What is the Difference Between Borntrager and Modified Borntrager Test

Borntrager and modified Borntrager test are two chemical tests used for detection of anthraquinone and their glycoside derivatives. Anthraquinones are a class of naturally occurring phenolic compounds in plants such as, inter alia, aloe latex, senna, rhubarb, cascara buckthorn, fungi, lichens, and in some insects. They have a 9,10-anthraquinone skeleton. Generally, anthraquinones have aglycone and glycone parts that are joined together by glycoside linkage. Anthraquinones have different types of glycoside linkages like O-glycoside, S-glycoside, N-glycoside, and C-glycoside.

The key difference between Borntrager and modified Borntrager test is their function. Borntrager test is used for the detection of O-glycosides of anthraquinones, while modified Borntrager test is used for the detection of C-glycosides of anthraquinones.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is the Borntrager Test
3. What is the Modified Borntrager Test
4. Similarities – Borntrager and Modified Borntrager Test
5. Borntrager vs Modified Borntrager Test in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Borntrager vs Modified Borntrager Test
7. FAQ – Borntrager and Modified Borntrager Test

What is the Borntrager Test?

The Borntrager test is used for detecting O-type of anthraquinone glycosides. First, 1 gm of drug containing anthraquinone glycosides is added to 5–10 ml of dilute HCl. Then the entire mixture is boiled in a water bath for 10 minutes and filtered. Later, the filtrate is extracted with CCl4/benzene. Finally, an equal amount of ammonia solution is added to filtrate and shake.

The formation of pink or red color in the ammonical layer is due to the presence of O-type anthraquinone moiety. Moreover, sennosides from senna (Cassia species) are O-type anthraquinone glycosides that can be detected by the Borntrager test.

What is the Modified Borntrager Test?

Modified Borntrager test is used for the detection of C-type anthraquinone glycosides such as aloins from aloe. First, 1 gram of the powdered drug sample (plant material containing anthraquinone glycosides) is mixed with 5 ml of dilute HCl to help break down the glycosides. Later, this mixture is boiled for 10 minutes in a water bath, cooled, and filtered. The filtrate is extracted with carbon tetra-chloride or benzene.

Finally, an equal volume of ammonia solution is added to the filtrate. The formation of pink to red color in the modified Borntrager test is due to the presence of a C-type anthraquinone moiety in the drug.

Similarities Between Borntrager and Modified Borntrager Test

1. Borntrager test and modified Borntrager test are two chemical tests used for detecting anthraquinone and their glycoside derivatives.
2. Both tests should be performed in a biochemical laboratory.
3. These tests have a final pink to red colour formation at the end of the test.
4. Both tests are extensively used in pharmacology.
5. They are laborious and time consuming chemical tests.

Difference Between Borntrager and Modified Borntrager Test

Definition

1. The Borntrager test is a chemical test used for the detection of O-type of anthraquinone glycosides.
2. The modified Borntrager test is a chemical test used for the detection of C-type of anthraquinone glycosides.

Mode

1. The Borntrager test is the original chemical test for anthraquinone glycosides.
2. The modified Borntrager test is an adapted chemical test specifically for C-type anthraquinone glycosides.

Procedure

1. In the Borntrager test, 1 g of the drug containing anthraquinone glycosides is added to 5–10 ml of dilute HCl, and the mixture is boiled in a water bath for 10 minutes, then filtered. The filtrate is then extracted with carbon tetrachloride or benzene. Finally, an equal amount of ammonia solution is added to the filtrate and shaken.
2. In the modified Borntrager test, 1 g of the drug solution is mixed with 5 ml of dilute HCl, followed by the addition of 5 ml of ferric chloride solution (5% w/v). The mixture is then boiled in a water bath for 10 minutes, cooled, and filtered. The filtrate is extracted with carbon tetrachloride or benzene, and an equal volume of ammonia solution is added to the final filtrate.

Type of Anthraquinone Glycosides Detected

1. The sennosides from senna and rhubarb are O-type anthraquinone glycosides that can be detected by a Borntrager test.
2. Aloins from aloe, barbaloin, and cascaroside are C-type anthraquinone glycosides that can be detected by a modified Borntrager test.

The following table summarizes the difference between Borntrager test and modified Borntrager test.

Summary – Borntrager vs Modified Borntrager Test

Anthraquinone glycosides are glycosides that have anthraquinone derivative aglycones. Anthraquinone glycosides are mostly C- glycosides but some O-glycosides also occur. Borntrager test and modified Borntrager test are two chemical tests used for detection of anthraquinone glycosides. Borntrager test is carried out for the detection of O-type anthraquinone glycosides, while modified Borntrager test is carried out for the detection of C-type anthraquinone glycosides. This is the main difference between Borntrager test and modified Borntrager test.

FAQ:

1. What are anthraquinones and their glycosides?

• Anthraquinone glycosides have an aglycone group and glycan group that are joined together by glyosidic linkages. Based on the glyosidic linkage, they can be O-glycoside, S-glycoside, N-glycoside, and C-glycoside. Moreover, anthraquinones usually occur as O-glycosides or C-glycosides.

2. What are the benefits of anthraquinone derivatives?

• Anthraquinone derivatives have promising anti-cancer effects. Anthraquinone derivatives are also rich in structural diversity and exhibit pleiotropic properties. These compounds can modulate autophagy, which might help in overcoming cancer therapy resistance.

3. What are the tests used for the detection of anthraquinone and related glycosides?

• Anthraquinone and related glycosides are organic compounds found in some plants. Anthraquinone and related glycosides are plant compounds that can detected by using different chemical tests, such as the Borax test, Borntrager test and modified Borntrager test.

4. What is the Borntrager test used for?

• The Borntrager test is used for O-type of anthraquinone glycoside detection. Therefore, sennosides from senna and rhubarb are O-type anthraquinone glycosides that can be detected by the Borntrager test.

5. What is the modified Borntrager test used for?

• Generally, anthraquinones can have O-glycoside only, C-glycoside only, or C &O-glycoside in the same compound. Modified Borntrager’s test is used for C-glycoside type anthraquinones detection.

Reference:

1.“Chemical Tests for Glycosides: General and Specific.” Gpatindia.

2.“Digitoxose -An Overview.”  ScienceDirect.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Sennoside” by G.Wansorra (GNU) via Commons Wikimedia

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