Planta Med 2016; 82 - PC74
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1578776

Phytochemical And Biological Investigation Of Pinus Roxburghii

RM Labib 1, 2, SVS Radhakrishnan 2, SA Ross 2, 3
  • 1Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
  • 2National Center for Natural Product Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 3Departmant of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA

Genus Pinus consists of 110 to 120 species that are distributed throughout temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Pinus roxburghii (Pinaceae), commonly known as chir pine is a tall tree with a spreading crown found in the Himalayan from Kashmir to Bhutan, Afghanistan and in Southern Indian hills. It is used in treatment of bronchial infection, chronic rheumatism, skin diseases, convulsion, and ulcers [1]. The resin is applied to cure boils [2] and administered orally to combat gastric troubles [3]. P. roxburghii plant bark was extracted with aqueous ethanol and fractionated over silica gel to yield 15 fractions. Repeated column chromatography and re-crystallizations led to isolation of thirteen compounds, which were identified as, two xanthones: 2,4,7-trihydroxyxanthone & 1,3,7-trihydroxyxanthone, six flavonoids: flavan-3-ol, taxifolin, quercetin, 5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy dihydroflavanol-3-O-rhamnoside, querectin-3-O-rhamnoside & isorhamnetin-3-O-rhamnoside, a triterpene: 3-methoxy-14-serraten-21-one, four phenolic compounds: methylprotocatechuate, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and octacosyl ferulate. All the fractions and isolated compounds were submitted for biological studies to check for cannabinoid and opioid receptor binding.

Acknowledgements: The project was supported by Egyptian Government, NCNPR & Award Number P20GM104932 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

References: [1] Pawan K, et al. (2014) Research Journal of Phytochemistry, 8: 42 – 46. [2]. Rajbhandari KR, [2001] Ethnobotany of Nepal. Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal, Kathmandu. [3] Manandhar NP, [2002] Plants and people of Nepal. Timber Press Inc., Portland, Oregon.