THE EFFECTIVITY OF Basella alba (alugbati) LEAF…

The Effectivity of Basella alba (alugbati) Leaf Extract as an Alternative

Acid-base Indicator

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Introduction

An acid base (pH) indicators are halo chromic chemical agents which are

added in small amounts to a solution to determine the pH (acidity or basicity)

of the solution visually and change the color with variation in pH. Acid-base

indicators are substances that are revealed through the characteristic color

which changes the degree of acidity or alkalinity of solutions. The choice of an

indicator for a particular titration depends on the characteristic of the

neutralization curve. In acid-base titration, an indicator is used to determine

the end point of the titration at which the acid and base are in the exact

proportions necessary to form salt and water only.

The chemical substances which possess an apparent change in color of

analyte and titrant reacting mixture very close to the point in the ongoing

titration known as indicator, which helps to examine and determine the

equivalence point in acid–base titrations (neutralization titrations). Natural

dyes and pigments in plants are highly colored substances and may show color

changes with variation of pH, the highly colored pigments resulted from herbal

plants are found to exhibit color changes with variation of pH. The indicators

which are used in titrations show well-marked color changes in certain

intervals of pH, the highly colored pigments resulted from herbal plants are

found to exhibit color changes with variation of pH.

Basella alba is good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B9 (folic

acid), calcium, magnesium, iron and several vital anti-oxidants in the plant.

(Duke and Ayenshu, 1985; Palada and Crossman, 1999); also has proteins,

fats, carbohydrates, fiber, ash, calcium, vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin and

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niacin (Grubben and Denton, 2004). According to Khare (2007) the plant

consists the essential amino acids such as arginine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine,

threonine and tryptophan along with several vitamins, minerals and a low

percentage of soluble oxalates.

The plant is a perennial twining herb. Stem is fleshy, stout at the base

with slender upper branches. Leaves are axillary dark green, broadly ovate in

shape and acute. Flowers are sub sessile, white, pink or red coloured and

closed at anthesis. Bracts are scaly and small. Bracteoles are acute. Stamens

are included with short filaments and cordate anthers. Ovary is unilocular.

Fruit is black or dark purple coloured and enclosed within the persistent fleshy

calyx. Seeds are black, globose and indehiscent. (Cooke, 1902; Yadav and

Sardesai, 2002; Almeida, 2003).

A class of organic pigments known as anthocyanin that can change color

with pH. Some naturally colored substances change colors when the acidity or

alkalinity of their environment changes, for example, grape juice, brown tea,

and some flower pigments. These substances are called acid/base indicators.

Indicators change color at a particular stage of chemical reaction.

Despite the presently available instrumental techniques for the chemical

analyses of various samples, the conventional methods of analyses are still

appropriate in most applications.

Hence in this study, the researchers aim to get the effectiveness of

Basella alba (alugbati) leaf extract as an alternative acid-base indicator.

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THE EFFECTIVITY OF Basella alba (alugbati) LEAF…

Problem Statement

These questions which aims to analyze the effectivity of Basella alba Leaf

Extract as an alternative acid-base indicator

Research question 1: Does Basella alba (alugbati) leaf extract is effective to

use as an alternative acid-base indicator?

Research question 2: In what concentration does Basella alba (alugbati) leaf

extract is effective as an acid-base indicator?

Hypotheses

Ho: There is no significant effect on the Basella alba (alugbati) leaf

extract as an alternative acid-base indicator.

H1: There is a significant effect on the Basella alba (alugbati) leaf extract

as an alternative acid-base indicator.

Research Locale

Places saan natin makukuha alugbati

The researchers collected the sample at

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Significance of the study

This study focuses on the effectiveness of Basella alba (alugbati) leaf

extract as an acid-base indicator (kulang pa yan). The beneficiaries of the study

will be the future chemist to improve our study and the school where it will be

conducted and published.

The researchers come up to this study

Conceptual Framework

Eto diagram

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Basella alba (alugbati) acid-base indicator

Schematic Diagram: Diagram showing the relationships of the variables in

the study.

The independent variable is Basella alba (alugbati) leave extract in which

influences the dependent variable, the acid-base indicator.

May sasabihin pa onti dapat dito

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Scope and Delimitation

Kung anong anti ba siya

The scope of this study is to focus on the effectiveness of Basella alba (alugbati)

Leaf Extract as an Alternative Acid-Base Indicator.

The limit of this study is to find the effectiveness of

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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter conveys all the contrasting literatures related to acid base

indicator, honing the different aspects regarding "Basella alba (alugbati) leaf

extract as an acid-base indicator"

2.1 History of indicators

The word indicator is derived from the Latin indicare, “to disclose”, and

might therefore be applied to every reaction or apparatus capable of providing

information to the chemist. The word is nevertheless, in analytical chemistry,

used in quite precise and restricted sense. Any titration requires an indication

that an equivalent quantity of titrant has been added to the titrand, and this

indication can be given in a variety of ways: it may be a visible (or, more

generally, sensible –perceived by the senses) phenomenon arising naturally at

the conclusion of the titration process itself; it may consist in some other

modification within the titration –system which can be made the subject of

physical measurement; or it may be produced by some visible or sensible

change occurring at the equivalence point in some foreign substance. The

foreign substance is then calld an indicator. Indicators may be used, not only

to detect end-points, but also for quantitative purposes (as in colorimetry) and

for qualitative analysis. (E. Rancke – Madsen, E. Bishop 2013)

2.2 Acids and Bases

Acid – base equilibria are intimately coupled to many of the processes

involved in synthetic and analytical chemistry, including reaction rates and

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selectivity, solubility equilibria, partition equilibria, catalytic cycles and

chromatographic retention times. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations and

the development of manufacturing process rely increasingly on quantitative

modelling of the reactions and equilibria involved, which are often highly

sensitive to solvent. (Brian G. Cox, 2013)

On the other hand, acid base (pH) are halo chromic chemical agents which

are added in small amounts to a solution to determine the pH (acidity or

basicity) of the solution visually and change the color with variation in pH,

Hence a pH indicator is a chemical detector for hydronium ions (H 3O+) or

hydrogen ions (H+) in the Arrhenius model. Usually the indicators are weak

acids or bases which form ions by dissociating slightly, when dissolved in

water. (Guru Ramdas Khalsa Institute of Science and Technology, 2013).

According to Shikha Munjal and Aakash Singh (2020), Acid are those

substances which have sour in taste, sharp odor, corrosive, having pH < 7 and

turn blue litmus red. The neutralization reaction occurs when acid reacts with

alkali, forms salt and water. The products are less acidic or basic than

reactants. It reacts with metals, produces H 2. For example, the reaction

between sodium hydroxide (base) and hydrochloric acid, forms sodium chloride

(salt) and water. Bases are those substances which have bitter taste, odorless,

turn red litmus blue, having pH more than 7 and becomes less alkaline when

react with acid. These are violent and less reactive than acids. For example,

NaOH (Sodium hydroxide), LiOH (Lithium hydroxide), KOH (potassium

hydroxide), etc.

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2.3 Acid – Base Indicator

In acid-base titrations, acids are titrated with bases, and vice versa.

They are also referred to as neutralization reactions, with the equivalent point

detected either by use of color indicators or potentiometrically with a glass

electrode. They employ color indicators to detect endpoints of acid-base

neutralization reactions. Color indicators show a sharp change in color, in

response to pH change in an acid-base titration reaction. Most indicators are

either weak organic acids or basic dyes that accept or donate electrons. Acid-

base indicators of natural origin have proven to be better alternatives in

titrimetric analysis, as they are readily available, easy to extract, cheaper, less

toxic, and environmentally friendly, unlike synthetic color indicators which are

associated with high cost and toxicity to the environment and users.

(Emmanuel B. A. 2019)

Based on Rosann Kozlowski (2020), acid and base indicators are used in

chemistry to determine a substance’s pH, they change to different colors

depending on whether they are added to an acid, a base or a neutral

substance. Most indicators are themselves weak acids and respond to changes

in the hydrogen ion concentration. The pH range functions between zero to

fourteen and seven being the neutral. A pH above 7 indicates a base, and those

below 7 indicate an acid. The pH scale is logarithmic, and with each individual

number change on the scale, there is a ten-fold change in acidity of alkalinity

(basicity).

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In addition, acid and base indicators are sensitive to the change of pH,

or, more specifically, to the change in the concentration of hydrogen ions, H+, in

solution. Most acid and base indicators are large organic molecules that

contain alternating double and single carbon-to-carbon bonds. In basic

solutions, the acid and base indicators become ions by losing hydrogen ions

from their chemical composition, usually from an OH group. This changes the

structure of the molecule, causing indicators to absorb light at different

wavelengths and change colors.

2.4 Basella alba (alugbati)

Basella alba, known locally in the Philippines as “Alugbati” that belongs to

the family “Basellaceae” is an underutilized crop in the Philippines having

potential health benefits. Proximate (nutritional) analysis using standard

methods showed that the dried leaves contain ash (minerals), crude fat, crude

fiber, crude protein, and total carbohydrates. The presence of phytochemicals

such as saponins, triterpenes, phenols, tannis, and flavonoids in both ethanolic

and aqueous extracts, alkaloids in aqueous extract, and cardias glycosides in

ethanolic extract was known through qualitative phetochemical screening of

B.alba leaves extracts. (Jovale Vincent Tongco, Angustia Anis, Jeylynne

Tamayo, 2015)

Furthermore, Basella alba “Alugbati” is a succulent, branched, herbaccous

vine with heart-shaped leaves and purplish stems bearing green to dark red

fruits. Basella alba is also called Malabar spinach or Ceylon spinach since it is

usually used as a substitute for spinach. It is a good source of fiber, vitamins

A, B, and C, iron, calcium, and saponins. Saponins act as phytochemicals,

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having the ability to fight cancer and cardiovascular diseases and is also used

in treating headache, inflammation, and ulcer.

Likewise, Basella alba is a good source of vitamins A, C and B9, thiamine,

riboflavin, niacin, minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron, and several

antioxidants. It also contains essential amino acids such as arginine,

isoleucine, leucine, lysine, threonine and tryptophan and a low percentage of

soluble oxalates. Basella saponins, peptide, and phenolic compounds were

shown to be present in Basella alba. The leaves contain carotenoids, organic

acids, water soluble polysaccharides, bioflavonoid, betacyanin, and vitamin K.

Also, triterpene oligoglycosides basella saponins A, B, C, and D,

betavulgarosides I, momordins IIb and IIc have been isolated from the plant.

(Jovale et. al., 2015)

As stated by Z. C. Gonzaga (2014) Basella or Malabar spinach, locally

known as alugbati is a tropical leafy indigenous vegetable commonly grown for

its succulent, nutritious, and tender stems. It has also a number of medicinal

applications. Despite its many uses and potential value, its importance is

under estimated. Basella alba, the green-stemed alugbati had significantly

bigger stems, greater number and heavier shoots than the red-stemed Basella

rubra.

2.5 Basella alba (alugbati) Leaf extracts

According to Jovale et. al. (2015), the nutritional composition of the dried

Basella alba leaves shows relatively high amounts of ash (minerals) because on

a moisture-free basis, it may be less than 2% or greater than 10%. As

compared to other vegetables, Basella alba leaves has higher crude protein and

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also have appreciable amount of crude fiber and sugars. High crude fiber

content is quite beneficial as it helps in the enhancement of gastrointestinal

function, prevention of constipation because of their ability to absorb water and

reduction of the incidence of metabolic diseases.

Confirming to UKdiss (2018), the ethanolic extract of B. alba leaves were

shown to significantly decrease the levels of ALT, AST, and ALP in male albino

Wister rats that have been intoxicated with lead. 24 male albino Wister rats

were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was given orally 10ml/kg normal

saline while group 2 received 50mg/kg of lead acetate for 4 weeks. Group 3

received 50mg/kg of lead acetate for first week and 250mg/kg Basella alba for

3 weeks. Group 4 received 250mg/kg Basella alba for first week and 50mg/kg

of Lead Acetate for the next 3 weeks. Then, levels of the liver enzymes in the

serum were measured. The results showed that the levels of alkaline

phosphate, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were

significantly reduced while glutathione was significantly increased in Basella

alba treated groups compared to lead control Group at (p < 0.05).  The data

suggests that Basella alba reduces lead toxicity. The hepatic protection was

attributed to the basellasaponins in the plant.

2.6 Basella alba (alugbati) as an alternative acid-base indicator

Indicators help to determine the equivalent point of an acid base titration.

Nowadays, synthetic indicators are extensively used in the acid-base titrations.

However, due to environmental impact, availability and cost, the requirement

for natural compounds as an acid-base indicator has increased. These natural

indicators are found to be a very useful, economical, simple, available and eco-

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friendly. The present investigation highlights the usefulness of Basella alba

fruit extract as a natural acid base indicator in titrations. This natural

indicator is easy to extract as well as easily available. Promising results were

obtained when it was compared against Phenolphthalein, a popularity used

synthetic acid-base indicator. Titrations at different conditions showed sharp

color change at the equivalence point. The equivalence points obtained by the

fruit extract and standard indicator coincide with each other.

In the present investigation, fruits from Basella alba plant were used as

an acidbase indicator, to detect the end point of acid base titrations. Also,

synthetic colorants are generally harmful and cause allergies to human beings.

Because of environmental and high health hazards in the production and use

of synthetic dyes and pigments. The use of natural colorant has been

increasingly globally, while the current studies also dealt with the spectroscopic

analysis of the natural dye from the fruit extract in the presence of buffer at

lower and at higher pH values, whether it can properly be used as the

replacement of Phenolphthalein or not.

However, from the physical properties of the extract. It was observed that

the pH of the main extracted dye is 4.9 as measured by pH meter. While the

original color of the dye is violet. But a sharp change of color can be observed

with the change in pH values. This indeed is the basic reason as to why the

extract of Basella alba is successfully used as an indicator for acid-base

titrations. (Asish M. and Sanat K.D., 2016)

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Reference

Sabnis, R. W. (2007). Handbook of Acid-Base Indicators

Prabhakar Sharma, Ramchandra Gupta, Sunil Roshan et al. Plant Extracts as

Acid Base Indicator: An Overview. Inventi Rapid: Planta Activa, 2013(3) 1-3,
2013

Gonzaga, Z. C. (2014). Increasing Productivity of Malbar Spinach (Basella alba

L. and Basella rubra L.) Grown in the Marginal Upland Area of Inopacan, Leyte
through Different Mulching Materials Web site:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zenaida_Gonzaga/publication/3308444
80

Bishop,E. (2013) Indicators: International series of Monographs in Analytical

Chemistry

Brian, G. O. (2013) Acids and Bases Solvents Effects on Acid-Base Strength

Shikha Munjal and Aakash Singh (October 21st 2020). The Arrhenius Acid and
Base Theory, Corrosion, Ambrish Singh, IntechOpen, DOI:
10.5772/intechopen.88173. Web site:
https://www.intechopen.com/books/corrosion/the-arrhenius-acid-and-base-
theory

Kozlowski, Rosann. "Common Acid Base Indicators" sciencing.com,web site:

https://sciencing.com/common-acid-base-indicators-8375206.html. 11
December 2020.

Emmanuel B. A. Adusei, Reimmel K. Adosraku, James Oppong-Kyekyeku,

Cedric D. K. Amengor, "Investigation of Acid-Base Indicator Property of
Plumbagin from Plumbago zeylanica Linn", International Journal of Analytical

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THE EFFECTIVITY OF Basella alba (alugbati) LEAF…

Chemistry, vol. 2019, Article ID 4061927, 13 pages, 2019. Web site:

https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4061927

Jovale Vincent V. Tongco, Angutia D. Anis, Jelynne P. Tamayo (2015)

Nutritional Analysis, Phytochemical Screening, and Total Phenolic Content of
Basella alba Leaves from the Philippines, 0975-4873

All Answers Ltd. (November 2018). Hepatoprotective Effect of Alugbati (Basella

alba linn) Leaf Aqueous Extract. Retrieved from
https://ukdiss.com/examples/hepatoprotective-effect-of-alugbati.php?vref=1

Asish Mitra and Sanat Kumar Das, (2016) Journal of chemical and
Pharmaceutical Research,2015 Use of Basella alba fruit as a potent natural
acid-base indicator

The chemical substances which possess an apparent change in color of

analyte and titrant reacting mixture very close to the point in the ongoing

titration is known as indicator. The indicator helps to examine and determine

the equivalence point in acid–base titrations (neutralization titrations). Natural

dyes and pigments in plants are highly colored substances and may show color

changes with variation of pH. The indicators which are used in titrations show

well-marked color changes in certain intervals of pH.

Acid base (pH) indicators are halochromic chemical agents which are

added in small amounts to determine the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of a solution

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THE EFFECTIVITY OF Basella alba (alugbati) LEAF…

that are revealed through its characteristic color. The choice of an indicator for

a particular titration depends on the characteristic of the neutralization curve.

In acid-base titration, an indicator is used to determine the end point of the

titration at which the acid and base are in the exact proportions necessary to

form salt and water only.

Basella alba is an important green leafy vegetable found commonly in

the tropical regions of the world. The plant is used as a substitute for true

spinach (i. e. Spinacea oleracea L.) and also has great ethnomedicinal

importance. It is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B9 (folic acid),

calcium, magnesium, iron and several vital anti-oxidants in the plant. (Duke

and Ayenshu, 1985; Palada and Crossman, 1999); it also has proteins, fats,

carbohydrates, fiber, ash, vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin (Grubben

and Denton, 2004). According to Khare (2007) the plant consists the essential

amino acids such as arginine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, threonine and

tryptophan along with several vitamins, minerals and a low percentage of

soluble oxalates.

Basella alba is an extremely heat tolerant (Grubben and Denton, 2004),

fast growing perennial vine which belongs to family Basellaceae. It is

particularly abundant in Malaysia, Philippines, tropical Africa, the Caribbean

and tropical South America (Palada and Crossman, 1999), Southeast of Brazil

(Echo plant information sheet, 2006). Due to easy adaptation to a variety of

soils and climates Basella alba is considered one of the best tropical spinach

throughout the tropical world (Palada and Crossman, 1999)

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Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments belonging to the phenolic

group. These pigments are in glycosylated forms and are responsible for the

colors, red, purple, and blue in fruits and vegetables. Berries, currants, grapes,

as well as some tropical fruits have high anthocyanins content. The colored

anthocyanin pigments have been traditionally used as a natural food colorant.

The color and stability of these pigments are influenced by pH, light,

temperature, and structure. In acidic condition, anthocyanins appear as red

but turn blue when the pH increases. These substances are called acid/base

indicators. Indicators change color at a particular stage of chemical reaction.

Despite the presently available instrumental techniques for the chemical

analyses of various samples, the conventional methods of analyses are still

appropriate in most applications.

Hence in this study, the researchers aim to get the effectiveness of

Basella alba (alugbati) leaf extract as an alternative acid-base indicator.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE