Optimized Analytical Techniques for Extraction and Separation ofBioactive Compounds from Diverse Plant Types

Abstract

Bioactive compounds (BACs) from plants provide unlimited opportunities for pharmaceuticals and natural agrochemicals development due to vast diversity of secondary compounds. Successful identification and development of natural products from plants necessitates a standard and integrated approach to screen compounds which aids in determination of dose response activity. We examined Peperomia pellucida (herb with fibrous root), Cleome viscosa (herb with tap root), Piper chaba (climber) and Artocarpus lakoocha (tree). In C. viscosa plants, BACs were collected from ‘Root Exudates Trapping System’ made of Buchner funnel and conical flask, while compounds were collected from P. pellucida by a self-designed horizontal tube like glass ware with stopper and funnel at either end. BACs are extracted from stem and leaves dust of P. chaba and A. lakoocha respectively. The basic sequential steps are same included grinding of plant parts, homogenization, vacuum filtration followed by liquid-liquid extraction in which BACs were fractionated into two major phases (ethyl acetate layer and aqueous layer). The extracts were further purified into a single pure compound by repetitive running through column and subsequently followed by thin layer chromatography and finally subjected to spectral analyses (viz. MS, IR, 1HNMR and 13CNMR) for complete molecular characterization. A new Phenol glycoside was isolated from Peperomia pellucida and Lactam nonanoic acid was recovered from Cleome viscosa. Four major compounds were recovered from Piper chaba and Artocarpus lakoocha with remarkable bioactivity but only the important fractions are described here. These new extraction techniques will extend and enhance the usefulness of plants as renewable resources of valuable chemicals.