Isolation and Characterization of α –Amyrin from Stem Bark of Ficus exasperata (Vahl)

Aims: Isolate and characterize compounds from the ethyl acetate stem bark extract of Ficus exasperata.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemistry and Centre for Agrochemical Technology, University of Agriculture Makurdi, Nigeria; Herbarium of the Department of Biological sciences and Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Services of Institute of Leather Research, Zaria, between May 2013 and December 2015.

Methodology: Microwave-assisted extraction was used to extract the stem bark of Ficus exasperata using n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Vacuum Liquid Chromatography was used for isolation from ethyl acetate extract. Proton and Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy were used for characterization.

Results: Vacuum Liquid Chromatography of ethyl acetate crude extract gave rise to fraction N-8, a white amorphous solid a with melting point range of 225-227°C. Proton and Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra data of N-8 was consistent with those published for α-amyrin acetate.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of isolation of α-amyrin acetate from the plant Ficus exasperata. Alpha-amyrin acetate has been implicated in a number of studies as having broad spectrum activity against a lot of ails and may well be the leading principle behind Ficus exasperata’s various ethnomedicinal applications.