Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of bioactive compounds present in methanolic extract of the flowers of Punica granatum Linn.

R.Nalini¹ *,

The chemical components were analysed from the methanolic flowers extract of Punica granatum by using Perkin Elmer Gas chromatography and Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The results of GC-MS compounds in the extract were relevant to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. GC-MS analysis of the methanolic extract of Punica granatum flowers revealed the presence of 24 compounds including isoquerecitrin, 1,2,3 benzenetriol, N-hexadecanoicacid,
5,6,7,8,22 ,52 - hexahydroxy-42 -methoxy flavanone-7-â-D xylopyra noside (granatumflavanylxyloside), punicanyl benzoate, uroslic acid, 3,7,8,4’-tetrahydroxy-3’-myrt-8-enylflavone, squalene, and masilinic acid. The highest peak area (%) of
48.16 was obtained by 3,7,8,4’-tetrahydroxy-3’-myrt-8-enylflavone with retention-time 10.90 and the lowest peak area of 0.76% was obtained in Beta sitosterollaurate with the retention time of 34.98. Thus this type of GC-MS analysis is the first step towards understanding the nature of active principles present in this medicinal plant. The phytochemical analysis proved that Punica granatum could be a new potential source of raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.