Identification of Aqueous Extract of Red Amaranth …
169
3 Methods
3.1 Extraction Process
Red amaranth leaves were dried at 50 °C for 5–6 h in a tray drier. Dried leaves were
ground. Then 1 gm samples were dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water. Then the
extract was poured in a bottle which was tightly capped later. After that it was kept
in the water bath with continuous shaking at 80 °C temperature for an hour. Finally,
extract was cooled and filtered and stored at 4 °C. Then the extract was concentrated
by rotary evaporator and evaporates under reduced pressure and then lyophilized the
concentrated extract to get powder.
3.2 Determination of Moisture Content
10 g sample of red amaranth leaves were weighed accurately in a dry Petri dish and
dried at 105°C for 3 h. The sample is allowed to cool in desiccators, reweighed,
and the weight is recorded. The drying–cooling–reweighing procedure is repeated
until the weight is constant. The moisture content is measured using the following
equation:
Moisture content (%) = (A − B/B) ∗ 100
where A is the weight of the moist sample and B is the weight of the dry sample.
3.3 Determination of Ash Content
Porcelain crucible was weighed accurately (A g). About 3 g of ground sample was put
in the crucible and the crucible with the sample was weighed accurately (B g). The
sample was ashes in an electric muffle furnace, which can maintain the temperature
at 625 ± 25 °C overnight, cooled in the desiccators for 15 min, and the crucible
containing the ash was weighed (C g). Completeness of ashing was checked by
shaking with a platinum wire to discover whether there exist any unburnt particles
and if so, ashing is to be continued until constant weight. The ash content is calculated
using the following equation:
Ash content (%) = (C − A)/(B − A) ∗ 100
169
3 Methods
3.1 Extraction Process
Red amaranth leaves were dried at 50 °C for 5–6 h in a tray drier. Dried leaves were
ground. Then 1 gm samples were dissolved in 100 ml of distilled water. Then the
extract was poured in a bottle which was tightly capped later. After that it was kept
in the water bath with continuous shaking at 80 °C temperature for an hour. Finally,
extract was cooled and filtered and stored at 4 °C. Then the extract was concentrated
by rotary evaporator and evaporates under reduced pressure and then lyophilized the
concentrated extract to get powder.
3.2 Determination of Moisture Content
10 g sample of red amaranth leaves were weighed accurately in a dry Petri dish and
dried at 105°C for 3 h. The sample is allowed to cool in desiccators, reweighed,
and the weight is recorded. The drying–cooling–reweighing procedure is repeated
until the weight is constant. The moisture content is measured using the following
equation:
Moisture content (%) = (A − B/B) ∗ 100
where A is the weight of the moist sample and B is the weight of the dry sample.
3.3 Determination of Ash Content
Porcelain crucible was weighed accurately (A g). About 3 g of ground sample was put
in the crucible and the crucible with the sample was weighed accurately (B g). The
sample was ashes in an electric muffle furnace, which can maintain the temperature
at 625 ± 25 °C overnight, cooled in the desiccators for 15 min, and the crucible
containing the ash was weighed (C g). Completeness of ashing was checked by
shaking with a platinum wire to discover whether there exist any unburnt particles
and if so, ashing is to be continued until constant weight. The ash content is calculated
using the following equation:
Ash content (%) = (C − A)/(B − A) ∗ 100