Phytochemical Studies and Antimicrobial Activities of Balanites aegyptiaca Del

Abstract

In this study the leaves of Balanites aegyptiaca Del., which is widely used in the traditional medicine of Sudan, were phytochemically screened and found to contain flavonoids, alkaloids, sterols, tannins and saponins. One of the flavonoids (compound1) was isolated and purified from the ethanolic extract by thin layer chromatography (TLC) on silica gel using the solvent system butan-2-ol: acetic acid: water (5:1:4). A tentative structure of this flavonoid was deduced on the basis of its IR, UV and MS spectra and acid hydrolysis and it was found to be 8-(1-propenyl)-3'-ethoxyl-4'-hydroxyflavone-7- O-glycoside. The antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract of the leaves, the water extract and the isolated pure compound was evaluated against seven gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. The water extract was found to be the most active against Escherichia coli. Compound 1 exhibited weak antimicrobial activity on Bacillus subtillis and Staphylococcus aureus at concentration of 10%.