New alkaloids from the leaves of Tecoma stans L. Bignoniaceae grown in UAE

Tecoma stans L. (Bignoniaceae) known as Yellow Elder, grown in United Arab Emirates was investigated for the first time, since it is used in Mexico as herbal medicine for the control of diabetes.(1). The leaves were collected from the gardens of UAE in June and July. The dried leaves were soaked in distilled water, ethanol and dichloromethane for 72hr at 25°C with occasionally stirring. The alkaloids in the plant extracts were separated by thin layer chromatography and detected by Dragendorff's reagent. In addition purification and isolation was performed by column chromatography and gradient elution with dichloromethane and ethanol. The detection of the major alkaloids tecomine, boschniakine and 5- hydroxyskitanthine as well as of two new alkaloids was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). Bacteriological assays for different aqueous, ethanolic and dichloromethane extracts of plant material were analysed to evaluate the antibacterial effect against gram negative and gram positive bacteria.

Acknowledgements: Dean College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah Medical &Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Microbiology department, Ras Al Khaimah Medical &Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Professor Tim flower University Of Sussex School of Life Science Department Biology, John Maynard Smith Building, UK

References: 1. Costantino, L.; Laura, R. (2003) Il Farmaco58: 781–785.