Abstract

EVALUATION OF THE ANTI-TUMOUR AGENTS IN ANNONA MURICATA (LINN.) LEAVES USING COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY - MASS SPECTROMETRY

Cynthia Ekwy Ogukwe*, Chris O. Akalezi, Brendan Okechukwu Ezugwu and Henry Ebuka Ojukwu

Abstract

Annona muricata which belongs to the family of “Custard-Apple” plants of Annonacae family. has been widely used for its therapeutic benefits. This study was under taken to evaluate the antitumour properties of Annona muricata leaves, ethanol extract using column and GC-MS analysis. GC-MS (QP2010SE) analysis of the Annona muricata ethanolic leaves extract showed 45 phytocomponents. Some of the prevailing components were 1-Pentadecene (3.21%), 1- Nonadecene (5.63%), Heptacosane (1.06%), 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)- ,phenylmethyl ester (2.17%), 1-Nonadecene (5.52%), 2- Pentadecanone, 6,10,14-trimethyl- (2.67%), Phthalic acid, butyl tetradecyl ester (2.54%), Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (2.94%), 7,9-Di-tert-butyl-1-oxaspiro(4,5) deca-6,9-diene-2,8-dione (1.12%), n- Tetracosanol-1 (3.51%), n-Nonadecanol-1 (2.81%), 1-Heptacosanol (4.41%), Bis (2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (7.63%). The presence of n-Tetracosanol-1, n-Nonadecanol-1 and 1- Heptacosanol suggest the probable use of the plant in ethno-medicine for the treatment of tumour related ailments and other diseases.

Keywords: Annona muricata leaves, Anti-tumour, ethanol extract, GC-MS.