GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF ZANTHOXYLUM RHETSA DC. FRUITS

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to investigate important bioactive compounds, biological activities, and medicinal importance of Zanthoxylum rhetsa fruits.

Methods: The present work was carried out by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the identification of different compounds.

Result: The methanolic extract of fruits showed 32 chemical compounds which are identified through GC-MS analysis. Among them, some of the compound names and percentage values are as follows: 2-propanone, 1,3-dihydroxy (48.9%), 4H-pyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl (33.7%), 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-[hydroxymethyl] (50.2%), 1-Heptatriacontanol (34.4%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (zz)- (48.6%), cholestan- 3-ol,2-methylene, [3β,5α] (75.0%), 4H-pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl (90.8), 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 5-[hydroxymethyl] (92.0%), hydroquinone (64.9%), n-hexadecanoic acid (37.5%), octadecanoic acid (28.2%), 9,12,15, octadecatrienoic acid, 2-[(trimethylsiyl]oxy]-1- [(trimethylsiyl]oxy]methyl] ethyl ester, [zzz] (22.6%), 9-hexadecanoic acid (10.3%), digitoxin (18.8%), 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid methyl ester, [zzz] (25.5%), and oleic acid (16.5%). Most of the identified compounds in the crude methanolic extracts exhibit some bioactivities, namely anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, nematicide, pesticide, anti-androgenic flavor, hemolytic, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, insectifuge, antiarthritic, anti-coronary, cardiovascular, anti-breast cancer, aromatic, and insectifuge. On the basis of the above investigation, the fruits can be recommended as a treasure of bioactive compounds and it plays a promising role in herbal medicine.

Conclusion: The present study reveals that fruits of Z. rhetsa contain various bioactive compounds. Digitoxin is recorded in the ripened fruit of Z. rhetsa and it shows the anticancerous and cardiac arrest properties. Hence, in future, this plant will play a promising role in curing cancer.