Microwave Assisted Isolation of Mucilage From the Fruits of Trichosanthes dioica

Summary A microwave assisted extraction technique was developed to optimize the extraction of mucilage from the fruits of Trichosanthes dioica plant. The plant has been extracted by conventional and microwave assisted methods for the isolation of mucilage. Microwave extraction at 320 W intensity and 20 min heating duration, 84.92% increase in the yield of mucilage while 52.06% and 38.09% increase in the yield at 640 W for 5 min and 160 W for 40 min respectively were obtained under microwave irradiation when compared to 1 h conventional heating method. The products obtained by both methods were of similar nature both physically and chemically. The developed microwave procedure can be used successfully in commercial and routine laboratory isolation of mucilage.