GC-MS EXAMINATION OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF Cirsium arvense FLOWERS.

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., commonly known as creeping thistle, is a weed of Asteraceae. This study was undertaken to explore various phytoconstituents present in flower of this weed. To achieve this goal, the dried flowers of this weed were soaked in methanol for one week and filtered. This methanolic extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis and 7 compounds were identified. These included olean-12-en-3-ol, acetate, (3β)- (63.87%), lanosta-8,24-dien-3-ol, acetate, (3β)- (12.12%), β-amyrin (6.19%), γ-sitosterol (6.09%), α-amyrin (5.24%), stigmasterol (3.29%) and carbonic acid, 2-ethylhexyl heptadecyl ester (3.16%). Literature survey showed that these compounds possess antiinflamatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antioxidant and/or anticancer activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]