Phytochemical analysis of N-Hexane nut extract of Tetracarpidium conophorum (Euphorbiaceae) using Ultraviolet-Visible, fourier transform infrared and gas chromatography mass spectrometry techniques

Abstract

The use of African walnut, Tetracarpidium conophorum had been in existence for time immemorial among the West African coastal region and sub-saharan Africa. Ethno-medicinal uses of the above nut include remedy for stomach ache, sperm boost as well as treatment of bacterial infection. The aim of the study was to chemo-metrically profile the bio active principle present in n-hexane nut extracts of T. conophorum which will be useful in the justification of the ethno-medicinal uses and claims. Chemometric profile of n-hexane nut extract of T. conophorum was performed by using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), (UV-2500pc Spec), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) model-8400S spec.) and GC-MS (model-QP 2010 plus Spec). The compound detection employed the NIST Ver.2.0 – year 2005 library. The biological activity are based on Dr. Duke`s phytochemical and ethnobotanical databases. Peaks corresponding to carotenoids and its derivatives were revealed by the UV-VIS spectroscopy. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of alcohol, alkenes, alkanes, esters, and Carboxylic acid functional groups. The chemo-metric profile of the n-hexane nut extract of T. conophorum revealed eleven phyto-chemotypes with different pharmacological activities, overall, methyl (8E, 11E, 14E)- 8,11, 14 –icosatrienoate (31.61%) and Oleic acid (57.27%) was the prevailing compounds. Their presence provides important scientific evidence for their ethno-medicinal use and thus recommended as a plant of phyto-pharmaceutical importance.