Isolation and Characterization of Triterpenes from Petroleum Ether and Ethyl acetate Extracts of Stem Bark of Parinari curatellifolia Planch Ex. Benth (Chrysobalanaceae)

Abstract

Parinari curatellifolia (Chrysobalanaceae) is a plant used in Nigerian folk medicine for cancer treatment. Through series column chromatography, betulin (lup-20(29)-en-3?,28-diol) and betulinic acid (3?-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid) have been isolated from petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts of the stem bark of Parinari curatellifolia respectively. The compounds were characterized on the basis of 1D-NMR (1HNMR, 13CNMR and DEPT-45, 90 and 135), 2D-NMR (HSQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY,  1H-1H NOESY), MS and IR spectroscopic studies. These two compounds are reported for the first time as constituents in Parinari curatellifolia. Key words: Parinari curatellifolia, Chrysobalanaceae, Betulin, Betulinic acid and Triterpene