Isolation and Partial Characterization of 11-Octadecenoic Acid Methyl Ester and Bis (2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate from Celtis integrifolia Lam

Introduction: Celtis integrifolia Lam is a traditional medicinal plant used as a remedy for the cure of diarrhea, measles, bleeding, ecbolic, sore throat and as an antinociceptive agent.

Aim: The study was aimed at the isolation and partial characterization of phytocompounds from Celtis integrifolia crude extract.

Methodology: The stembark sample was powdered and extracted using maceration technique with methanol. The extract was filtered using cotton wool and clarified using Whatmann No.1 filter paper. The filtrate was concentrated on a rotavapor at 45oC. The crude extract was then reconstituted in water and partitioned successively with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol. The ethyl acetate and the n-hexane fractions were concentrated and subjected to purification on column chromatography.

Results: Gradient elution of extract fractions on open-column chromatography yielded two compounds coded CiL1 and CiL2 from the n-hexane and ethyl acetate fractions respectively. The isolated compounds were characterized using spectroscopic data from Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and literature database. Compound CiL1 with Rf = 0.43 in hexane: Ethyl acetate (9:1) was identified as 11-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester while Compound CiL2 isolated from ethyl acetate fraction as a yellow substance with Rf = 0.38 in hexane: ethyl acetate (8:2) was identified as bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

Conclusion: The study showed the presence of 11-octadecenoic acid methyl ester and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in the stembark extract of Celtis integrifolia Lam. These two phytocompounds are reported for the first time from Celtis integrifolia Lam based on available literature. Since the presence of phytochemical substances is believed to be the basis of any observed pharmacological activity, the study therefore lends credence to the traditional medicinal uses of Celtis integrifolia Lam.