Full Length Research Paper

Isolation and characterization of dipeptide derivative and phytosterol from Capparis tomentosa Lam

O. Akoto¹*, I. V. Oppong², I. Addae-Mensah², Reiner Waibel³ and Hans Achenbach³

¹Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Ghana.

²Department of Chemistry, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.

³Institute of Pharmacy and food chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Erlangen, D-91052, Germany.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: wofakmann@yahoo.com.

Accepted 13 August, 2008.

   Abstract

In this study, chemical investigation of the constituents of the roots of Capparis tomentosa was carried out. C. tomentosa is a medicinal plant used extensively for the treatment of various diseases. It is also known to be poisonous. The crude petroleum ether extract of the roots of this plant was subjected to column chromatography for separation. Progress of separation was monitored by thin layer chromatography. The isolated compounds were recrystallized for further purification. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by comparison of their spectroscopic data from IR, ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR and MS analysis with that of authentic samples. The isolated compounds were identified as 24-ethylcholestan-5-en-3-ol a phytosterol and a dipeptide derivative, N-benzoylphenylalanylaninol acetate.  This is the first time these compounds have been isolated from this plant.

Key words: Capparis tomentosa, dipeptide derivative, N-benzoylphenylalanylaninol acetate, 24-ethylcholestan-5-en-3-ol, phytosterol.