Chemometric studies on mineral distribution and microstructure analysis of freeze-dried Aloe vera L. gel at different harvesting regimens
2013
Ray, Anirban | Dutta Gupta, S. | Ghosh, Sampad | Aswatha, Shashaank M. | Kabi, Bibek
This paper presents an analysis of elemental distribution, microstructure at pre- and post-rehydration, and swelling of freeze-dried Aloe vera L. gel, obtained from two, three and four-year-old plant in summer. To explore the seasonal influence, three-year-old plants from rainy and winter season are also considered for analysis. Mineral distribution is studied following the estimation of Ca, K, Mg, P, Na, Mn, Se, Al, Fe, Zn, Cu and Cd. A consolidated effort has also been made to study the concentration of total C and N content of gel at different growth periods. Re-hydration mediated continuous topography in poly-dispersed, unorganized and amorphic freeze-dried gel accounts for the post-rehydration cross-linking among the component polysaccharides. Chemometric analysis (principal component and cluster analysis) suggests that the mineral content of gel change as a function of growth periods of plants. High content of organic C and Se with maximum water absorbing potential (in the form of swelling activity) are mainly associated with three-year-old aloe of summer; the contents of N, Na, Ca, K, Mg, P and Cu are observed to be high in two-year plants. To the best of our knowledge and belief, this is the first time, Se (a bioactive antioxidant activity promoting element) is found to be present in aloe gel.
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