Isolation, determination and functional group examination of the crude alkaloid content of Basella rubra (Alugbati)

Abstract

The research was conducted to assess the presence of crude alkaloid in Basella rubra and to examine the possible functional group present on the isolated crude alkaloid. The isolation made use of the typical solvent extraction method. Infrared spectroscopy and simple gravimetry was used to examine the functional groups and to determine the crude alkaloid content, respectively. Three parts of the B. rubra were tested namely, the stem, leaves, and roots. Results showed that the stem of B. rubra has the most crudealkaloid content with 375 ppm as compared to the roots and the leaves with 298 ppm, and 248 ppm, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that only the crude alkaloid content of the leaves and stem differs significantly with each other. The IR spectra of all three parts show similar vibrational frequencies. These vibrational frequencies most likely correspond to the functional groups of pyridine and pyrrole ring, imines, oximes, endocyclic systems, carboxylic acid anhydride, ether, alkenes, aromatic rings, amine, amide, carboxylic acids, esters, nitrile, nitro and alkanes.