EFFICIENT EXTRACTION OF TRITERPENOID SAPONINS FROM LEAVES OF CLEMATIS NAPAULENSIS DC.– AN INDIGENOUS MEDICINAL PLANT USED IN TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

Clematis napaulensis DC. is a semi-creeper plant, found in China, Nepal and North-eastern part of India. The plant is being
reported to be used by Chakesang tribe of Nagaland for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The current studies is focussed
on the systematic exploration of its phytoconstituents and subsequent fractionation of Triterpenoid saponins and investigatied
for its anti-inflammatory. Extraction of the phytoconstituents were performed through soxhlet apparatus, examined for its
phytoconsituents, further the phytoconstitutent triterpenoid saponins was recovered by solvent extraction by Column
Chromatography using Chloroform : Methanol : Water as mobile phase. Presence of triterpenoid saponins was confirmed
through TLC technique using Hexane : Ethyl Acetate (7.2 : 2.8) as mobile phase using Oleanolic Acid as standard. The
concentration of triterpenoid saponins in the extract was quantified by spectrometric method at 548nm. The crude extract
from Clematis napaulensis DC. was investigated for its anti-inflammatory activity by Protein Denaturation Assay and
Proteinase Inhibitory Assay. The concentration of triterpenoid saponins from the extract was found to be 0.289mg/g (w/w) of
sample leave powder. The research study results have demonstrated that methanol leaf extract of Clematis napaulensis DC.
has very good anti-inflammatory activity as both protein denaturation assay and proteinase inhibition assay displayed
increasing inhibition with increasing concentration.