Khaleda Parveen and Dwaraka D. Jadhav
Abstract
This study explores the isolation and structural characterization of bioactive flavonoid compounds from the methanolic extract of fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica, traditionally recognised medicinal plant. The extraction process involved successive solvent partitioning, followed by chromatographic separation using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Column Chromatography. Two major flavonoids were isolated: 3â,3,6,7tetramethoxy-4â,5,8-trihydroxy flavone (KP-01) and 3â-methoxy-4â-hydroxy-flavan-3-ol (KP-02). Structural elucidation of both compounds was accomplished using a combination of UV-Visible, Infrared (IR), Proton (¹H) and Carbon-13 (¹³C) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Mass Spectrometry (MS). KP-01 showed characteristic hydroxyl and methoxy group substitutions on a flavone skeleton, while characterization of the other compound KP-02 was identified as a flavan-3-ol with specific methoxy and hydroxyl substituents and a saturated ring system. The Rf values and spectral data matched well with reported literature, confirming the molecular identities. The present work signifies the phytochemical richness of Opuntia ficusindica fruits and demonstrates an effective plan for isolating structurally diverse flavonoids from natural sources. The isolated compounds offer promising potential for further pharmacological investigation, particularly in the areas of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or antimicrobial research.