Isolation and Characterization of a Steroid Resembling Bioactive Compound from Saraca Indica Bark

Ravuri Venkata Rao*¹, AVVS Swamy², Tulasi Narahari³, Harika Boorsu^3
1Research Scholar, Department of Biochemistry, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagaruna Nagar, Guntur, A.P, India
²Department of Environmental Sciences, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagaruna Nagar, Guntur, A.P, India
³SARC (Scientific and Applied Research Centre), Hyderabad, Telangana, India

A B S T R A C T
The present investigation was intended to isolate and characterize a steroid like bioactive compound from the bark of Saraca indica. Moisture free powder of Saraca indica bark was extracted succesively using soxhlet. Hexane extract was checked by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and subjected to column chromatography for the elution of bioactive compounds. Fractions having same R_f value are combined to form a product which was analyzed by various analytical procedures. Among the three spots eluted, third spot in the fractions 250 to 290 (4% ethyl acetate: pet ether) yielded a quantity of 1.5g. Analysis of isolated compound revealed the prersence of alkyl, keto, aldehyde and alkenic functional groups with two carbonyl carbons ketone moiety, and a carbon bearing a single proton likely located next to the ketone moiety. The structural details for the Saraca indica compound obtained suggested that the metabolite was likely to be a steroid and the molecular weight was found to be 328.0040 with molecular formula C₂₁H₂₈0_3.
Keywords: Saraca indica, Soxhlet, Hexane extract, Steroid