Isolation and characterization of marker compound for detecting adulteration of Chlorophytum species in Asparagus racemosus

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is used by children for increasing strength, in young and middle-aged men as an aphrodisiac, in mothers as a galactogogue and in old patients as an anti-ulcer. Whereas, Safed Musali (Chlorophytum species) is primarily used only as an aphrodisiac due to its high steroidal content, which may cause severe side-effects when consumed by children, women and geriatric patients. However, market formulations of A. racemosus are often mixed with Chlorophytum species, and vice-versa. The present work aims at chromatographic detection and isolation of a marker compound from Chlorophytum species, so that its adulteration in A. racemosus can be detected. Petroleum ether extracts of market samples of A. racemosus and Chlorophytum species were subjected to TLC using the mobile phase n-hexane: diethyl ether: glacial acetic acid (7: 3: 0.1). This was followed by preparative TLC of Chlorophytum species extract, isolation of the spotted marker, its H1 NMR & GC-MS study, and finally its structure elucidation. A spot was observed in TLC of Chlorophytum species extract but not in A. racemosus extract, indicating it to be the marker which distinguishes the two species. Spectral analysis revealed the isolated marker to be 2, 4, 6, 10, 18, 22-tetracosahexaene. This work will be very useful to herbal industries and testing laboratories in detection of adulteration of A. racemosus formulations by Chlorophytum species, which will also benefit the patients. Such measures of standardization and quality control are also necessary to justify the authenticity of the Indian traditional system of medicine.