Phytochemical Investigation of An Iraqi Manna Lichen, Lecanora esculenta

This investigation provides new data on chemical characterization of aqueous & lipid extracts of the Iraqi Manna lichen, Lecanora esculenta. Preliminary chemical detection of some medicinal active ingredients of the crud manna lichen powder, & the acidity of the water extract, were performed using different reagents. The total lipid was extracted by chloroform- methanol 2:1 (V/V), & separated by salicylic acid column into neutral & polar lipid. Fractions of these lipids were further analyzed by gas/liquid chromatography (GLC) to detect of various saturated and non-saturated fatty acids. The polar lipid fraction, the phospholipids was performed by thin-layer chromatography analysis (TLC), whereas analysis of the trimethyl silylate (TMS) derivative of the unsaponifiable lipid fraction for detection of sterols was performed by GLC analysis. The results revealed neutral pH, and absent of the medical active ingredients; glucosides, tannins, alkaloids, resins, saponins, and coumarin. The approximate percentage of aqueous extract and total lipid extract of lichen respectively were 6%, & 1%. Neutral and polar lipid analyzed by GLC were both found to contain different percentages of various saturated and non- saturated free fatty acids in ratio respectively of about, 1:1.5 and 1:2. The detected saturated fatty acids both in neutral and polar lipids were; caprylic, capric, lauric, pentadecanoic, myristic, palmitic, stearic, and archidic acids, with hendecanaic acid which was detected only in neutral lipid, whereas isopalmitic and isostearic acids were detected only in polar lipid. In the unsaturated ones in both lipid moieties were; myristoleic, palmitoleic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, and eicosenoic acids, with hexadecadinoic acid detected only in polar fraction. TLC analysis of the polar fraction revealed presence of the phosphatides; Lecithin, Sphingomyline, Phosphotidylserine, Phosphotidylinositol, Lysophosphatidyl ethanolaminem, Phospha-tidyl ethanolamine, whereas, GLC analysis of the TMS derivative of the unsaponifiable lipid fraction, revealed presence of Beta-Sitosterol, Oestradiol, and Pregnanestriol, though before silylation, the fraction showed presence of Campesterol, Oestrone, and Oestriol. The results suggested presence of a various compounds of anabolic & nutritional values.