Comparison of Analytical Techniques from the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Kratom, Curry, Ginger, and Turmeric

Authors

• Riley Bruno, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

First Advisor

Charles Murrieta

Committee Members

Michael Adamowicz, Molly Reil

Date of this Version

3-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

Bruno, R.(2026). Comparison of Analytical Techniques from the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Kratom, Curry, Ginger, and Turmeric. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Comments

Copyright Riley Bruno 2026

Abstract

Plants, herbs, and spices have been used as medicines for thousands of years. Early civilizations often attributed healing properties of plants to magical or divine forces. However, as chemistry and analytical technology advanced between the 16th and 18th centuries, scientists began to understand that bioactive compounds within the plants actually caused these effects. Today, natural products remain extremely important in drug discovery. As the number of newly developed synthetic drugs declines, there has been renewed interest in identifying biologically active molecules from plants. Bioactive molecules are a group of diverse chemical compounds that stimulate a response in living tissues. The objective of this research was to extract and analyze bioactive molecules from various plant materials to compare the molecules isolated. Ethyl acetate is a method commonly used as a solvent when working with plant materials due to its ability to dissolve a wide range of bioactive compounds. Ethyl acetate extraction targets semi-polar to non-polar molecules, while the total lipid extraction targets lipids and other non-polar compounds.

The ethyl acetate extraction method isolated metabolites that include terpenes, oxygenated terpenes, phenolic compounds, phenylpropanoids, as well as lipophilic alkaloids. Many of the compounds isolated through this method, including gingerol, eugenol, caryophyllene, and β-turmerone, are relatively amphipathic, but some have stronger nonpolar properties. The groups of compounds isolated by this method are likely due to ethyl acetate's affinity for nonpolar and semi-polar molecules. In contrast, the total lipid extraction method isolated highly hydrophobic compounds such as sterols, lipids such as squalene, and glycerides and triglycerides, including monoolein, diolein, and trimyristin. The groups of compounds isolated from this method are likely a result of the affinity of hexane to nonpolar molecules.