BENGUET PINE POLLEN (Pinus kesiya) AS NATURAL SOURCE OF PHYTOANDROGEN

Abstract

The result of the qualitative (colorimetric) phytochemical screening of pine tree indicated the presence of tannins (group of phenols), alkaloids (nitrogen containing compounds), steroids (groups of cholesterol, estrogen and testosterone), flavonoids (hydroxyl group), saponins (glycosidic/sugar compounds) and cardiac glycosides (secondary metabolites). All parts of pine tree (pine pollen, bark, twigs, roots, needles, branches) were tested positive for unsaturated steroids/sterols. The quantitative analysis of the pine pollen extract was performed using Gas chromatographic mass spectrometry. The compounds present in pine pollen were tricyclo (C 9 H 12 ), pinene/careen/santolinatrienebicyclo (C10H16). These compounds are called terpenes, a hydrocarbon group. The testosterone content of pine pollen with an abundance of 1.25 x 10 6 was determined at 14 minutes. This testosterone content was confirmed when a standard 17-alpha methyltestosterone was also subjected to LCMS. Thin Layer Chromatography was also used to separate organic compounds. Under an ultra violet lamp, a change in the color of the yellow or brownish yellow spots in the developed chromatogram to red, violet, green or purple indicates the presence of phytochemicals.