SECONDARY METABOLITES FROM A LOCAL MEDICINAL PLANT - GARDENIA ERUBESCENS. STAPF. AND HUTCH

Abstract

A detailed Chemical analysis of the stem of Gardenia erubescens Stapf. & Hutch. was carried out. The crushed stem was sequentially extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol. Subsequently the Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts when subjected to phytochemical tests revealed the presence of steroids, flavonoids and saponins, while anthraquinones and alkaloids were not detected. The petroleum ether extract and the n-butanol soluble fraction of the methanol extract were further subjected to chromatographic analyses using a combination of column, TLC and preparative TLC. The TLC analysis of petroleum ether extract showed the presence of steroids and flavonoids as the major components. TLC analysis of the n-butanol soluble fraction of methanol extract however revealed only the presence of saponins. Purification of the petroleum ether extract on column of silica gel afforded, after further purification by preparative TLC, five known compounds, one fraction containing isomerie mixture of two compounds and one new bisnortriterpenoid compound. From the saponin fraction of the n- butanol soluble fraction of methanol extract, five compounds were isolated and identified. Four of these compounds were known while one was a new_ oleanene-type compound. A total of fourteen compounds were isolated and identified from both the petroleum ether extract and n-butanol soluble fraction of the methanol extract of the stems of Gardenia ernbescens. Characterization of the known compounds was achieved through spectral correlation with authentic samples and/or derivatisation and comparison of melting points with the known compounds. Full characterization of the new compounds was accomplished by use of 2D nmr experiments - COSY and 1H-13C nmr correlation spectra, assisted by NOE difference spectroscopy. The known compounds isolated and identified from Gardenia ernbescens in this work were: •D-Mannitol •Stigmasterol •Stigmasterol-3β-D-glucopyranoside •5-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavanone •5-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone •5-Hydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavanone •3β-Acetoxyolean-12en-30-oic acid •Isomerie mixture of oleanolic and ursolic acids •3β,23-Dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid •2β,3β -Dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid •2β,3β,23-Trihydroxyolean-12-en-2 8-oic acid and the two novel compounds were: •Erubescenone and •3β,23,24-Trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid.