Determination of Safrole in Ethanol Extract of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) Using Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Dehydrodiisoeugenol (DDIE), myristicin, and safrole are chemical compounds contained in fruit and seed of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt). DDIE shows antidiabetic activity on PPARγ receptor, while myristicin is hallucinogenic agent. Of the three compounds, safrole is the most toxic substance due to its carcinogenic activity. In this work, we developed an analytical method to determine safrole in ethanol extract of nutmeg. Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (Dionex Ultimate 3000) using C-18 LiChroCART 250-4, LiChrospher 100 RP 18e (5 µm) 250 mm column as stationary phase, was selected as the method of analysis. A mixture of methanol:water (73:27) at flow rate 1 mL/min was used as mobile phase. Detection was done at 282 nm. Using such conditions, retention time for safrole was 10.45 minutes. The recovery was 101.421%, while the value of CV was 0.838%. LOD and LOQ were 0.668 µg/mL and 2.023 µg/mL, respectively. Mean concentration of safrole in the nutmeg seed extract was 10.979%