Abstract

Isolation and Identification of some Compounds from Cyclamen Rohlfsianum (Primulaceae) from Libya

Author(s): Fakhri A. Elabbar, Azza M. Habel, Nawil M. A. Bozkeha and Tahani M. Awina

Cyclamen rohlfsianum (Primulaceae family) is one of endemic plants growing in Libya (AL-Jabal AL-Akdar region), which is known locally as Rakf. It used in folk medicine in treatment of diabetic and the local Bedouin are using the tuber in the fermentation process of milk to produce cheese. This is the first chemical study on the plant. The chemical screening revealed the presence of phenolics, triterpenoids, saponins and steroidal compounds. Through chromatographic techniques of acetone extract (aerial parts), one compound was obtained and identified as Kaempferol in addition to four pure compounds obtained from hydrolyzed methanol extract (tubers), which were identified as Genistein, Hesperetin, Oleanolic acid and 7, 8, 4`-Trihydroxyflavone. The last compound is reported from primulaceae family for the first time. The structure of these compounds had been elucidated using spectroscopic methods (IR, 1H, 13C-NMR and MS). Two dimensions nuclear magnetic resonance technique (2D-NMR) and attached proton test technique (APT) had been used to confirm the structure of these compounds.