Volatile constituent of sea purse , dioclea reflexa root

Introduction Essential oils are volatile, natural mixtures of complex compounds, mainly monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, characterized by strong odour and possess some therapeutic properties [1]. Their utilization is influenced by the nature of their constituents which has widespread application in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, flavour and fragrant industries. In agriculture, they are used as food preservers and additives and as natural remedies, owing to their notable antimicrobial and antioxidant properties [2]. Essential oils extracted through steam distillation from aromatic and medicinal plants are well known for spasmolytic, carminative, antiviral, anticarcinogenic or hepatoprotective [3,4,5,6]. They also possess therapeutic properties such as anaesthetic (e.g Peppermint), anti-asthmatic (e.g. Cupressus lusitanica), anti-venomous (e.g. Ocimum gratissium) and anti-hypertension (e.g. Hyssopus officinalis) etc [1]. Dioclea reflexa (Fabaceae) is a woody climber with foliates phyllotaxy. Their bat-pollinated flowers and pods are produced on long, rope-like stems that hang from the forest canopy. The seed pods are covered with microscopic velvety hairs. In the Caribbean region and Central American, the hairs were stirred into honey or syrup as a remedy to dispel intestinal parasites. The seeds are also known as ‘sea purse’ because they are commonly carried by rivers into the ocean [8,9]. It is known as “Agbaarin” among the Yorubas of the western Nigeria, where it is used traditionally for treatment of various ailments such as backache, symptoms of stomach ulcers, asthma, head-lice, stimulant, dandruff and tuberculosis [19]. Extracts from the leave of this specie has shown pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial activity [7]. There is no previous report on the chemical analysis of essential oils from Dioclea reflexa. The study, therefore, was designed to analyse the essential oils from the root of the plant. Thus, we are reporting the volatile constituent of D. reflexa root for the first time. Experimental Plant Material Root of mature and well established D. reflexa plant was collected from Eruwa township in Ibarapa East Local Government area of Oyo state, Nigeria (N 736’, E 328’), in the month of October, 2010, and identified by a plant Taxonomist, at the Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. The root was cleaned, chopped and air dried at room temperature for 4 weeks. Extraction The root (300 g) was hydrodistilled for 4 hours in an allglass Clevenger-type apparatus in accordance with the British pharmacopoeia method [10]. The weighed oil collected in well capped bottle was dried over anhydrous Sodium sulphate and stored at 4 C in the dark prior to analysis. Gas Chromatography (GC) Analysis GC analysis of the oil extract was performed using a Shimadzu model QP 2010 chromatograph. An HP-Innowax FSC column (30 m x 0.25 mm, with 0.25 μm film thickness) was used with Helium as carrier gas at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The GC oven temperature was kept at 60C (hold for 0 min), and programmed to reach 140C at a rate of 5C /min, then kept constant at 280C for 10 min being the final hold time. The split ratio was adjusted to 50:1. The injector temperature was set at 200C. GC-MS Analysis GC-MS analysis was carried out using a Shimadzu model QP 2010 chromatograph system with split/split less injector to a 5973 mass selective detector. HP-Innowax FSC column (30 m x 0.25 mm, with 0.25 μm film thickness) was used with Helium as carrier gas (1 ml/min). The GC operating parameters were identical with those of the GC-analysis above. Mass spectra were recorded at 70 eV. The acquisition mass range was 30-500 m/z. Data was analysed using MSD ChemStation software.