New Phytochemical Profile by GC-MS of Toluene Extract of Rhizomes from Smilax Domingensis in Cuba
Abstract
A preliminary chemical characterization of main components of toluene extract with dried rhizomes of Smilax domingensis Willd. that grow in Cuba was done using a GCMS-QP2010 Ultra Shimadzu and the mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) libraries. After sample derivatization 893 chemical compounds were registered by the equipment and from them, 30 different chemical components were characterized and reported for the first time from this part of the plant in our country. The results demonstrate that the developed method could be employed as a rapid and versatile analytical technique for identification of chemical constituents and quality control of Smilax domingensis.
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Introduction
Smilax domingensis Willd, Smilacaceae, known as bejuco chino or raíz de china, zarzaparrilla de la tierra (Cuba); bejuco de membrillo, dunguez blanco (Puerto Rico); chiquihuite (México), is a climbing shrub from Tropical America. The rhizome is popularly used in medicine as anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, depurative, sudorific, anti-asthmatic, anti-herpetic, antirheumatic and for venereal diseases (Roig, 2014).
Smilacaceae is a family of climbing shrubs represented by the single genus Smilax with close to 250 species worldwide, present with 26 species in Mesoamerica (Huft, 1994). Widely used since ancient times, the main species reported are Smilax aristolochiaefolia Mill., S. febrifuga Kunth, S. ornata Hook, and S. regelii Killip & Morton, characterized by roots and small rhizomes used as antiseptic and anti-pruritic drug (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 1983).
Smilax domingensis Willd. is native from Tropical America, growing in lowlands, in humid forests of wide-leaved species (Standley & Steyermark, 1952). Although widely used, there are several taxonomic difficulties. Few anatomic studies of American Smilax have been carried out, particularly for species from Argentina (Guaglianone & Gattuso, 1991) and Brazil (Andreata, 1997).
In the scientific literature, there are some data of the phytochemical components and pharmacological actions while a small number of data of standards for identification and authentication about Smilax domingensis Willd. In Cuba, there is not available information for this spice. The main components found and shared by most species of the genus are the steroidal saponins, phytosterols, and triterpenoids (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 1983).
Conclusion
GC-MS is frequently applied to characterize the chemical complexity of analytical samples based on its separation and identification capacity. Following solvent extraction and derivatization, 30 metabolites from different chemical groups can be characterized in one analytical run with a high percentage of coincidence of those compounds characterized by the same methodology in ethanolic extract from this part of the plant, principally sugars and/or derivatives and carboxylic acids. Six new phytochemical components were tentatively detected, although the authors not discarding the presence of two chemical compounds that belongs to aminoacids group. The results from plant research to exemplify the applicability of GC-MS profiling and concurrent detection and identification of six principal groups of chemical components and other cyclic structures. Based on experimental data from own research, the present research has emphasized the capabilities of GC-MS to deduce chemical information on diverse compounds found in complex mixtures of plant metabolites. The compounds identified can be also used as biomarkers especially for S. domingensis due to little research has been published for this species. Further studies are needed to establish the molecules responsible for the chemical composition and the biological activities attributed to this rhizome, specially using HPLC-MS or LC-NMR. Saponins still remain indeterminable in extracts from S. domingensis in our country.