GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN AQUEOUS AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF UVARIA CHAMAE

ABSTRACTS

Medicinal plants have been used for ages to treat different ailments in Nigeria. Uvaria chamae is a plant used to treat diabetes, ulcer and rheumatism. This present study aimed at investigating the phytochemistry profiling of extract (aqueous and ethanol) of Uvaria chamae using gas chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The study was carried out in two phases; extraction and isolation of compounds and phytochemistry profiling of extracts using gas chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry (operated in single ion monitoring mode). All the experimental protocols were in compliance with Institutional Ethics Committee guidelines as well as international accepted practices for use and care of laboratory equipment and materials. The result was compared with National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) Library data and 87 compounds were detected in aqueous extract whereas 77 compounds were detected in ethanol extract. This include the following compounds; Bicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene, 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-9-methylene- (4.48%), Aromadendrene, dehydro- (1.04%), Tricyclo[3.1.0.0(2,4)]hexane, 3,6-diethyl-3,6-dimethyl-, trans- (2.61%), gamma.-Terpinene (5.58%), Bergamotol, Z-.alpha.-trans- (1.68%), 1,3-Cyclopentadiene, 1,3-bis(1-methylethyl)- (2.22%), 1,3-Cyclohexadiene, 1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)- (2.77%), Androst-5-ene-3,19-diol, 3-acetate, (3.beta.)- (1.02%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (1.41%), 1,2-Ethanediol, 1,2-dimyrtenyl- (1.42%) in aqueous extract and Aromadendrene, dehydro- (1.40%), Bicyclo[4.4.0]dec-1-ene, 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-9-methylene- (2.05%), Benzyl Benzoate (11.52%), gamma.-Terpinene (1.59%), n-Hexadecanoic acid (3.99%), Glutaric acid, di(2-methoxybenzyl) ester (6.04%), Sorbitol (2.08%), 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-   (1.81%), Androst-5-ene-17-carbonitrile, 4-acetoxy-17-hydroxy- (1.25%), cis-Vaccenic acid (2.26%), 1.beta.,3.beta.,5,11.alpha.,14,21-hexahydroxy-, di-.gamma.-lactone (1.50%), Stigmasterol (2.24%) in ethanolic extract as the most predominant compound. This compound is known to have various antioxidant, analgestic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, sedative and antifungal properties. These bioactive compounds may be responsible for the medicinal properties of Uvaria chamae that form the basis of its use in herbal medicine in Nigeria.