Indo. J. Chem., 2012, 12 (2), 167 - 171 Siti Nuryanti et al. 167 * Corresponding author. Tel/Fax : +62-81245124999 Email address : sitinoer_untad@yahoo.com ISOLATION ANTHOCYANIN FROM ROSELLE PETALS (Hibiscus sabdariffa L) AND THE EFFECT OF LIGHT ON THE STABILITY Siti Nuryanti 1,* , Sabirin Matsjeh 2 , Chairil Anwar 2 , and Tri Joko Raharjo 2 1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Tadulako University, Jln. Soekarno-Hatta Km 8, Palu, Indonesia 2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Received November 16, 2011; Accepted January 3, 2012 ABSTRACT This study was conducted to isolate anthocyanins from roselle petals and testing the stability toward light. Isolation of anthocyanin was accomplished by extracting roselle petals using eluents with different polarity levels. Nonpolar compounds was eliminated using n-hexane, then semipolar compounds extracted with ethyl acetate and isolated anthocyanin by solvent mixtures of methanol-HCl 0.5%. Color test to determine the presence of anthocyanin was performed with NH 3 vapor, Pb-acetate 1% and Pb-nitrate 5%. The structure of anthocyanin in the roselle flower was determined using UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FT-IR and 1 H-NMR. Anthocyanin stability test of the influence of light carried out in a room without light conditions (dark room) and light 25 W at 31 °C. The results showed that the roselle petals contain anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside. Light has been found to affect the stability of anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside. Keywords: anthocyanin; stability; light; Hibiscus sabdariffa L ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengisolasi antosianin dari mahkota bunga rosella dan menguji kestabilannya terhadap cahaya. Isolasi antosianin dilakukan dengan mengekstrak mahkota rosella menggunakan pelarut dengan perbedaan tingkat polaritas. Senyawa nonpolar dihilangkan menggunakan n-heksana, kemudian senyawa semipolar diekstrak dengan etil asetat dan antosianin diisolasi dengan pelarut campuran metanol-HCl 0,5%. Tes warna untuk menguji adanya antosianin dilakukan dengan uap NH₃, Pb-asetat 1% dan Pb-nitrat 5%. Struktur antosianin dalam bunga rosella diidentifikasi menggunakan spektrofotometer UV-Vis, FT-IR dan ¹H-NMR. Tes stabilitas antosianin terhadap pengaruh cahaya dilakukan dalam kondisi ruang tanpa cahaya (ruang gelap) dan bercahaya 25 W pada 31 °C. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mahkota rosella mengandung antosianin sianidin-3-glukosida. Cahaya memberikan pengaruh terhadap kestabilan antosianin sianidin-3-glukosida. Kata Kunci: antosianin; stabilitas; cahaya; Hibiscus sabdariffa L INTRODUCTION Crown roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa L) has not been widely exploited commercially and only discarded as waste, while the red petals already widely used as a food coloring and also used as a tea is beneficial for maintaining good health. Chen et al. [3] reported on the use of flower petals (calyx) roselle as a drug to lower blood cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar levels for diabetics and as detoxification (neutralizing poison). Amor and Allaf [2] has reported calyx roselle is used for coloring food, inhibit cancer cell growth, maintain stamina, lowers the level of clumping of fat in the liver, balancing the weight, reduce the heat inside. Another benefit of calyx roselle is helping recover from drug addiction, reducing headache (migraine), treating coughs and diarrhea [4]. In the calyx roselle contains cyanidin-3-rutinoside and delphinidin-3-glucoxyloside as the major anthocyanin [8]. Anthocyanin of roselle calyx is a natural pigment that is very useful on the pharmaceuticals and healthcare. Anthocyanins are currently used as a natural colorant, antioxidant, anticancer and to prevent premature aging [8]. There is possibility that crown of roselle has the same anthocyanin like the calyx, so the crown can be use. Anthocyanins are very sensitive to the light (which is causes degradation) [7]. Therefore isolated anthocyanins from rosella petals have possibility susceptible to degradation due to the influence of light.