Purification and detection of linamarin from cassava root cortex by high performance liquid chromatography

Linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz cv. KU-50) root cortex and parenchyma was extracted with different acids (HCl, H2SO4, H3PO4 or CH3COOH) and detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The highest linamarin was found in both tissues extracted with H2SO4. However, the concentration of linamarin in the extract of the root cortex was higher than that of the root parenchyma. Linamarin in crude extract of the root cortex using 0.25 M H2SO4 was purified by the second step HPLC with the yield of 91.54%. These extraction, detection and purification methods were useful to improve the purity of linamarin from cassava, especially the root cortex.