The genus Gomphrena (family Amaranthaceae) comprises approximately 120 species found in the Americas, Australia, and Indo-Malaysia; 46 species occur in Brazil, in savanna vegetation (cerrado), napeadic grassland (campo limpo), high altitude grassland (campo rupestre), and caatinga; only a few species are found in forest.1) A number of Brazilian Gomphrena species are employed in the treatment of bronchial affections, diarrhea, and fever, and as an analgesic, tonic, or carminative.1) This species show antimalarial and diuretic activities. 2,3) There are few phytochemical and pharmacological screening report on this genus. 1,4) In this paper we deal with the isolation, structural elucidation of constituents, antimicrobial activity and quantitative determination of benzoic acid derivative by TLC-densitometry.
ExperimentalPlant Material Gomphrena celosioides was collected in Paranaiba, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in December 1994 and authenticated by Prof. Josafá Carlos de Siqueira. A voucher specimen is deposited in the herbarium of Pontifical Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro (SCAB 4051).Extraction and Purification Dry powdered aerial parts (6 kg) and roots (3 kg) were macerated successively with hexane, ethanol and methanol.The ethanolic extract of the aerial parts (281.0 g) was submitted to partition successively with hexane and chloroform yielding crude extract: 1.6 and 20.0 g respectively. The extracts were chromatographed respectively over a vacuum column filled with silica gel (silica gel H, Merck). The elution started with hexane by using vacuum. Then EtOAc was gradually added until the eluant was pure EtOAc. Then methanol was gradually added until the final eluant was pure methanol. Fractions were collected and grouped according to the results of TLC. The combined fractions of the hexanic extract were submitted to analysis by GC with authentic substances. Identification of stigmasterol, sitosterol and campesterol was carried out by comparing their retention times with those of the standards. Final separation of the chloroformic extract by HPLC on a silica gel RP-18 (20ϫ250 mm) with MeOH : H 2 O (3 : 7) gave 4-hydroxy-benzoic acid (1) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzoic acid (2).The methanolic extract of the roots (60.7 g) was submitted to partition successively with chloroform and n-butanol. The butanolic phase was evaporated and chromatographed over a column filled with silica gel (silica gel H, Merck). The elution started with hexane by using pressure. Then EtOAc was gradually added until the eluant was pure EtOAc. Then methanol was gradually added until the final eluant was pure methanol. One hundred and fifty milliliters fractions were collected and grouped according to the results of TLC. Final purification by PTLC on a silica gel C-18 (20ϫ20 cm) eluting with MeOH : H 2 O (3 : 7) gave ecdysterone (3).The ethanolic extract of the roots (54.3 g) was fractionated by silica gel (silica gel G-60) column chromatography using reducing pressure. The elution system followed the procedure above-mentioned. Fractions ...