Chemical Composition and Biological Properties of the Petroleum Ether Extract of Solanum macrocarpum L. (Local Name: Gorongo).

Aims: To investigate the petroleum ether extract of the unripe fruit of Solanum macrocarpum L. (Solanaceae) for its chemical components and its antimicrobial properties against Gram positive, Gram negative bacteria and fungi. Study Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria, between October 2007 and July 2009. Methodology: After authentication of the plant, extracts were prepared from the fruits of S. macrocarpum using Soxhlet apparatus. The petroleum ether extract was investigated for its chemical composition using GC-MS after it had been fractionated earlier using AGC. The extract was also evaluated for its antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion antimicrobial selectivity test using gentamicin (10μg/disc), ciprofloxacin (5μg/disc) and tetracycline (2.5x105μg/disc) as standards. Results: All the microorganisms used were resistant to the effect of the petroleum ether extract. However, a total of sixty eight (68) compounds were identified in the extract and its four (4) fractions, whilst only thirty eight (38) chemical structures of the identified compounds were shown because some of the compounds were common to all the fractions. Conclusion: The detection of 2-methoxy furan, 4-0-methyl-mannose, 2-hydroxy-ϒ- butyrolactone, 2, 3-dihydroxypropyl 9-octadecanoate, 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid and butanoic acid validates the antihyperlipidaemic property of the fruit of S. macrocarpum, so consumption of this fruit is recommended as a nutraceutical.