Extraction and Determination of Total Phenol in Luffa (Luffa cylindrical Roem.)

To establish a simple and reliable extraction and measurement method for the total phenol content in luffa (Luffa cylindrical Roem), ultrasound and Folin-Ciocaleu colorimetry were applied and operational procedures optimized. Phenols could be optimally extracted from the luffa mesocarp when it was mixed ultrasonically with 80% ethanol in 1:10 ratio at 40℃ for 30 min. The total phenolic content had a linear correlation (Y=0.6279X+0.0273; R²=0.9947) with the optical absorbance at 750 nm when the solution was made with 3 mL of 0.5 mol·L^-1 Na₂CO₃ and 1.5 mL of 0.5 mol·L^-1 Folin-Ciocalteu to react with the sample for 60 min at 30℃. The newly developed extraction and subsequent measurement procedures were simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate. It was considered adequate for the determination of total phenol in luffa.