A nontoxic antitumour compound from the leaves of Bauhinia scandens characterized as 1-O-alkyl glycerol by gas–liquid chromatography and evaluation of its antitumour property by Brine Shrimp bioassay

This is a report of extraction and identification of 1-O-alkyl glycerol present in the dried leaves of Bauhinia scandens. Fifty percent aqueous ethanolic extract of the plant at room temperature was fractionated over petroleum ether and diethyl ether. The diethyl ether soluble fraction showed positive bioactivity in Brine Shrimp bioassay. Isolation and purification of the active principle was subsequently done from diethyl ether fraction. The diethyl ether fraction was separated into acidic and neutral part. The acid free fraction was screened to be positive in Brine Shrimp bioassay. The NMR spectra (in CDCl3) indicated the probability of its lipoidal nature. The total lipid fraction was resolved into neutral, glyco, and phospho-lipids by column chromatography. Only the neutral fraction showed positive response to Brine Shrimp toxicity test, out of which again a Brine Shrimp positive fraction was separated by thin layer chromatography and identified as 1-O-alkyl glycerol. This fraction was acetylated and GLC analysis of the 1-O-alkyl-2,3-diacetyl glycerol was done. Our results demonstrate that the work may be cited as a nonhazardous and nonchemical management of therapeutic importance.