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

Aiming to identify and authenticate Sequoia sempervirens (D.Don Endl) and Taxodium distichum (L.Rich) cultivated in Egypt. RAPD technique was employed to identify unique DNA markers and establish a typical fingerprint for S. sempervirens and T. distichum. The amplification profile of S. sempervirens was screened and a total of 18 different RAPD fragments had been recorded while the amplification profile of T. distichum was screened and a total of 15 different RAPD fragments had been recorded. Macromorphological and micromorphological studies of S. sempervirens and T. distichum had been done. The results of preliminary phytochemical screening of both plants showed the absence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, catechol tannins or cardiac glycosides in non-flowering parts of S. sempervirens and T. distichum. Sterols and/or triterpenoids, pyrogallol tannins, carbohydrate and/or glycosides and flavonoids were detected in all of the tested parts of the plants. Volatile substances were detected in very low amounts in non-flowering parts of both plants. GC/MS analysis of hexane extract of non-flowering parts of S. sempervirens and T. distichum revealed that unsaturated fatty acids were present in higher percentage than saturated fatty acids in both S. sempervirens and T. distichum. 8?-hydroxypimar-15-en-19-oic acid had been isolated from hexane fraction of T. distichum. Apigenin, luteolin and tricetin had been isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of S. sempervirens and hyperoside and catechin had been from ethyl acetate fraction of T. distichum

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