a). Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, West Java, Indonesia
*rachmayanti[at]itb.ac.id
b). Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Campus A Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60132, East Java, Indonesia
c). Department of Pathology, Campus A Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60132, East Java, Indonesia
d). Department of Forest Products, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, West Java, Indonesia
e). Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tropical Biopharmaca Research Center, IPB University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor 16680, West Java, Indonesia
f). Department of Food and Agricultural Product Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Gadjah Mada University, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
Abstract
Indonesian termites are one of the richest biological resources considering their very high species diversity (300 species) and their very wide geographical distribution in Indonesian mainland. One of the endemic termite sub-families of Indonesian, Macrotermitinae (Isoptera: Termitidae) has a food source in the form of fungal nodules that grow and spread in a special structure in the termite nest that is shaped like a mammalian brain called a fungus comb. Our previous study revealed the antimicrobial and antifungal activity on the extracts of fungus comb originated from the nests of Indo-malayan Termite, Macrotermes gilvus Hagen. This study aims to isolate, characterize and identify the bioactive compounds from the fungus comb of an Indonesian Macrotermitinae sub-family. This research includes preliminary tests, isolation of secondary metabolites, fractionation, and purification, as well as structural characterization of isolated compounds. The results of the preliminary test and TLC test by the addition of \(Ce(SO_4)_2 \) reagent showed that the compound components in the fungus comb were optimally extracted in acetone solvent, and indicated that one of the components contained were terpenoids/steroid groups. Fractionation and purification were carried out using the silica chromatography methods. Structural characterization of isolated compounds was carried out based on spectroscopic data, including 1D-NMR (1H-NMR and 13C-NMR), 2D-NMR (HSQC and HMBC) and mass spectroscopy. Friedelin structure was successfully revealed from the spectroscopic data and can be identified as five membered ring triterpenoid containing ketone group. Friedelin is a promising anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, this compound is reported from many natural source including Aesculus, Cannabis, Citrus, Diospyros, Quercus, Rhododendron, and Vaccinium.
