Phytochemical investigation of sonchus oleraceus l growing in Egypt

ABSTRACT

The preliminary phytochemical screening and proximate analysis of Sonchus oleraceus L. [Asteraceae family] were presented. The methanolic extract of the herb was successively extracted with light- petroleum, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Lipoidal contents were detected in the light-petroleum and chloroformic extracts, while flavonoids were found in the ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts. GLC investigation of fatty acid methyl esters of the saponifiable fraction of the light-petroleum extract revealed the presence of palmitic, linoleic and linolenic acids as the major components. Beta- sitosterol, cholesterol, beta-amyrin and taraxasterol in addition to a series of hydrocarbons [n-Cl7-n-C30] were isolated and /or identified in the unsaponifiable fraction. The pentacyclic triterpene, friedelane-3, 21-dione, 25-o1 was isolated and identified in the chloroform extract. The percentage of total flavonoids determined by complexation with aluminum chloride was 0.1% w/w. Three flavonoid glycosides viz. Luteolin-7-O glucoside, apigenin7-0-glucuronide and quercetrin were isolated and identified in the combined ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts