Isolation and Characterization of an Anticonvulsant Principle from Leaf Extract of Pyrenacantha Staudtii

Abstract

Pyrenacantha staudtii was investigated as a potential source of novel anticonvulsant drug nucleus. Systematic isolation of compounds in the non – polar extracts (i.e n-hexane and dichloromethane) of the leaves of Pyrenacantha staudtii was carried out using column and thin layer chromatography. The isolated compounds were characterized using infra red (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques to be bis(8-hydroxyl-2-methylnonyl) phthalate and bis(8-methylnonyl) phthalate. The two compounds were screened for anticonvulsant activity using mice. Bis(8-hydroxyl-2-methylnonyl) phthalate  showed appreciable anticonvulsant activity but bis(8-methylnonyl) phthalate did not.

Key words: Pyrenacantha staudtii, Icacinacae, anticonvulsant