Extracción y cuantificación indirecta de las saponinas de Agave lechuguilla Torrey

Agave lechuguilla Torrey is a plant from the Agavaceae family that grows in arid areas, rocky and calcareous ground. It is exploited to obtain a fiber known in Mexico as ixtle. This fiber is used to manufacture brushes and in the construction industry due to its abrasive characteristics and high water-retention index (65%). The fiber is obtained pressing the leaves, which are 15% fiber and 85% pulp. The pulp contains bioactive compounds being the most important the saponins with a number of pharmacological properties. A factorial experimental design was applied to determine the conditions for the extraction of saponins. This design evaluated the effect by type of solvent, solid/liquid ratio, temperature, and batch number, determining indirectly saponin contents as a response variable. According to the variance analysis performed the factors that influence the saponin yield are temperature and batch number. The Hiai method was the base to quantify saponins. Acid type and reaction timing were changed in this method. The sugars generated by molecule hydrolysis were the response variable. These modifications resulted in a less oxidizing method, and greater repeatability, as well as a high correlation index between sugar contents and the amount of present saponins