Drug leads agents from methanol extract of Nigerian bee (Apis mellifera) propolis

Abstract

Background: Propolis is a Bee (Apis mellifera) product of plant origin with varied chemical composition depending on the ecology of the botanical origin. It has been reported in literatures to possess various therapeutic effects both traditionally, clinical trial and animal study. Objectives In the present study bioactive principle in methanol extract of Nigerian bee (Apis mellifera) propolis was determined GC-MS study. Methods The methanol extract of Nigerian bee (Apis mellifera) propolis was characterized for its chemical composition by preliminary phytochemicals and GC–MS using standard procedures and methods. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones phlobatannins and steroids while GC–MS chromatogram revealed nineteen peaks representing sixty (60) different chemical compounds. The first compounds identified with less retention time (13.33s) were Methyl tetradecanoate, Tridecanoic acid, methyl ester, Decanoic acid, methyl ester while Squalene, All-trans-Squalene, 2,6,10-Dodecatrien-1-ol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-, (E,E)- and Farnesol isomer a took longest retention time (23.647s) to identify. Methyl 14-methylpentadecanoate, Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, Methyl isoheptadecanoateand Methyl tridecanoate were the most concentrated constituent as revealed by there peak height (26.01%) while eicosanoic acid was the least concentrated (Peak height 0.81%) constituent of Nigerian bee propolis. Conclusion: The presence of these chemical principles is an indication that methanol extract of Nigeria bee propolis, if properly screened could yield a drug of pharmaceutical importance