PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ETHYLACETATE-SOLUBLE CONSTITUENTS OF MONODORA MYRISTICA SEED ISOLATED BY PREPARATIVE THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY (PTLC)

Ezeudo Ewuziem Nwaozuzu* and Godwin Chukwu Ebi

ABSTRACT

Monodora myristica (fam. Annonaceae) is one of the antimalarial plants in Ibo-Nigeria folkloric medicine with claims of antimicrobial and antifungal properties which have been confirmed by the authors in preceding preliminary studies. The Monodora plant is an ornamental tree with a height of up to 30m high, dense foliage and spreading crown. It flowers from September to April at which time the new leaves appear. The fruits are produced between April and September. They are about 15cm in diameter, green, round, woody and are suspended in a long stalk. The pulp is white and contains numerous seeds of about 2.5cm long. Previous preliminary studies on the plant’s seed by the authors showed that the ethylacetate-soluble fraction of its methanolic extract possess significant and higher antimicrobial properties than the ethylacetate-insoluble fraction. The study was therefore designed to evaluate the antimicrobial properties and potential therapeutic applications of the the ethylacetate-soluble constituents of the plant’s seed. Monodora myristica seeds were sun-dried, milled and extracted by cold maceration with 95% methanol. This methanolic extract was further fractionated with ethylacetate to obtain an ethylacetate-soluble fraction and an ethylacetate-insoluble fraction. The constituents of the ethylacetate-soluble fraction were then isolated by PTLC using pre-coated alumina and silica gel GF254 plates.

Keywords: Monodora myristica, Phytochemistry, Ethylacetate fractions, Preparative thin layer chromatography, Ibo-Nigeria folkloric medicine.