FACTORIAL DESIGN TO PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF FLAVONOIDS AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN HYDROETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS OF MORINDA CITRIFOLIA L

Abstract

Morinda citrifolia (L.) is a medicinal plant from the Rubiaceae family, whose fruit, leaves, and root extracts have been reported to have many pharmacological activities, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immunomodulatory. The aim of this study was to evaluate, by means of a factorial design, which alterations would guarantee the best number of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and phytochemical evaluation in hydroethanolic extracts of Morinda citrifolia (L) leaves. The planning was carried out using STATISTICA software resulted in 15 different samples, with different leaf sizes (up to 10 cm, between 10 and 20 cm and between 20 and 30 cm), extractant solution ratios (10%, 30% and 50% ethanol) and extraction times (30, 60 and 120 minutes), all carried out at 75 °C using ultrasound. The qualitative phytochemical evaluation was carried out using colorimetric and precipitation methods, which were similar for all the samples, revealing the presence of saponins, anthraquinones, alkaloids and steroids and triterpenes. The quantification of flavonoids ranged from 21.5 to 74.7 mg of QE/100g of extract. Factorial planning revealed that the best condition for flavonoids was 10cm:50%:30 min. The quantity of phenolic compounds ranged from 34.9 to 76.7 mg of GAE/100g of extract, with the best conditions being 10cm:10%:60min. These results indicate that, depending on the interest of the compound to be extracted, experimental conditions should be adapted to the need.