EXTRACTION AND ISOLATION OF NATURAL PRODUCTS FROM MOMORDICA CHIRANTIA

R.C.Jagessar*, A. Mohammed

Natural products are the secondary constituents of plants. Research in natural products chemistry is significant as isolated natural products have medicinal values. In pursuit of medicinally active compounds, the dried leaves of Momordica Chirantia, bitter melon were solvent extracted and chromatographed on silica gel. The dichloromethane extract was separated and yielded three fractions of Rf values 0.27, 0.48 and 0.53. The methanol extract yielded five fractions of Rf values: 0.65, 0.88, 0.97, 0.98, and 0.92. The hexane extract yielded two fractions. The various fractions were collected and solvents removed in vacuo to yield white solids and viscous oils. Their spectroscopic nature is currently been investigated to establish purity and structural assignments. The medicinal activity of these compounds will be investigated.