PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF CYRTANTHUS OBLIQUUS BULBS FROM THE INFORMAL STREET MARKET OF KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

Authors

  • Nomfundo T. Mahlangeni School of Chemistry & Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
  • Roshila Moodley
  • Sreekanth B. Jonnalagadda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21010/ajtcam.v12i5.5

Keywords:

Amaryllidaceae, homoisoflavonoids, medicinal plant, traditional medicine

Abstract

Background: Cyrtanthus obliquus is a medicinal plant commonly known by the locals in South Africa as Umathunga. It is used in traditional South African medicine for the treatment of scrofula, chronic coughs and headaches and is also used to prepare the popular decoction known as Imbiza. Materials and methods: The secondary metabolites from C. obliquus bulbs were extracted using solvent extraction techniques, isolated using column chromatography and identified using spectroscopic techniques. The antioxidant potential of the isolated compounds was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay. Results: The extracts yielded four homoisoflavonoids, 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-(4ꞌ-methoxybenzyl)chroman-4-one, 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4ꞌ- hydroxybenzyl)chroman-4-one,5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-(4ꞌ-methoxybenzylidene)chroman-4-one and 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4ꞌ- hydroxybenzylidene)chroman-4-one. An unusual 3-β-glucopyranosyl-22,27-dihydroxy-lanosta-8-ene was also isolated from the bulbs. The antioxidant studies showed that 3-benzylchromanones have better activity than 3-benzylidenechromanones. Conclusion: Four homoisoflavanones namely 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-(4ꞌ-methoxybenzyl)chroman-4-one; 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-(4ꞌ- hydroxybenzyl)chroman-4-one and two 5,7-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-(4ꞌ-methoxybenzylidene)chroman-4-one; 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4ꞌ- hydroxybenzylidene)-chroman-4-one were obtained from Cyrtanthus obliquus.

Author Biography

Nomfundo T. Mahlangeni, School of Chemistry & Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Senior Professor of Chemistry

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Published

2015-07-31

How to Cite

Mahlangeni, N. T., Moodley, R., & Jonnalagadda, S. B. (2015). PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF CYRTANTHUS OBLIQUUS BULBS FROM THE INFORMAL STREET MARKET OF KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 12(5), 28–34. https://doi.org/10.21010/ajtcam.v12i5.5

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 5 (2015)

Section

Research Papers

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