Phytochemical Analysis of Roots of Aloe gilbertii and Millettia ferruginea

Abstract

There are about 6500 species of higher plants in Ethiopia making the country one of the most diverse floristic regions in the world. Many medicinal plants are found in southern and south western parts of the country. Nevertheless, there are limited ethnobotanical information and knowledge on the chemical constituents of these medicinal plants. As part of the ongoing project to identify the chemical constituents of medicinal plants of Southern Ethiopia, a comprehensive phytochemical analysis was conducted on the roots of Aloe gilbertii and Millettia ferruginea. Phytochemical screening tests of the crude root extracts were done accompanied by complete isolation and spectroscopic characterization of compounds isolated from the extracts. Phytochemical screening tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinnes, and flavonoids in the roots of both plants whereas terpenoids were absent. Two flavonoids (1 and 2) and one known anthraquinone, 8-methoxychrysopanol (3), were identified from the roots of M. ferruginea and A.gillbertii, respectively. The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, DEPT-135, COSY, gHSQC and gHMBC) and comparison with literature. The presence of flavonoid and anthraquinone derivatives, known in literature for their various pharmacological activities, in the roots may be attributed to the wide traditional use of the plants.