Author(s)

Silvia Novelli, Canuti Lorena, Canini Antonella

Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.

Different classes of known alkaloid compounds were identified for the first time in leaves and barks of Ficus benjamina L. from Moraceae family. The identification of 28 alkaloids in F. benjamina leaves and 14 alkaloids in its barks was identified using chromatographic analysis as Gas Chromatography associated to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). This characterization analysis allows to verifying the presence of different alkaloids type-classes in both leaves and barks, such as isoquinoline class, indole class and quinolizidine class. The quantification results are deduced by analysis with spectrophotometric assay, using a calibration curve of boldine as standard alkaloid that reveals the presence of 26 ± 0.1 μg of alkaloids boldine equivalent in 1 gram of F. benjamina leaves and 3.8 ± 0.1 μg alkaloids boldine equivalent in 1 gram of its barks. A significant correlation was observed between the total alkaloid content of crude extracts and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH), suggesting that the level of antioxidant activity in this species is strongly correlated to the alkaloid content. These findings should provide useful information for future on the pharmaceutical properties of these alkaloids from F. benjamina.

Ficus benjamina, Alkaloids, Columbamine, Antioxidant Power

Novelli, S. , Lorena, C. and Antonella, C. (2014) Identification of Alkaloid’s Profile in Ficus benjamina L. Extracts with Higher Antioxidant Power. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 5, 4029-4039. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2014.526421.