ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF ALPHA AND BETA AMYRINS FROM PROPOLIS OBTAINED FROM BENUE STATE

Abstract

Chemical composition of propolis has been reported to be phyto-geographical in nature. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize chemical compounds from hexane and ethyl acetate extract of propolis obtained from Gboko. To isolate compounds, extract was subjected to column chromatography by gradient elution using two solvent mixtures - hexane: ethyl acetate and ethyl acetate: methanol. The structure of the isolated compound was established using 1H-NMR and further verification of data on the compound by comparison with literature reports. α-amyrin, β-amyrin, α-amyrin acetate and β-amyrin acetate, known pharmacologically active pentacyclic triterpenoids, were isolated from the hexane and ethyl acetate extract of this propolis.