Characterization of Chemical Constituents of Tinospora cordifolia

Abstract

Tinospora cordifolia of the family Menispermaceae, known as Amrita Guduchi (Sanskrit), is widely used in folk Ayurvedic medicine and by Rasayanas to improve the immune system and body resistance against infections. Amrita is a constituent of several preparations like Amritarishtam, Dhanvantaramtailam, Cheriya rasnadi kashayam, and Valia marmagulika. However, practitioners consider Tinospora cordifolia as a genuine source for Amrita [1, 2]. The term, Amrita meaning divine nectar, is attributed to this drug in recognition of its capacity to impart youthfulness, vitality, and longevity to the consumer. The drug consists of dried stem with bark intact. It is widely used in general as a tonic, anticancer, antiulcer, antipyretic, antihepatitis, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, antineoplastic, cardiotonic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antiarthritic, and analgesic, and it has diuretic properties [3]. Tinospora cordifolia is a large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub. It is distributed throughout the tropical Indian subcontinent and China, ascending to an altitude of 300 m, and is commonly known as Giloya, Gurcha, and Amrita (Hindi), which is a Hindu mythological term that refers to the heavenly elixir that has saved celestial being from old age and kept them eternally young. It is known as Tinospora Gulancha in English. The stems of Tinospora cordifolia are rather succulent with filiform fleshy aerial roots from the branches. The bark is creamy white to gray, deeply left spirally, the space in between being spotted with large rosette-like lenticels. The leaves are membranous and cordate. The flowers are small, yellow or greenish yellow. There are auxiliary and terminal racemes or racemose panicles; the male flowers are clustered and the female flowers are usually solitary. The drupes are ovoid, glossy, succulent, red, and pea sized. Flowers grow during the summer. The seed are curved. Fruits are fleshy and single seeded and grow during the winter [4, 5]. Preparation of Plant Material. The stems of Tinospora cordifolia were collected during summer 2008 from Pousara, Katni (M.P.) India. The plant was identified by Dr. K. P. Sahu, Department of Botany, Govt. Autonomous Model Science College, Jabalpur (M.P.), India, and a voucher Specimen No. 16 from the collection dated 28 November 2008 was kept in the Department of Botany Autonomous Model Science College, Jabalpur (M.P.) India. The stems powder (7 kg) was subjected to hot extraction with MeOH by a Soxhlet extractor, and after evaporation of the solvent by a rotary evaporator, 8 g of crude extract was obtained [6, 7]. Isolation and Purification of Compounds. A small portion of MeOH extract dissolved in petroleum ether and solution was spotted on TLC plates. Then TLC plates were run trough various solvent systems and viewed individually under UV light. By classical chromatographic separations the compounds of the MeOH extract were separated by n-hexane–ethyl acetate (8:2), n-hexane–ethyl acetate (1:1), ethyl acetate–water (7:3), and finally with ethyl acetate–water (1:1). Nine fractions were found homogeneous on TLC plates using n-hexane–ethyl acetate (8:2), petroleum ether–ethyl acetate (8:2), and petroleum ether–methanol (8:2) solvent systems. These fractions were crystallized and named 1–9. Mayer Test for Alkaloids. Mercury dichloride (13.5 g) and KI (50 g) are dissolved in 1 L of water; this is used as a test for alkaloids, with which it gives a white precipitate. The first six compounds gave a positive test for alkaloids [8]. Salkowski Test for Triterpenoids. Five mL of each extract was mixed in 2 mL of chloroform, and conc. H2SO4 (3 mL) was carefully added. A reddish brown coloration of the interface was formed,which showed a positive result for the presence of triterpenoids for the three remaining compounds [9].