Analysis of Chemical composition of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. by GC-MS.

Abstract

Plants are a tremendous source for the discovery of new products of medicinal value for drug development. Today several distinct chemicals derived from plants are important drugs currently used in one or more countries in the world. Many of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. In the present study, the bioactive components of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. whole plant has been evaluated using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrum (GC-MS). Ten compounds in methanolic extract were identified. n-Hexadecanoic acid (25.63%) was the prevailing compound in methanolic extract, which is suggested to be an anticancer compound.

Full text

Research Article
ANALYSIS OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF CISSUS QUADRANGULARIS LINN. BY GC-MS
R. ESWARAN1, A. ANANDAN1, A.DOSS2, G. SANGEETHA3 AND S. P. ANAND2*
1Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, Tamil Nadu, South India,
2PG & Research Department of Botany, National College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli - 620 001, Tamil Nadu, South India.
3Department of Plant Pathology, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002, Tamil Nadu, South India, Email: dranandsp@gmail.com
Received:30 January 2012, Revised and Accepted: 1 May 2012
ABSTRACT
Plants are a tremendous source for the discovery of new products of medicinal value for drug development. Today several distinct chemicals
derived from plants are important drugs currently used in one or more countries in the world. Many of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic
modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. In the present study, the bioactive components of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. whole
plant has been evaluated using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrum (GC-MS). Ten compounds in methanolic extract were identified.
n-Hexadecanoic acid (25.63%) was the prevailing compound in methanolic extract, which is suggested to be an anticancer compound.
Keywords: Cissus quadrangularis, Vitaceae, Medicinal plant, GC-MS, Phytol.
INTRODUCTION
Phytotherapy, the use of plants to medical purposes, is one of the
oldest practices in the world. The traditional practice, based on
empirical data, is considered as folk medicine and the approach
based on scientific studies aims to extract and study active
components from plants. A wide range of medicinal plants parts is
used to extract as raw drugs and they possess varied medicinal
properties. While some of these raw drugs are collected in smaller
quantities by the local communities and folk healers for local used,
many other raw drugs are collected in larger quantities and traded
in the market as the raw materials for many herbal industries
(Uniyal et al., 2006). Plants used for traditional medicine contain a
wide range of substances that can be used to treat chronic as well as
infectious diseases. Clinical microbiologists have great interest in
screening of medicinal plants for new therapeutics (Periyasamy et
al., 2010). The active principles of many drugs found in plants are
secondary metabolites.
Cissus quadrangularis Linn. (Family: Vitaceae) is commonly
distributed thorough out the hotter parts of India and Sri Lanka
(Nadkarni, 1954; Chopra et al., 1986). The stem of Cissus
quadrangularis is also reputed in Ayurveda as alterative,
anthelmintic, dyspeptic, digestive, tonic, analgesic in eye and ear
diseases, in the treatment of irregular menstruation and asthma, in
complaints of the back and spine. Scientific studies have revealed the
Cissus extract to possess cardiotonic and androgenic property
(Chopra et al., 1986). Hence the present investigation was carried
out to determine the possible chemical components from Cissus
quadrangularis leaves by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrum.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant material
Cissus quadrangularis was collected in Trichy District, Tamilnadu.
The botanical identify of the plant was confirmed by Dr. V. Sampath
kumar, Scientist C, Botanical Survey of India (Southern Circle),
Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.
Plant sample extraction
50gm powdered plant material was soaked in 200ml of absolute
alcohol overnight and then filtered through whatmann filter paper
No.41 along with 2gm sodium sulfate to remove the sediments and
traces of water in the filtrate. Before filtering, the filter paper along
with sodium sulphate is wetted with absolute alcohol. The filtrate is
then concentrated by bubbling nitrogen gas into the solution and
reduce the volume to 1ml.The extract contains both polar and non -
polar phytocomponents.
GC – MS Analysis
GC-MS analysis was carried out on a GC Clarus 500 Perkin Elmer
system comprising a AOC-20i auto sampler and gas chromatograph
interfaced to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) instrument employing
the following conditions: Column Elite-1 fused silica capillary
column (30mm×0.25mm I.D ×1 μ M df, composed of 100% Dimethyl
poly siloxane ), operating in electron impact mode at 70 eV; helium
(99.999%) was used as carrier gas at a constant flow of 1ml/min
and an injection volume of 0.5 μ l was employed (split ratio of10:1)
injector temperature 250 °C; ion-source temperature 280 °C. The
oven temperature was programmed from 110 °C (isothermal for 2
min), with an increase of 10 °C/min, to 200 °C, then 5 °C/min to 280
°C, ending with a 9 min isothermal at 280 °C. Mass spectra were
taken at 70 eV; a scan interval of 0.5 seconds and fragments from 45
to 450 Da. Total GC running time is 46min.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The composition and identification of the main components present
in the Cissus quadrangularis are shown in (Table 1). Nine compounds
were identified in C. quadrangularis by GC-MS analysis. The active
principles with their retention time (RT), molecular formula,
molecular weight (MW) and concentration (%) are presented in
(Table 1 and Fig 1). It was found that the main constituents of leaves
n-Hexadecanoic acid (25.63%), 1, 2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis
(2-methylpropyl) ester (23.17%), Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester
(15.98), Phytol (14.35%), Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (7.57),
Caffeine (3.20%) and Dibutyl phthalate (2.00%).
The n-Hexadecanoic acid-, methyl/ethyl ester of hexadecanoic acids
are considered as fatty acids and these play important role in
biological process. (Aleryani et al., 2005; Bao et al., 2002). Like other
plants, Litsea glutinosa (Chowdhury et al., 2008), Suaeda maritime
(Leach et al., 1990), Alpinia hainanesis and Alpinia katsumadai (Nan
et al., 2004). Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, also known as Methyl
palmitate, in the methanol fraction is an aliphatic acid ester reported
to cause growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in human gastric
cancer cells.
Phytol was the main diterpene alcohols in methanol fraction. Phytol
in the methanol fractions is a diterpene alcohol which functions as a
precursor for Vitamins E and K1 and an antioxidant and a preventive
agent against epoxide-induced breast cancer carcinogenesis. It’s also
an effective vaccine adjuvant with no adverse auto-immune effects
(Daniet et al., 2011). Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, also known as
Methyl palmitate, in the methanol fraction is an aliphatic acid ester
reported to cause growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in
human gastric cancer cells (Anandan et al., 2012).
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research
Vol 5, Suppl 2, 2012 ISSN - 0974-2441
Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2011
ISSN - 0974-2441
Academic Sciences

Anand et al.
Asian J Pharm Clin Res, Vol 5, Suppl 2, 2012, 139-140
140
Table 1: The chemical composition of Cissus quadrangularis Linn.
S.No.
R.T
Name
Formula
MW
Peak area (%)
1
4.05
Pentane,1,1-diethoxy-
C9H20O2
160
1.41
2
18.25
3-Dodecanol, 3,3,11-trimethyl-
C15H32O
228
1.64
3
23.32
Caffeine
C8H10N4O2
194
3.20
4
23.78
1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester
C16H22O4
278
23.17
5
25.62
Dibutyl phthalate
C16H22O4
278
2.00
6
25.86
n-Hexadecanoic acid
C16H32O2
256
25.63
7
26.40
Hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester
C18H36O2
284
7.57
8
28.79
Phytol
C20H40O
296
15.98
9
29.48
Unknown
****
****
14.35
10
29.58
Unknown
****
****
5.05
Fig 1: GC-MS of leaves of Cissus quadrangularis Linn.
Caffeine 3,7-dihydro-1, 3, 7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione a white
powdered, water soluble plant alkaloid, is found in many plant
species such as coffee and green tea. Caffeine at submillimolar
concentrations exerts a wide variety of physiological effects on
different organisms and has long been known to have numerous
actions, including inhibition of phosphodiesterases, thereby
increasing intracellular cAMP, direct effects on intracellular calcium
concentrations, indirect effects on intracellular calcium
concentrations via membrane hyperpolarization and antagonism of
adenosine receptors (Muhamed and Al-Bayati, 2009). Caffeine one of
the methylxanthine compound has long been known to be a natural
ingredient present in coffee, tea and cola. It is highly lipophilic
compound that can elevate mood; decreases fatigue, relieve tension,
relax smooth muscle, bronchial muscle, stimulate CNS and Cardiac
muscle and also act as a diuretic (Mukhopadhyay et al, 2003.). The
common effect of caffeine when taken in high doses is increased
metabolic rate, irritability, sleep disturbance and gastrointestinal
aches (Ramarethinam et al, 2004.).
Thus the results obtained confirm the therapeutic potency of Cissus
quadrangularis used in traditional medicine. This forms a good basis
for the selection of plant for further phytochemical and
pharmacological investigation. So present work gives a direction for
future investigators to carry out research on the extracts and oil of
the plant so that they could get some medicinally important drugs.
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