Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract of Agathis robusta (C. Moore ex F. Muell.) F.M. Bailey

Abstract

This work reports the phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract obtained from the leaves of Agathis robusta (C. Moore ex F. Muell.) F.M. Bailey. The methodology utilised during this study comprised classical chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Six compounds were identified: agathisflavone (1), 7″-O-methyl-agathisflavone (2), cupressuflavone (3), rutin (4), shikimic acid (5) and (2S)-1,2-Di-O-[(9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoyl]-3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl glycerol (6). These belong to four major classes of natural compounds: bi-flavonoids (1–3); diglycosidic flavonoids (4); cycloexen-carboxylic acids (5); glycerol-glycolipids (6). To the best of our knowledge, compounds (3–6) were identified for the first time in this study as constituents of A. robusta. Anyway, the majority of these compounds has chemotaxonomic relevance and is mostly in accordance with the current botanical classification of this species. Moreover, they also present several pharmacological properties among which, the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and protective ones are the most important and may explain why this species is used in the ethno-medicinal field.

Keywords:

• Agathis robusta (C. Moore ex F. Muell.) F.M. Bailey
• phytochemical analysis
• biflavonoids
• chemotaxonomy
• ethno-pharmacology

Acknowledgements

The authors really wish to thank the Director of the Botanical Garden of Rome, Prof. Loretta Gratani, for collecting a specimen of this rare species and giving us the magnificent opportunity to study it.