www.ejpmr.com Mohammed et al. European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research 545 ALIPHATIC CONSTITUENTS OF TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS L. FRUITS AND DURANTA ERECTA L. LEAVES AND AN AROMATIC ESTER FROM PEDALIUM MUREX L. FRUITS Shahnaz Sultana 1,2 , Mohammed Ali 1 *, Showkat Rassol Mir 1 , Gulshan Chaudhari 3 and Nutan Kaushik 3 1 Phytochemistry Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi - 110 062, India. 2 College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. 3 Plant Biotechnology Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110 003, India. Article Received on 10/08/2019 Article Revised on 31/08/2019 Article Accepted on 21/09/2019 INTRODUCTION Tribulus terrestris L., syn. T. lanuginosus L. (Family: Zygophyllaceae), known as gokharu, nanagokharu, nerinjil, khar-e-khusak khurd and puncture vine, is found in Mediterranean, subtropical, and desert climate regions around the world, viz. India, China, southern USA, Mexico, Spain, and Bulgaria. It is considered a toxic weed to livestock causing a distressing irreversible asymmetric locomotor disorder with symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease in humans. [1] It is an annual, drought-tolerant, small prostrate, 10-60 cm high, hirsute or silky hairy shrub; roots slender, branched, fibrous, cylindrical, with small rootlets; leaves opposite, unequal, paripinnate, pinnae 5 - 8 pairs, elliptical or oblong lanceolate; flowers yellow; fruits stellate shaped, compressed, five angled, covered with prickles; seeds in each crocus with transverse partitions between them, oily. The plant and fruits are regarded as an analgesic, antihypertensive, aphrodisiac, astringent, blood purifier, diuretic, mild laxative, lithotriptic, palliative, stomachic, nervine tonic and urinary disinfectant; used to treat abdominal distension, albuminuria, asthma, bladder and urethra disorders, Bright’s disease, calculus affections, common colds, conjunctivitis, coughs, cystitis, debility, diarrhoea, dysuria, edema, emission, eye and throat infections, fecundity, flatulence, genitourinary tract disorders, gleet, gonorrhea, gout, headache, impotency, influenza, kidney stones, leucorrhea, depressed liver, mastitis, micturition, phosphaturia, piles, rheumatism, scorpion sting, sexual dysfunction, sexual debility, spermatorrhoea, urinary tract troubles, burning urination, uterine disorders, venereal diseases and vitiligo. The roots and fruits are useful in rheumatism, piles, renal and vesicle calculi, menorrhagia, impotency and premature ejaculation. A leaf paste is applied on the bald head for hair growth. A stem infusion is taken to cure gonorrhea. The plant in combination with Hyoscyamous niger and opium is given to reduce inflammation of the urinary passage. [2-4] SJIF Impact Factor 6.222 Research Article ISSN 2394-3211 EJPMR EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL RESEARCH www.ejpmr.com ejpmr, 2019,6(10), 545-553 ABSTRACT Tribulus terrestris L. (Family: Zygophyllaceae) is used to treat abdominal, liver, urethra and urinary tract disorders, calculus affections, cystitis, dysuria, edema, gonorrhea, gout, impotency, influenza, kidney stones, leucorrhea, mastitis, micturition, piles, rheumatism, spermatorrhoea, venereal diseases and vitiligo. Duranta erecta L. (Family Verbenaceae) is utilized to cure asthma, bronchitis, fevers, infertility, intestinal worms, malaria, menstrual and neuralgic disorders, pneumonia and skin diseases. The leaves and fruits of Pedalium murex L. (Family Pedaliaceae) are prescribed to relieve amenorrhea, asthma, colds, cough, dropsy, fevers, flatulence, gonorrhea, inflammation, impotency, leucorrhoea, puerperal diseases, rheumatism, skin diseases, spasmodic affections, spermatorrhoea, urethral stones, venereal diseases and wounds. A petroleum ether fraction of a methanolic extract of the fruits of T. terrestris on GC-MS analysis showed the presence mainly of fifteen aliphatic alcohols (91.8%) including n- tetracosan-4-ol (26.3 %), n-dotriacont-3-en-29-ol (17.3 %), n- pentacosan-4-ol (14.8 %), n-octacos- 3,7-dien-25-ol (5.1%), n-tetradec-2,4-dien-7-ol, n- pentadecan-5,6-diol, heptan-2,5-diol, n-henetriacontan-5,21,26- triacontan-5,21,26-triol, n-tritriacont-19,22,27-trien-3-ol and isopentanol. The methanolic extract of the fruits on concentration furnished β-sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1). The methanolic extracts of the leaves of Duranta erecta and fruits of Pedalium murex on subjection to silica gel column afforded n-dotriacontan-12α, 21α- diol (2) and 5′β-hydroxytridecanyl benzoate (3), respectively, as the new phytoconstituents. KEYWORDS: Tribulus terrestris, Duranta erecta, Pedalium murex, Chemical constituents. *Corresponding Author: Prof. Mohammed Ali Phytochemistry Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi - 110 062, India.