Abstract

MENESES-REYES, José C.; SOTO-HERNANDEZ, Ramón M.; ESPINOSA-SOLARES, Teodoro  and  RAMIREZ-GUZMAN, Martha E.. Optimization of the process of flavonoid extraction from chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.). Agrociencia [online]. 2008, vol.42, n.4, pp.425-433. ISSN 2521-9766.

Matricaria recutita L. has several uses in medicine, food and cosmetics. Its flower has high contents of flavonoids, mainly apigenine, whose pharmacological action and quality of its water-alcohol extract vary depending on its concentration. To optimize the process of flavonoid extraction and obtain higher yield, the Taguchi method was used. The factors analyzed were time-temperature (1-4 h at 70±0.5 °C), proportion of methanol: water (50:50 to 80:20) as solvent, and flower particle size (< 0.42 and >2.00 mm). To quantify flavonoids the aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used. The optimum combination of levels that maximizes (p<0.05) flavonoid yield is the process conducted with large flower particles (>2.00 mm) at 70±0.5 °C for 1 h in a solvent with 80:20 methanol:water.

Keywords : Matricaria recutita L.; aluminum chloride; ligulate flowers; methanol:water; Taguchi model.