Aim: To isolate and determine the chemical constituents of the stem bark of Cordia dichotoma (Forst f.), a plant used for medicinal purpose in folk medicine.
Materials and methods: Petroleum ether extract of the stem bark was used for this study. Saponification process was performed to separate fatty acid and unsaponifiable matter.
Results: One triterpenoids, α-amyrin was isolated from the bark by using isocratic elution. The chemical compounds isolated, for the first time, were analyzed by GC/MS, IR, and UV. The chemical composition of the fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs) in bark of Cordia dichotoma were also analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. After methyl-esterification, 17 components were identified in the bark. The derivatization conditions were investigated in order to validate this method.
Conclusion: The present analysis revealed that Cordia dichotoma stem bark contains 17 fatty acid. The principal themes of the review highlight the development and application of chromatographic techniques for the separation, isolation and detection of the compounds.
Keywords: Cordia dichotoma; GC-MS; fatty acid methyl ester; tri-terpenoids; α-Amyrin.