Emodin Isolation from the Leaves of Pteridium acquilinum

This study was designed to isolate and characterize the active compound(s) from the leaf extract of Pteridiumacquilinum after the aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts had been investigated on some female rats hormones One anthraquinoneemodin (1, 3, 8-trihydroxy-6-methyl-anthra-quinone) was successfully purified from the methanolic extract of the medicinal plant by Chromatography (VLC, TLC and Sephadex). The initial elution was with n hexane– ethyl acetate–methanol (18:22:3, v/v/v) as the two-phase solvent system and yielded 3.4 mg of emodin. The Vacuum Liquid Chromatography (VLC), fraction (from the methanol extract) was analyzed by Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and the chemical structure of the anthraquinone was confirmed by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR analyses. This is the first time this anthraquinone, emodin is being reported from P. aquilinum.