Isolation and Characterization of a Dihydrochalcone from Detarium senegalense (J. F. Gmel.) Stem Bark and Biological Activity of Different Fractions

Abdel Karim. M. and Sakina, A. F.

ABSTRACT

Information on the constituents of medicinal plants used in Sudanese traditional medicine is very scarce. Hence,this study was set to investigate the flavonoids of Detarium senegalense which is widely used by local healers to treat an array of human disorders. Phytochemical screening of Detarium senegalense ethanolic extract revealed the presence of sterols, triterpenes, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, anthraquinones and cyanogenic glycosides. A dihydrochalcone was isolated from stem bark and its structure was partially elucidated on the basis of its spectral data(IR,UV,1HNMR and MS). The isolate was evaluated, in vitro ,for its antimicrobial activity against six standard human pathogens : two Gram positive(Staphylococus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) , two Gram negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacteria and two fungal species (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans) and promising results suggested that the dihydrochalcone is a plausible lead for further optimization.

Keywords: Detarium senegalense, Isolation, Dihydrochalcone, Antimicrobial Activity.