World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

STUDY OF STEVIA EXTRACTION CONDITION TO GET THE HIGHEST STEVIOL GLYCOSIDE CONTENT USING HPLC-ELSD METHOD

Supriyadi*, Nuraini Harmastuti, Ika Nur Fitriani, Meta Kartika Untari

ABSTRACT

Stevia contains steviol glycosides which not only have sweet taste but also have anti-diabetic activity. Several main steviol glycoside constituents namely stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulkoside are responsible for stevia sweet taste. People with diabetes mellitus are suggested not to include sugar (sucrose) in their meals and drinks and preferably using sugar free sweeteners. Stevia which obtained from Stevia rebaudiana plant is a safe and popular sugar free sweetener. The chemical structure of steviol glycosides (stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulcoside A) are very similar causing separation rather difficult moreover their structures do not have chromophore group thus, their UV absorption are very low. Since analysis of these compounds using HPLC with UV detector giving undesirable result, it is necessary to use a detector that is not dependent on a chromophore group, such as an ELSD detector. Analysis of steviol glycoside content in stevia from various extraction methods (soxhletation, percolation and maceration) and solvents (ethanol and methanol) were done by using HPLC-ELSD. Largest Steviol glycoside contents were found in ethanol extract from maceration method.

[Full Text Article]