FLAVONOIDS FROM THE AERIAL PARTS OF CUBA SPECIOSA SPRENG., FRUITS OF MALLOTUS PHILIPPENSIS (LAM.) MÜLL. ARG. AND FLOWERS OF PUNICA GRANATUM L.

Mohammed Ali*, Shahnaz Sultana and Showkat Rassol Mir

ABSTRACT

Cuba speciosa Spreng. (Leguminosae) is a Leguminous plant and these species are used for improving human health, play an important role in nitrogen fixation in atmosphere and are taken as a source of fat, oil and proteins. Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Müll. Arg. (family Euphorbiaceae) is useful to treat abdominal diseases, bronchitis, dysentery, fever, hepatic diseases, malaria, skin diseases, spleen enlargement and as an oral contraceptive. Punica granatum L. (Lythraceae, Punicaceae) is a deciduous, multi-stemmed, small tree and its flowers are used to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, haematuria, haemoptysis, nasal haemorrhage, leucorrhoea, sore throat and ulcers of the uterus and rectum. Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of C. speciosa gave apigenin-4′-rutinoside (1). The fruits of M. philippensis afforded 7,4′-dihydroxy-3′′, 3′′-dimethyl-(5,6-pyrano-1′′-one)-8- (3′′′, 3′′′-dimethyl allyl)- flavanone (mallotusflavanone, 2). The flowers of P. granatum led to the isolation of four new chemical constituents identified as 4′β-hydroxynon-6′(Z)-enyl benzoate (3), 13-(15,19,19- trimethylcyclohex-16- en)-yl-2, 6,10-trimethyl-tridec-10-en-6,13-diol (punicasesterterpene diol, 4), 3,7,8,4- tetrahydroxy- 3- myrt-1′′- en- yl flavone (punicaflavonyl 3′-myrt-1′′-ene, 5) and α-D-galactopyranosyl-(6→1′)-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl- (6′→1′′)-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl-(6′′→1′′′)-O-α-D- galactopyranosyl-(6′′′→1′′′′)-O-α-D-rhamnopyranoside (tetragalactosidic rhamnoside, 6). The structures of all these compounds have been established on the basis of spectral data analyses and chemical reactions.

Keywords: Cuba speciosa aerial parts, Mallotus philippensis fruits, Punica granatum flowers, phytoconstituents, isolation, characterization.