Betulin-3-caffeate and Amyrin from the Stem Bark of Barringtonia acutangula (L)

Barringtonia acutangula (Indian Oak) is an important medicinal plant of Bangladesh and India for its phytochemical and prognostic biomarkers in stem. This plant was selected based on its medicinal properties including antiasthmatic, anticold, antimalerial, antidiarrehal, antiprotozoal, antidyesntry stimulating properties. The coarsely powdered stem bark of B. acutangula was extracted with CHCl3. The concentrated extract was then fractioned with flash column chromatography using petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol. The column fractions were further fractionated with gel permeating chromatography. Extensive preparative thin layer chromatography resulted in the isolation of two compounds which were identified as betulin-3-caffeate and amyrin. The structures of these compounds were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. This is the first report of the isolation of these compounds from this plant stem bark.