Phytochemical analysis of chloroform extract of leaves of Skimmia laureola

Abstract

The air-dried and powdered leaves (3 kg) of Skimmia laureola were exhaustively defatted with light petroleum ether (60-800). The petroleum free mass extracted with 90% ethanol. The ethanol extract was concentrated under reduced pressure and a suspension of the residue was made with water, which was washed with diethyl ether for several times and then partitioned with CHCl3:H2O:MeOH (6:4:4) in a separatory funnel. The chloroform layer was separated out and concentrated under reduced pressure to give CHCl3 extract (15g). The chloroform extract (10g) was subjected to repeated CC over Si-gel eluted with different proportions of n-hexane- CHCl3 and CHCl3:MeOH afforded β-stosterol (1), (E)-3’-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2’-propenoic methyl ester (2), (E)-3’-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2’-propenoic methyl ester (3), Identified as bergapten (4), Identification of these compounds were made by the analysis of their chemical and spectral data.