Chromatography Analysis of Fatty Acids, Volatile Compounds and Alkaloids of Ephedra alata Growing Wild in Southern Tunisia and Evaluation of their Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

In order to provide more information about phytochemical composition of Tunisian Ephedra alata known for their medicinal uses, fatty acids, volatile compounds and alkaloids have been analyzed in fresh or dry plant materials whether powdered or not. Extraction was performed with hexane and ethanol in soxhlet extractor and all extracts were analyzed by GC-MS. Phosphomolybdenum, DPPH and FRAP methods were used to evaluate their antioxidant activities. The dry matter present a more diversified fatty acids composition dominated by palmitic acid, oleic acid and linolelaidic acid. Hydrocarbons represent the largest group of volatile compounds, followed by alcohols. The most known detected ephedrine-type alkaloid characteristic of the Ephedra genus are dominated by pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, ethylephedrine. Some other compounds are mentioned for the first time in E. alata alkaloids such as azetidine, 1,2- dimethyl-3-phenylaziridine, N-ethyl benzamide and N-methyl-mandelamide. Lower total antioxidant and anti-radicular effects were shown with hexane extracts and alkaloid fractions instead the ferric reducing antioxidant power test showed the highest results with obtained alkaloid from powdered fresh and dry plant materials. Lipids, volatile compounds and alkaloids in E. alata that have been assessed could provide possible roles in case of human breast cancer and health benefits and therefore a research on this plant might be of value in drug industry.