New Phenolic, triterpenic and steroidal constituents from the fruits of Cuminum cyminum L.

Abstract

Cuminum cyminum L. (Family: Apiaceae) is a small annual herb with slender, angular branched stem cultivated as a spice throughout the world. Its fruits are used to treat dyspepsia, insomnia, cold, fever, gastrointestinal, gynecological and respiratory disorders, toothache, diabetes, hypertension and epilepsy. Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic extract of the fruits of C. cyminum led to the isolation of a fatty acid ester identified as n- tricosanyl n- octadec-9- enoate (1) and five terpenic and steroidal constituents characterized as 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxynaphthyl geranilan-10E¹-al 1E¹-oate (2), lanost-5,20 (22)-dien-3I±-olyl n-docosanoate (3), labdan-6I±,16,20-triol-16-(10E¹,11E¹- dihydroxy anthraquinone-2E¹-oate) (4), stigmast-5-en-3I²-O-D-arabinopyranosyl-2E¹-benzoate (5) and lanost-5,24-dien-3I²-ol 3I²-O-D- arabinopyronosyl-2E¹- n-octadec-9E¹E¹, 12E¹E¹-dienoate (6). The presence of these phytoconstituents are reported for the first time in C. cyminum fruits and their structures have been established on the basis of spectral data analysis.