Phytochemical Study of Sacoglottis gabonensis (Baill.) Urb. Isolation of Bioactive Compounds from the Stem Bark

Aims: The main objective of the study was to isolate biomolecules from Sacoglottis gabonensis, and also to identify its antimicrobial active principles.

Study Design: Chromatographic separation of biomolecules from the stem bark extract of S. gabonensis and spectral analysis of the isolated compounds.

Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Scientific and Technical University of Masuku, Box. 223(Potos), Franceville, Gabon, and International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan, between January 2014 and March 2015.

Methodology: The stem bark extract of S. gabonensis was fractionated by means of silica gel column chromatography, and the isolated biomolecules characterized through extensive spectroscopic analyses.

Results: Two bioactive substances, involved in the antimicrobial property of the plant were isolated, and their structures assigned as known compounds, bergenin and gallic acid.

Conclusion: The compound gallic acid was isolated from S. gabonensis by using Column chromatography for the first time. Bergenin and gallic acid can be considered as antimicrobial active principles of S. gabonensis.