Matured Bamboo (B. Arundenaceae) Leaf Extracts: Potent in Hydrolyzing Fats and Reducing Oxidized Ferric Chloride

Abstract

The isolation and characterization of crude alkaloids and flavonoids extracted from matured bamboo leaves and tested for its hydrolysis reaction to lipids and reducing activity of oxidized substances support the claim that bamboo extract aids in hypertension and is a good source of anti-oxidant. Tests for the hydrolysis reaction of alkaloid and flavonoid extracts were made by using saponification equivalent and saponification value method. Approximately 0.8 mg pork oil was made to react with 30 mg alkaloid extracts in set-up A, while 0.76 mg pork oil was also produced to react with 30 mg flavonoids extracts in set-up B. The mixtures were titrated with KOH to saponify excess pork oil, then back titrated with HCl to determine the amount of KOH used in the titration. Tests for the reduction reaction of ferric chloride to ferrous chloride with capsulated BLE as reducing agent were made to compare with the reducing power of Vitamin C. The study revealed that 100 mg alkaloid extracts can hydrolyze 14.67 g pork oil and 100 mg flavonoids extracts can also hydrolyze 1.7 g pork oil. Furthermore, the results showed there was no significant difference between the reducing property of capsulated BLE and Vitamin C with reducing the power ratio; 15.7 mg bamboo extracts: 2.68 mg Vit. C. Therefore, crude alkaloids and flavonoids from bamboo extracts can both hydrolyze fats. Flavonoids from capsulated bamboo leaves are also a good reducing agent like Vitamin C and, therefore an anti-oxidant.