Isolation and characterization of natural products from Helinus mystachnus (Rhamnaceae)

Abstract

In the present work phytochemical analysis of root extract of Helinus mystachinus was carried out. Root of the plant material was successively extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol. Phytochemical screening tests conducted on petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol crude extracts indicated that choloroform extract constitutes saponins, terpenoids and glycosides. Methanol extracts contains alkaloids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids and glucosides. On the other hand, Petroleum extract does not contain any of these compounds tested. Based on the phytochemical screening tests the chloroform extract was subjected to column chromatography and yielded two compounds namely, betulinic acid (1) and, benzoic acid (2). The structures of the compounds have been elucidated with spectroscopic methods (IR and NMR). Key words: Helinus mystachinus, Betulinic acid, Rhamnaceae, Benzoic acid, Solvent extraction.