Isolation and Characterization of the Flavonoids from Combretum aculeatum

Abstract

Photochemical screening of methanolic extract of combretum aculeaum leaves revealed the prsence of flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, coumarins and anthraquinone glycosides. Cyanogenic glycosides were absent. From ethyl acetate extract of combretum aculeatem, four flavonoids-compounds I-IV were isolated and purified by different chromatographic techniques.These compounds were identified via spectroscopic tools: UV, 1HNMR and MS.All isolates were found to be substituted flavones. When methanolic and ethyl acetate extract were screened for their antimicrobial activity against six standard human pathogens (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, staphyloccus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger), The methanolic extract exhibited significant antibacterial and moderate antifungal activity against the tested human pathogens, while the ethyl acetate fraction was compeletely inactive. In vitro anticxidant activity for the methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts was conducted and significant results were obtained for both methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts.