Isolation, Characterization of Bioactive Compounds from Muntingia calabura - a Pharmacological Study

The extraction and isolation of biomolecules were carried out from the active fractions of Muntingia calabura which exhibited stronger antibacterial activity. Among all the extracts, methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of M. calabura stem bark showed strong antimicrobial activity. Bioassay guided fractionation of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts acquired from the hardwood stem of M. calabura was done using silica gel column chromatography (100 - 200 mesh) to identify the active fractions and to eliminate the non-active fractions. Hexane and ethyl acetate were used as eluent in different ratios. 5,8-Dihydroxy-6,7,4'-trimethoxy flavones, 6,4'-dihydroxy-3'-propen chalcone, 7-(alloxy)-2-phenyl-4H-chromen-4-one, 7-hydroxy-4-oxo-2-phenyl-4Hchromen-8-carbaldehyde were isolated and identified as flavonols. The structures were established from IR, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, and mass spectral data.