NEW FATTY ACID AND AROMATIC MONOTERPENIC ESTERS FROM THE LEAVES OF DIDYMOCARPUS PEDICELLATA R. BR

Didymocarpus pedicellata R. Br. (Gesneriaceae) is a small herb growing in the subtropical Himalayas. It is used to treat kidney diseases, diabetes, diarrhoea, chest pain, cough, epilepsy, heart diseases, stomachache, splenitis, syphilis, wound and ulcer in traditional systems of herbal medicine. It is a major ingredient in polyherbal formulations such as Cystone and Safoof-e-Pathar Phori, which are prescribed to treat kidney and bladder stones. Chromatographic separation of methanolic extract of leaves yielded a new fatty acid ester characterized as n-heneicosanyl linolenate (1), and new aromatic monoterpenic esters identified as 3α-hydroxygeranilanyl-10-benzoate (2), geranilanyl-10-benzoate (3) and geranilanyl- 10-phthalate (4) for the first time in D. pedicellata. The structures of isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical means. The current study has enhanced the phytochemical nature of the plant. The isolated compounds may be used as chromatographic markers for standardization and quality control of crude D. pedicellata leaves and its marketed formulations.