N–H, C–H, amide, carboxylate, phospholipid, carbohydrate and aromatic structures. The most prominent absorbance values included 0.373 at 1576.7 cm⁻¹ and 0.380 at 1039.9 cm⁻¹. A theoretical background based on electromagnetic photon energy, molecular vibrational absorption and the Beer–Lambert law is presented to provide a physics-based framework for interpreting the spectral data. The combined NAA and FTIR findings demonstrate that the extract contains nutritionally relevant elements and diverse functional groups that may contribute to its biological activity and warrant further investigation of its radio protective potential.