GC-MS Analysis of Young Leaves of Allophylus cobbe (L.) Raeusch. and Allophylus serratus (Roxb.) Kurz.

Background: Allophylus cobbe(L.) Raeusch. and Allophylus serratus (Roxb.)Kurz. (Sapindaceae) are medicinal plants traditionally used to cure bone fractures and other ailments in India. Objective: Present work was aimed at the identification of phytochemical compounds from young leaves of A. cobbe and A. serratus by applying gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Method: GC-MS technique was used for analysis of compounds. Results: It indicates 11 compounds from A. serratus and seven compounds from A. cobbe having mixture of terpenoids, alkanes and fatty acids. The major compounds found in A. cobbe were 1,1-diethoxy ethane (82.97%) (RT: 3.192min), phytol (7.07%) (RT: 43.690 min) and hexanoic acid (3.67%) (RT: 29.576 min) while in A. serratus 3-methyl butanol (53.16%) (RT: 3.223 min), 2-propenoic acid, 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl ester (27.08%) (RT: 13.94 min) and diisocytyl phthalate (4.49%) (RT: 52.584 min) were found in higher quantity. Phytol was detected from both species. Phytol possesses anti-radical, anti-cancer, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as used in artificial synthesis of vitamin E and vitamin K in cosmetics and fragrance industry. Conclusion: The abundant presence of phytol in leaves of Allophylus species (7.07% in A. cobbe and 2.60% in A. serratus) suggests that these species may prove helpful in prevention of degenerative diseases and application of these herbs in cosmetics which may prove a cost effective natural alternative to current synthetic cosmetics. Presence of industrially important chemicals like phytol, 1,1-diethoxy ethane, hexanoic acid, diisocytyl phthalate, 2-propeonic acid, 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl ester underlines industrial importance of these species which needs further research on this aspect to focus in detail.