Rajalakshmi P.V. et al / Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology Vol. 1 (2), 2009, 80-83 80 DIRECT HPLC ANALYSIS OF QUERCETIN IN EXUDATES OF ABUTILON INDICUM (LINN). MALVACEAE ISSN:0975-5772 P.V. Rajalakshmi 1 *, K.Kalaiselvi Senthil 2 1 Lecturer, Vivekanandha college of Arts Sciences For women, Tiruchengode, Tamilnadu, India . 2 Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Avinashilingam University for Women, Coimbatore- 641043. Tamilnadu, India. Abstract Quercetin, one of the most abundant natural flavonoids, presents in daily food. Quercetin is of interest because of its pharmacological function. The isolation and purification of Quercetin in the dried leaves and flowers of Abutilon indicum (Malvaceae) is developed. A simplified method for the detection of flavonoids was also developed using Reversed -Phase HPLC. Concentration of quercetin in Abutilon indicum leaves and Flowers was calculated based on calibration curve. Keywords : Abutilon indicum, HPLC, Flavonoids, Quercetin Introduction Flavonoids (flavus- yellow) or bioflavonoids, are a ubiquitous group of poly phenolic substances which are present in most plants, concentrated in the seeds, fruit skin, peel, bark, and flowers 1 . Abutilon indicum commonly known as Mudrica, have analgesic. 2, 3 , hypoglycemic activity 4 . and literature site the presence of the sesquiterpine lactone, Gallic acid, and eugenol 5 . Extract of the whole plant is said to possess decreasing peroxidative damage in liver through free radical scavenging activity due to its flavonoids 6 . Petroleum ether extract of this plant is also a potent source of natural mosquito larvicidal agent 7 . Seven flavonoid compounds including quercetin and its glycosides have been isolated from flowers of A.indicum 8 . No data has been reported for the separation of the flavonoid quercetin from the ethanol exudates of Abutilon indicum using the HPLC method. The objective of this work was to analyze the flavonoid content of leaves and flowers of A.indicum using HPLC. Materials and Methods Plant material The EtOH extracts of leaves, stem and flowers of A. indicum were obtained by maceration method. The above parts of the plant were collected from vivekanandha college campus, Tiruchengode and identified from the Department of Botany, Vivekanandha college of Arts and Sciences for women, Tiruchengode and placed in the Herbarium for future reference (Voucher No. RUBL- 19910).Quercetin (RM 6191) and Ketaconazole (RM 4322) were purchased from Himedia Laboratories (Mumbai, India). Standards and chemicals HPLC - gradient grade methanol, other chemicals (acetone, ethanol, benzene, petroleum ether) and Authentic standards Quercetin (RM 6191) were purchased from Himedia Laboratories (Mumbai, India). Sample preparation and HPLC Analysis The EtOH extract of plant exudates prepared and were evaporated to dryness. The samples were then heated under reflux for 1 hour with 6 ml of 25% hydrochloric acid and 20 ml MeOH, the hydrolysate was diluted with methanol to 100ml and filtered. (PTFE Syringe filter, Whatman, UK). 1 ml of this solution was injected for HPLC analysis. Analysis was performed after three separate extraction of each sample and each extract was diluted and injected in triplicate. Quercetin in the samples was identified by comparison of their retention times (t R ) with the standard Quercetin. Chromatographic equipment and condition The chromatographic analyses were performed on a 250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., C18 (ODS), Shimadzu, Japan with 0.5% aqeuous