Phytochemical screening of different organic crude extracts from the stem bark of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.)

Zizyphus spina-christi (L.) (Rhamnaceae family) is a subtropical plant known as ‘Nabq’ or ‘Sidr’ which is used for various medicinal purposes. It has used in folk medicine in pain related ailments throughout these regions. Aim of our work is to phytochemically investigate the plant’s bark in our laboratory with Chromatographic approach. The crude ethanol extract of dried bark of Z. spina-christi (L.) was fractionated by diethyl ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and finally with n-butanol. Finally the fractions were investigated for the chemical constituents by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thirty six compounds from the four fractions of the stem bark of Z. spina-christi (L.) have been identified and recognized, especially betulin, quercetin, stigmasterol, sitosterol, ethyl oleate and phytol by means of GC-MS analyses.