HPLC and GC/MS analysis of Prunus ulmifolia Franch. (syn. Aflatunia ulmifolia (Franch.) Vassilcz.) leaves growing in South-Eastern Kazakhstan

Prunus ulmifolia Franch. (Rosaceae) was investigated for its phytochemical composition from South-Eastern Kazakhstan for the first time. HPLC analysis confirmed rutin (0.88%) in ethanol extract, and the extract also exhibited antioxidant activity. The GC/MS analysis identified total 44 components from main groups e.g. oxygenated monoterpenes (51.06%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (20.33%), non-terpene derivatives (18.71%), and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (7.89%), and the maximum content was of acyclic alcoholic monoterpenoid citronellol (36.58%). The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) from previous reports and present study was used to demonstrate the variations between essential oil compositions in different Prunus species. It formed three main clusters, cluster I consisted of species with benzaldehyde as dominant component. Cluster II included plants with benzaldehyde as secondary component, and cluster III was of P. ulmifolia in which benzaldehyde was not detected. Further, the essential oil was assessed for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities too, and it showed better cytotoxic but poor antimicrobial activities.