Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of an endangered medicinal plant, Sarcostemma Viminale (L.) R.BR. from Thar desert, Rajasthan (India)

Abstract

Objective: Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R. Br. is one of the important endangered medicinal plants belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the possible bioactive phytochemicals from stem of S. viminale (L.) R. Br. using methanol, chloroform, and hexane as solvents. Methods: Plant material was collected from typical conditions of Indian Thar Desert in the month of July-September, 2016. This plant always grows in association with the congeneric plant, Euphorbia caducifolia. The phytochemical compounds were investigated using Perkin-Elmer gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, while the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract were matched with the National Institute of Standards and Technology library. Results: Maximum % area is found for Lup-20-(29)-en-3-yl acetate is present maximum amount (40.85%) with reaction time (RT)=43.787 minutes, followed by 4, 4, 6A, 6B, 8A, 11, 11, 14B-octamethyl-1, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 14A, 14B-octadecahydro-2H-picen-3- one$$olean-12-en-3-one# (13.74%) with RT=44.420 minutes in the methanolic extract; acetic acid 4, 4, 6A, 8A, 11, 12, 14B-octamethyl-1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 14A, 14B-eicosahydro-picen-3-yl ester $$ urs-12-en-3-yl acetate is present maximum amount (44.98%) with RT=48.265 minutes, followed by. beta.-amyrin (18.51%) with RT=40.580 minutes in the chloroform extract; acetic acid 4, 4, 6A, 8A, 11, 12, 14B-octamethyl-1, 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 7, 8, 8A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12A, 14, 14A, 14B-eicosahydro-picen-3-yl ester $$ urs-12-en-3-yl acetate is present maximum amount (45.47%) with RT=48.514 minutes, followed by. beta.-amyrin (19.21%) with RT=40.555 minutes in the hexane extract of stem of S. viminale (L.) R. Br. Conclusion: Medicinal plants contain one or more substances that can be used for therapeutic purpose; they are used by the world population for their basic health needs. The importance of the study is to investigate the pinpoint biological activity of some of these compounds so that they can be used by pharma or some other drug designing industry to find a novel drug.