GC-MS ANALYSIS OF THE METHYLENE CHLORIDE AND n-BUTANOL FRACTIONS OF THE METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF ANTIGONON LEPTOPUS (HOOK & ARN.)
AbstractAntigonon leptopus Hook & Arn. (family Polygonaceae), also called: chain of love, Queen’s wreath and Mexican creeper is a fast-growing vine with stems reaching up to 20 feet long. It has heart-shaped, green leaves climbing by tendrils which wrap around many types of supports. It is native to Mexico and commonly found in tropical Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. It possesses anticoagulant activity, analgesic, antithrombin, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-depressant activities. Aerial parts of the vine have been used as hepatoprotective and for spleen disorders. During the current study, the GC-MS experiment was conducted on both the methylene chloride and n-butanol fractions of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of the vine. Results revealed the identification of total thirty-five (35) and thirty-seven (37) compounds respectively in both fractions examined. Compounds were characterized by their retention times, mass spectra with comparison to online mass bank database. The presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, and organic acids in both fractions examined may be responsible for its wide pharmacological actions.