Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacognosy

This study focused on two plants growing in Egypt, the aerial parts of Tribulus terrestris L. and Fagonia arabica L. (Family Zygophyllaceae), which have been used extensively in folk medicine for a variety of purposes. This study aimed for the performance of phytochemical and biological studies of the two plants under investigation. Tribulus terrestris L. possesses many important biological activities; aphrodisiac activity, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. Fagonia arabica L. has effects on hematological parameters, as well as, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. The results of the biological study revealed that the aqueous methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of T.terrestris L. and F.arabica L. were responsible for these biological activities. So it was of deemed interest to investigate the phytoconstituents of the two bioactive extracts separately. Phytochemical and chromatographic studies were performed using different solvent systems and detection by Khagi-Mischner and AlCl3 reagents which revealed the presence of high percentage of saponins and phenolic compounds in the two extracts under investigation. Therefore, it was decided to perform quantitative estimation of total flavonoid and phenolic contents, qualitative and quantitative estimation of flavonoids as well as phenolic compounds by HPLC analysis, isolation and identification of flavonoidal compounds, preparation and phytochemical investigation of saponin content through chromatographic and mass screening studies and finally quantitative estimation of diosgenin in T.terrestris L. by HPLC analysis. The flavonoid content of the methanolic extracts of the aerial parts of T.terrestris L. and F.arabica L. were isolated where the extracts were subjected to fractionation using several chromatographic techniques (CC and TLC) leading to the isolation of five compounds which are identified using several spectroscopic techniques (UV, 1HNMR and 13CNMR). From T.terrestris L. quercetin and rutin and from F.arabica L. quercetin, quercetrin and naringenin were isolated respectively

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