Analysis of Flavonoids in Portulaca oleracea L. by UV-Vis Spectrophotometry with Comparative Study on Different Extraction Technologies

Portulaca oleracea L. is a traditional edible and medicinal plant in China. Flavonoids are one of the main active ingredients of this plant. Five extraction technologies of flavonoids from P. oleracea L. were investigated and compared, including microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic extraction, reflux extraction, Soxhlet extraction, and marinated extraction. The results showed that microwave-assisted extraction was most suitable for the extraction of flavonoids from P. oleracea L. because of its high effect and short extraction time. The found optimum extraction conditions were that the ethanol concentration was 70% (v/v), solid-liquid ratio was 1: 50, extracting temperature was 50 degrees C and irradiation time was 9 min. Quantification was performed by means of UV-Vis spectrophotometry with chromogenic system of NaNO2-Al (NO3)(3)-NaOH. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curve for the analyte was linear with the correlation coefficients greater than 0.9999. The average recovery was 102.6%, and its RSD was 1.13%(n=5). Eight types of P. oleracea L. according to different habits were investigated. The total content of flavonoids was 7.16, 7.10, 9.38, 6.82, 6.78, 11.36, 5.12, and 1.76 mg g(-1), respectively.