ABSTRACT:
Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), family Zingiberaceae, is a medicinal plant widely used worldwide consisted of three compounds such as Curcumin (diferuloylmethane or Curcumin I), Demethoxycurcumin (DMC), Bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC). Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane), a yellow colouring compound, is the primary curcuminoids responsible for most of the important pharmacological activities exhibited by Curcuma longa. It was found that a huge variation with respect to the percentage contents of curcuminoids in turmeric rhizomes is reported in may literature which could be largely due to variation in agro-climatic zones. The present study reported that the isolation and characterization of curcuminoids extracted from turmeric including the authentication, identity and structural confirmation using TLC and FT-IR study. Curcuminoids was extracted successfully by Soxhlet extraction method. Curcuminoids complex were effectively separated by TLC. Three spots were detected both for standard curcumin and crude curcuminoids. Structural similarities were found between standard curcumin and the extract from the FT-IR study. To quantify the amount of curcumin present in extract, UV- Visible spectrophotometric method was developed and fully validated as per ICH Q8 guidelines. The curcumin content (%) in crude curcminoids extract was found to be 71.72 ± 1.58% w/w, which was increased in recrystallized crude curcuminoid powder with 89.76% w/w, thus indicating high quality of Curcuma longa cultivated in the region.