Polar secondary metabolites from Ocimum sanctum L

• Published in: Planta Medica
• Main Authors: Flegas, A, Milosevic Ifantis, T, Skaltsa, H
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 21.08.2013
• ISSN: 0032-0943; 1439-0221
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352181

The aim of this study was to investigate the polar constituents of Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae), which is used in ayurvedic medicine under the common name tulsi . In continuation to our previous studies [1 – 3], we now investigated the methanol: water (7:3) extract of its aerial parts. The extract was fractionated using RP 18 -MPLC, CC on Sephadex LH 20 (MeOH) and semi-prep RP 18 -HPLC and afforded trans -p-coumaric acid 4-O- β -D-glucopyranoside; 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid; protocatechuic acid; (-)-rhabdosin, a caffeic acid tetramer with a lignan skeleton; the neolignan shimobashiric acid C, recently isolated from Keiskea japonica -Lamiaceae [4]; apigenin 7-O- β -D-glucuronide and luteolin 7-O- β -D-glucuronide. The structures of the isolated compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic methods, including 1D- & 2D-NMR, UV-Vis. Our results corroborate with literature concerning the flavonoid pattern. The genus Ocimum L. is divided in three subgenera: subgenus Ocimum (sections Ocimum, Gratissima and Hiantia), subgenus Nautochilus and subgenus Gymnocimum . O. sanctum L. belongs to the subgenus Gymnocimum , which is characterized by the presence of flavonoid glucuronides, totally absent in the taxa of the other two subgenera [5]. References: [1] Skaltsa H., Couladi M., Philianos S., Singh M., 1987. Fitoterapia, LVIII, 4, 286; [2] Skaltsa H., Tzakou O., Singh M.., 1999. Pharmaceutical Biol., 37, 92 – 94; [3] Skaltsa H., Tzakou O., Loukis A., Argyriadou N., 1990. Plant. Méd. Phytoth., XXIV, 2, 79 – 81.; [4] Murata T, Miyase T, Yoshizaki F., 2012. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 60, 121 – 128; [5] Grayer RJ, Kite GC, Veitch NC, Eckert MR, Marin PD, Senanayake P, Paton AJ., 2002. Biochem. Syst. Ecol., 30, 327 – 342.