GC-MS Analysis of Phytocomponents and Antifungal Activities of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. Collected from Manipur, India

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity and phytochemical analysis of Zanthoxylum acanthopodium to validate the folklore use of this plant.

Study Design: The present study was designed to evaluate the antifungal activity in different crude extracts of the Z. acanthopodium leaves followed by the characterization of chemical constituents in the extract which possess highest antifungal activity by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Botany, University of Delhi and Institute of Bioresources of Sustainable Development, Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal between December 2013 and May 2014.

Methodology: The antifungal activity of Z. acanthopodium leaf extracts in three organic solvents viz. petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform were investigated against 5 strains of fungi- Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigates, A. niger, Candida albicans and C. krusei by following agar well diffusion method. The characterization of bioactive compounds in petroleum ether extract was performed using GC-MS by electron ionization in scan mode.

Results: The extracts exhibited antifungal activity on two fungal species, namely C. albicans and C. krusei and the petroleum ether extract proved to possess high antifungal activity compared to the rest of the solvent extracts. The GC-MS analysis of petroleum ether extract of Z. acanthopodium leaves identified forty three compounds.

Conclusion: GC-MS study highlights the existence of various bioactive compounds in Z. acanthopodium. Paulownin is found as the major compound having highest peak area and it is reported to possess antifungal property which proves that petroleum ether crude extract of Z. acanthopodium could be used as a natural antifungal.