Enhanced solvent extraction of polar lipids associated with rubber particles from Hevea brasiliensis

Biochemical studies of lipids bound to rubber particles have been complicated due to the solubility of polyisoprene chains in most extracting solvents and the rather delicate nature of polar lipids that are often denatured when traditional solvent extraction techniques are employed. In this paper, we describe a traditional technique and accompanying solvents that permit optimal extraction of rubber particle bound lipids. The technique, which is validated after characterizing the lipid extracts by elemental analysis, silica column adsorption and thin layer chromatography, appeared more suitable for extracting total lipids with optimal glycolipid and phospholipid contents. This technique is proposed as an alternative to traditional extraction methods used for solid natural rubber as it offers advantages with respect to ease of application, extract quality, extraction yields and reproducibility.