Comparison of Bioactive Anthocyanin Components from Begonia Malabarica Lam. and Begonia Rex-Cultorum ‘Baby Rainbow’ L.H.Bailey by GC-MS Analysis.

ABSTRACT

Anthocyanins, derivatives of 2-phenylbenzopyryliumare are water-soluble natural pigments. Owing to extensive scientific research they have become not only the colouring food products but also therapeutic sources of bioactive compounds and continue to play role in the maintenance of human health. Begonia malabarica Lam. and Begonia rex-cultorum ‘baby rainbow’ L.H. Bailey are common ornamentals with varied leaf colour combinations were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry to determine the bioactive constituents present in the methanolic extracts of the leaves. Powdered leaf samples were subjected to Soxhlet extraction method with methanol and the extract was fractioned by GC-MS. Totally, 7 different compounds each from B. malabarica [phenol, 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl), hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z), methyl ester, 9,12,15- octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z), 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisooctyl ester, Spiro[furan-2(5H),2'(1'H)- naphtho[2,1-b]furan]-5-one, 3'a,4',5',5'a,6',7',8',9',9'a,9'b-decahydro-3,3'a,6',6',9'a-pentamethyl and androst-1-en-3- one, 4,4-dimethyl-, (5.alpha.)] and B. rex ‘baby rainbow’ [diethyl Phthalate, 1-(3,6,6-trimethyl-1,6,7,7atetrahydrocyclopenta[ c]pyran-1-yl) ethanone, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, 7,10-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, methyl ester, (Z,Z,Z), 5,9 methanobenzocycloocten-1(2H)-one,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10- octahydro-5,10-dihydroxy-3,3,7,7,9-pentamethyl and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisooctyl ester] were identified. All the compounds identified were medicinally proven for the treatment of various human ailments. Further studies are warranted to purify the lead molecules and to evaluate their biological properties including toxicological aspects for the development of novel drugs.