ChemInform Abstract: Chemical Examination of Citrullus colocynthis Roots

Abstract

Citrullus colocynth is (Hindi: Indrayan) belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. The . roots have beneficiary effects in inflammation of breast, pain in joints, in opthalmia and in uterine pains. In rheumatism equal . parts of root and long pepper is prescribed. A paste of the root is applied to enlarged abdomen of the children. I Oral administration of root powder and muscular injection is used for testicular enlargement and in Hernia. The ethanol extract of roots, shoot and fruits have exhibited antimicrobial activitiesY Literature survey revealed the presence of steroidal sapogenins, diosgenin, kryptogenin, lanosterol and ~­ sitosterol in various parts of C. colocynthis. Many medicinal properties of various parts particularly fruit , pulp and roots have motivated us, for the chemical investigation of its roots. Herein we report the isolation and characterisation of three new and four known aliphatic acids, esters and alcohols from acetone extract of the roots. The shade dried roots were extracted with acetone and separated by column chromatography using silica gel and alumina grade III to yield seven compounds characterised as tridecyl 2-methyl-19-ene-triacontanoate, heptadecyl trieicosanoate, nonaeicosanol, dotriacontanol, I-hentriacontanol, dotriacontanoic acid and tetraeicosanoic acid. Tlidecyl 2-methyl-19-ene-triacontanoate 1. (20 mg, C44Hs60 2, M ~ 646), mp 67°C; its IR spectrum showed the presence of ester and olefinic group (1740, 1170 and 1680 cmI ) and aliphatic nature of o CH3 II I H:>C-(criVI2-0-C-CH-(C~16-CH=CH-(criV9-CH::l