High resolution-mass spectrometry (HR-MS) analysis of Bryonia laciniosa L.

Abstract

Bryonia laciniosa L. (Family: Cucurbitaceae) is commonly known as ‘Shivlingi’ and is a highly valued medicinal plant in Ayurveda and Homeopathy systems of medicine particularly as a remedy for infertility. In the present study, sophisticated, highly reliable, and sensitive high resolution-mass spectrometry (HR-MS) was carried out for the determination of chemical constituents present in B. laciniosa. Phytochemical screening of methanolic extract showed the presence of saponins, sterols, triterpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and tannins. TLC of sterol-rich petroleum ether extract (SRPE) produced six major spots on precoated silica gel GF₂₅₄, using toluene: methanol (96:04 v/v) as mobile phase. The spots showed green, purple, light purple to violet colour spots in the Rf range of 0.2-0.91, after derivatization with the anisaldehyde-sulphuric acid reagent. Further, based on TLC, HR-MS analysis of SRPE was performed for the identification of phytoconstituents, at positive ESI (electron spray ionisation) mode. It indicated the presence of a total of 30 compounds including short fragments of peptides. The major compounds predicted in HR-MS: Q(quadrupole)-TOF(time-of-flight)-MS, as per METLIN database, were swietenine, ergosterol acetate, 4, 4, dimethyl-14α-formyl-5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol, L-olivosyl-oleandolide, mitoxantrone, isogedunin, 3S-aminodeconoic acid, and nisoldipine.