PHOTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON CAPPARIS BECIDUA

The thesis is divided into three parts. Part I describes a study made on the alkaloid of a shrub capparis decidua (Capparidaceae). Part II records an investigation of the alkaloidal constituents of a medium size tree prosopis glandulosa (Mimosacease). Part III describes some laboratory experiments on the antimicrobial activity of extracts and pure compounds obtained from these two plants.Part I. Capparis decidua is utilized in folk medicine to cure rheumatism and as counter-irritant. From root bark of this plant a new and novel indole alkaloid, named as capparisine has been isolated. Capparisine has been subjected to extensive chemical and spectroscopic investigations. High pressure liquid chromatography was utilized to check the purity of capparisine. Field desorption mass spectrometery of the compound and elemental analysis showed the molecular formula as C27H33N3O6 (mol. Wt. 495). Ultraviolet spectrum revealed the presences of indole moiety , whereas infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of capparisine and its derivatives showed many chemical salient features. 13C-MR depicted the plausible carbon skeleton fragments of the compound. In the evidence of suggested.Part-II. From prosopis glandulosa leaves has been isolated three alkaloidal constituents of piperidine nature. These two are identified as juliflorine and julifloridine. However, the third alkaloid which is a new alkaloid has been subjected to extensive chemical and spectroscopic studies. The mass spectrum of the juliflorinine showed the molecular ion at m/e 629 exhibiting the molecular formula as C40H75N3O2. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum revealed some of the chemical features, where as 13C-NMR spectrum showed the possible carbon skeleton. In the light of these studies a partial structure has been proposed for juliflorinine.Part-III. In this part is reported the antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts of root bark of capparis decidua and leaves of prosopis, julifloridine and juliflorinine. Except julifloridine, the extracts of capparisine, juliflorine, juliflorinine exhibited various degree of antimicrobial activity