Application of Vacuum Liquid Chromatography to the Separation of Secondary Metabolites of Baphia nitida Lodd. Stem

Abstract

The observation that Baphia nitida Lodd. (camwood) is one of the medicinal plants used in ethno-medicine in West Africa as a result of its applications in the treatment of a wide range of diseases and ailments prompted the separation of the stem’s secondary metabolites. Vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) was applied in the separation of secondary metabolites present in the stem of the plant. Methanolic extract (30 g) was loaded on to a silica gel packed column. Gradient elution was carried out using binary mixtures of n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol. A total of 208 fractions were collected and combined based on the Rf values of the spots observed on thin layer chromatography (TLC). TLC spots were visualized under ultraviolet (UV) light. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy absorption bands of the fractions revealed the presence of functional groups like ether, hydroxyl, carbonyl, aromatic ring and methoxy. Spray reagent and UV light gave colours suggesting the presence of flavonoids, steroids, terpenes, terpenoids and isoflavones. Keywords: Baphia nitida, camwood, terpenes, vacuum liquid chromatography, secondary metabolites, isoflavones, steroids