Plumeria rubra, a tropical flowering plant from the Apocynaceae family, holds notable aesthetic and traditional significance. It is frequently grown in tropical areas as an ornamental shrub or small tree, reaching up to six meters in height. Renowned for its visual appeal, it is especially valued in the creation of leis and other floral arrangements. Although the plant’s sap is toxic, it is recognized for its medicinal and aromatic potential. Additionally, it contains various phytochemicals and demonstrates several biological properties. In this research, the extraction process, when further optimized, involved various physicochemical parameters that influenced the yield of flavonoids (quercetin and rutin). These parameters were different solvents and their varying concentration, extraction time, pH, and particle mesh size. The optimal conditions for extracting these flavonoids from these plant leaves were found to be ethanol as the solvent with 100% concentration, 24 hrs extraction time at pH-6, and having a particle size of 72 mesh (210 micron). As a result, the concentration of quercetin and rutin of this plant extract were found to be 39.0 µg/ml and 30.0 µg/ml.

Keywords:Plumeria rubra, quercetin, rutin, extraction, ethanol

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1. Verma S. Multipurpose ornamental plant Plumeria rubra (Apocynaceae). Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol. 2016;2:646–649.
2. Idrees S, Hanif MA, Ayub MA, Jilani MI, Memon N. Frangipani. In: Medicinal Plants of South Asia: Novel Sources of Drug Discovery. Hanif MA, Nawaz H, Khan MM, Byrne HJ, editors. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2019; pp. 287–300.
3. Bihani T. Plumeria rubra—A review on its ethnopharmacological, morphological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;264:113291.
4. Criley RA. Plumeria rubra: An old ornamental, a new crop. Acta Hortic. 2009;813:183–190.
5. Shinde PR, Patil PS, Bairagi VA. Phytopharmacological review of Plumeria Sch Acad J Pharm. 2014;3:217–227.
6. Andrade-Cetto A, Heinrich M. Mexican plants with hypoglycaemic effect used in the treatment of diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005;99:325–348.
7. Jarald EE, Joshi SB, Jain DC. Diabetes and herbal medicines. Iran J Pharmacol Ther. 2008;7:97–106.
8. Kalita JC, Chakrabarty A, Tanti B. Assessment of antifertility activity of some traditionally used plants by different ethnic communities in three districts of Assam, India. J Herbal Med Toxicol. 2011;5:65–72.
9. Verma C, Bhatia S, Srivastava S. Traditional medicine of the nicobarese. Indian J. Tradit. Knowl. 2010;9:779–785.
10. Duarte MdR, Larrosa CRR. Morpho-anatomical characters of the leaf and stem of Mandevilla coccinea (Hook. et Arn.) Woodson, Apocynaceae. Braz J Pharm Sci. 2011;47:137–144.
11. Carvalho R, Pellissari LCO, Pace MR, Scremin-Dias E, Arruda RDO, Farinaccio MA. Leaf morphoanatomy of Araujia and Morrenia (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae): Phylogenetic implications and species key. Bot J Linn Soc. 2017;183:280–293.
12. Seenu Y, Ravichandran KR, Sivadas A, Mayakrishnan B, Thangavelu M. Vegetative anatomy of Tabernaemontana alternifolia (Apocynaceae) endemic to southern Western Ghats, India. Acta Biol Szeged. 2020;63:185–193.
13. El-Taher AM, Gendy AE-NGE, Alkahtani J, Elshamy AI, Abd-ElGawad AM. Taxonomic implication of integrated chemical, morphological, and anatomical attributes of leaves of eight Apocynaceae Taxa. Diversity 2020;12:334.
14. Boldt KM, Rank B. Stomata dimorphism in dicotyledonous plants of temperate climate. Feddes Repert. 2010;121:167–183.
15. Ramos SMB, Carvalho MAS, Possobom CCF, Almeida EFA, Nietsche S. Biology and structure of flowers in Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. (Apocynaceae) accessions with notes on the significance of these features for floriculture. Braz J Bot. 2022;45:689–702.
16. Blažeković B, Stabentheiner E, Brantner A, Vladimir-Knežević S. A comparative study on glandular trichomes of Lavandula × intermedia ‘Budrovka’ and angustifolia. Phyton-Ann Rei Bot. 2012;52:227–244.
17. Kardono LB, Tsauri S, Padmawinata K, Pezzuto JM, Kinghorn AD. Cytotoxic constituents of the bark of Plumeria rubra collected in Indonesia. J Nat Prod. 1990;53:1447–1455.
18. Ye G, Yang YL, Xia GX, Fan MS, Huang CG. Complete NMR spectral assignments of two new iridoid diastereoisomers from the flowers of Plumeria rubra cv. acutifolia. Magn Reson Chem. 2008;46(12):1195–1197. doi: 10.1002/mrc.2331.
19. Kuigoua GM, Kouam SF, Ngadjui BT, Schulz B, Green IR, Choudhary MI, et al. Minor secondary metabolic products from the stem bark of Plumeria rubra displaying antimicrobial activities. Planta Med. 2010;76:620–625.
20. Tohar N, Awang K, Mohd MA, Jantan I. Chemical composition of four Plumeria species grown on Peninsular Malaysia. J Essent Oil Res. 2006;18:613–617.
21. Guan Ye, Zhi-Xiong Li, Guang-Xin Xia, Hua Peng, ZhaoLin Sun, Cheng-Gang Huang. A New Iridoid Alkaloid from the Flowers of Plumeria rubra L. cv. Acutifolia Helvetica Chimica Acta. 2009; 92:2700-2706.
22. Ramproshad S, Afroz T, Mondal B, Khan R, Ahmed S. Screening of phytochemical and pharmacological activities of leaves of medicinal plant Plumeria rubra. Int J Res Pharm Chem. 2012;4:1001–1007.
23. Ye G, Li Z-X, Xia G-X, Peng H, SunZ-L, Huang C-G. A new Iridoid Alkaloid from the flowers of Plumeria rubra cv. Acutifolia Helvetica Chimica Acta. 2009;92(12):2700–2706. doi: 10.1002/hlca.200900222.

Plumeria rubra, a tropical flowering plant from the Apocynaceae family, holds notable aesthetic and traditional significance. It is frequently grown in tropical areas as an ornamental shrub or small tree, reaching up to six meters in height. Renowned for its visual appeal, it is especially valued in the creation of leis and other floral arrangements. Although the plant’s sap is toxic, it is recognized for its medicinal and aromatic potential. Additionally, it contains various phytochemicals and demonstrates several biological properties. In this research, the extraction process, when further optimized, involved various physicochemical parameters that influenced the yield of flavonoids (quercetin and rutin). These parameters were different solvents and their varying concentration, extraction time, pH, and particle mesh size. The optimal conditions for extracting these flavonoids from these plant leaves were found to be ethanol as the solvent with 100% concentration, 24 hrs extraction time at pH-6, and having a particle size of 72 mesh (210 micron). As a result, the concentration of quercetin and rutin of this plant extract were found to be 39.0 µg/ml and 30.0 µg/ml.

Keywords:Plumeria rubra, quercetin, rutin, extraction, ethanol

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Verma S. Multipurpose ornamental plant Plumeria rubra (Apocynaceae). Int J Sci Res Sci Eng Technol. 2016;2:646–649.
2. Idrees S, Hanif MA, Ayub MA, Jilani MI, Memon N. Frangipani. In: Medicinal Plants of South Asia: Novel Sources of Drug Discovery. Hanif MA, Nawaz H, Khan MM, Byrne HJ, editors. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2019; pp. 287–300.
3. Bihani T. Plumeria rubra—A review on its ethnopharmacological, morphological, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021;264:113291.
4. Criley RA. Plumeria rubra: An old ornamental, a new crop. Acta Hortic. 2009;813:183–190.
5. Shinde PR, Patil PS, Bairagi VA. Phytopharmacological review of Plumeria Sch Acad J Pharm. 2014;3:217–227.
6. Andrade-Cetto A, Heinrich M. Mexican plants with hypoglycaemic effect used in the treatment of diabetes. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005;99:325–348.
7. Jarald EE, Joshi SB, Jain DC. Diabetes and herbal medicines. Iran J Pharmacol Ther. 2008;7:97–106.
8. Kalita JC, Chakrabarty A, Tanti B. Assessment of antifertility activity of some traditionally used plants by different ethnic communities in three districts of Assam, India. J Herbal Med Toxicol. 2011;5:65–72.
9. Verma C, Bhatia S, Srivastava S. Traditional medicine of the nicobarese. Indian J. Tradit. Knowl. 2010;9:779–785.
10. Duarte MdR, Larrosa CRR. Morpho-anatomical characters of the leaf and stem of Mandevilla coccinea (Hook. et Arn.) Woodson, Apocynaceae. Braz J Pharm Sci. 2011;47:137–144.
11. Carvalho R, Pellissari LCO, Pace MR, Scremin-Dias E, Arruda RDO, Farinaccio MA. Leaf morphoanatomy of Araujia and Morrenia (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae): Phylogenetic implications and species key. Bot J Linn Soc. 2017;183:280–293.
12. Seenu Y, Ravichandran KR, Sivadas A, Mayakrishnan B, Thangavelu M. Vegetative anatomy of Tabernaemontana alternifolia (Apocynaceae) endemic to southern Western Ghats, India. Acta Biol Szeged. 2020;63:185–193.
13. El-Taher AM, Gendy AE-NGE, Alkahtani J, Elshamy AI, Abd-ElGawad AM. Taxonomic implication of integrated chemical, morphological, and anatomical attributes of leaves of eight Apocynaceae Taxa. Diversity 2020;12:334.
14. Boldt KM, Rank B. Stomata dimorphism in dicotyledonous plants of temperate climate. Feddes Repert. 2010;121:167–183.
15. Ramos SMB, Carvalho MAS, Possobom CCF, Almeida EFA, Nietsche S. Biology and structure of flowers in Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. (Apocynaceae) accessions with notes on the significance of these features for floriculture. Braz J Bot. 2022;45:689–702.
16. Blažeković B, Stabentheiner E, Brantner A, Vladimir-Knežević S. A comparative study on glandular trichomes of Lavandula × intermedia ‘Budrovka’ and angustifolia. Phyton-Ann Rei Bot. 2012;52:227–244.
17. Kardono LB, Tsauri S, Padmawinata K, Pezzuto JM, Kinghorn AD. Cytotoxic constituents of the bark of Plumeria rubra collected in Indonesia. J Nat Prod. 1990;53:1447–1455.
18. Ye G, Yang YL, Xia GX, Fan MS, Huang CG. Complete NMR spectral assignments of two new iridoid diastereoisomers from the flowers of Plumeria rubra cv. acutifolia. Magn Reson Chem. 2008;46(12):1195–1197. doi: 10.1002/mrc.2331.
19. Kuigoua GM, Kouam SF, Ngadjui BT, Schulz B, Green IR, Choudhary MI, et al. Minor secondary metabolic products from the stem bark of Plumeria rubra displaying antimicrobial activities. Planta Med. 2010;76:620–625.
20. Tohar N, Awang K, Mohd MA, Jantan I. Chemical composition of four Plumeria species grown on Peninsular Malaysia. J Essent Oil Res. 2006;18:613–617.
21. Guan Ye, Zhi-Xiong Li, Guang-Xin Xia, Hua Peng, ZhaoLin Sun, Cheng-Gang Huang. A New Iridoid Alkaloid from the Flowers of Plumeria rubra L. cv. Acutifolia Helvetica Chimica Acta. 2009; 92:2700-2706.
22. Ramproshad S, Afroz T, Mondal B, Khan R, Ahmed S. Screening of phytochemical and pharmacological activities of leaves of medicinal plant Plumeria rubra. Int J Res Pharm Chem. 2012;4:1001–1007.
23. Ye G, Li Z-X, Xia G-X, Peng H, SunZ-L, Huang C-G. A new Iridoid Alkaloid from the flowers of Plumeria rubra cv. Acutifolia Helvetica Chimica Acta. 2009;92(12):2700–2706. doi: 10.1002/hlca.200900222.