Recovery of Rutin from Labisia pumila Extract Using Solid Phase Extraction

Reflux extraction was used to prepare crude extract from the leaves of Labisia pumila var. Alata using 60% methanol. The crude extract was subsequently fractionated by C18 solid phase extraction to recover high yield of rutin using 20-100% methanol. The volume of eluent to recover rutin was found to decrease with the increase of methanol concentration. The recovery of rutin was increased from 20 to 80% methanol system, but slightly decreased in the 100% methanol system. Approximately, 70% of rutin could be recovered using the 80% methanol system. This solvent system also appears to have the lowest distance (9.44 MPa1/2) for rutin as estimated by Hansen solubility. The recovered rutin rich fraction could achieve up to 3.96 mg/g of fraction which was about 4-fold increment from the crude extract. The increment was also noticed for its antioxidant capacity expressed as scavenging activity which was 2 times higher than crude extract. A portion of water (20%) in the 80% methanol system is important to improve the yield of rutin. Rutin is a glycosylated flavonol, and therefore a small portion of water could enhance its elution compared to the lower performance of 100% methanol in rutin recovery.