ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NICOTINIC ALKALOID FROM CAESALPINIA BONDUC

Caesalpinia bonduc a medicinal plant belonging to the family caesalpiniaceae has been reported to possess a number of pharmacological activities. Phytochemical investigation have led to the isolation of constituents such as alkaloids, phytosterols, amino acids, phenolic acids, sugars, minerals, flavonoids and terpenoids. The objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize phytoconstituents from the leaf extract of the plant. The methanol extract of the leaf was fractionated by solvent-solvent extraction into petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate soluble fractions. Column chlomatography of petroleum ether fraction gave seven fractions (A-G). Column chromatography and TLC analysis of fraction A afforded two white crystals (1 and 2). The compounds (1 and 2) were characterised as 3-carboxylethyl pyridine and 3-carboxylbutyl pyridine respectively on the basis of spectroscopic (ID and 2D NMR, MS and IR) analyses.