Flavonoids from Acacia Tortilis

Abstract

The genus Acacia comprising over 500 species, found in the warmer, drier parts of the World, chiefly in Arabia, Australia and Africa. 1 In India, there are about 22 indigenous species, distributed throughout the plains. Some of the Acacia species are of considerable value for reafforestation and reclamation of waste land. They are the good sources of tannin, gum and timber. 1 Acacia tortilis (Syn: A. raddiana Savi) (Leguminosae) was found to be a very useful source of protein. 2 The acid digest of cell wall constituents fibres and cellulose found in the leaves provide nutrients for the animals as fodder. 3 It is also used for the relaxation of smooth muscle. 4 Earlier investigations of this plant described the isolation of apigenin glycoside, 5 quercetin glycoside and isorhaminetin glycoside from leaves, 6 and n-hexacosanol, betulin, α-, β-amyrin and βsitosterol from the stem bark. 7 Medicinal properties and scanty work on this plant stimulated our interest to carry out its comprehensive investigation. We now report here the isolation and characterisation of a novel flavonoid 5,7-dihydroxy-4Ј-p-methyl benzyl isoflavone 4a, along with the three known flavonoids, apigenin, luteolin and quercetin from the leaves of Acacia tortilis.The dried and powdered leaves of Acacia tortilis (3 kg) procured from Yeman, were exhaustively extracted with light petroleum ether (60-80), benzene and finally with methanol respectively. The methanol extract was concentrated by heating over a boiling water bath under reduced pressure, and a brown gummy mass was obtained. It gave a positive colour test for flavonoids. 8 TLC examination in benzene-pyridineformic acid (BPF, 36:9:5) and toluene-ethylformate-formic acid (TEF, 5:4:1) systems showed it to be a mixture of several compounds. The brown gummy mass was purified by refluxing it with petroleum ether, benzene and chloroform. The semi-solid mass left behind was chromatographed over silica gel column. Fractional elution with benzene-ethylacetate

Antidiabetic Activity ofAcacia tortilis(Forsk.) Hayne ssp. raddiana Polysaccharide on Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide Induced Diabetic Rats

“…Oral administration of AEATP at all the doses significantly reduced HbA1c to near normalcy by 28 days of intervention as compared to diabetic control group. Several studies have demonstrated that flavonoids attenuate hyperglycemia [ 35 ] and reduced nonenzymatic glycation of proteins in animals [ 36 ] as Acacia tortilis was also reported to have flavonoids content [ 37 ] and might show the similar activity.…”

Isoflavonoids of the Leguminosae

“…raddiana (Savi) Brenan, but unfortunately, no voucher specimen was quoted). 120 Although the p-methylbenzylated B-ring is a novel feature, the fact that this isoflavone occurs in a species of subfamily Mimosoideae is of greater interest, as the number of Leguminosae isoflavonoids known to occur outside of subfamily Papilionoideae is extremely small (see Section 1.1.1).…”

Comparative study of antioxidant activity and validated RP-HPTLC analysis of rutin in the leaves of different Acacia species grown in Saudi Arabia

“…The genus Acacia (family: Fabaceae) is widely distributed in the arid zones, rainforests and in the drier parts of the world, including Arabian and African countries ( Hall and Johnson, 1993 , Ibrahim and Aref, 2000 ). Acacia contains 1350 species, found as shrubs of height 1–3 m ( Acacia iteaphylla ), small trees of 8–15 m ( Acacia excels and Acacia cambagei ) and tall trees growing to 20–30 m ( Acacia bakeri and Acacia melanoxylon ) ( Hall et al, 1972 , Muhaisen Hasan et al, 2002 ). Several Acacia species have been proved to be useful in the treatment of various diseases.…”