Influence of Solvent Polarity on Extract Yield and Phytochemical Profile of Kratom Leaves (Mitragyna speciosa)

Anggi Nabila (Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Hadari Nawawi, Bansir Laut, Kec. Southeast Pontianak, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.)
Masriani (Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Hadari Nawawi, Bansir Laut, Kec. Southeast Pontianak, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.)
Lukman Hadi (Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Hadari Nawawi, Bansir Laut, Kec. Southeast Pontianak, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.)
Aldi Tobing (Department of Chemistry Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Hadari Nawawi, Bansir Laut, Kec. Southeast Pontianak, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.)
Firman Shantya Budi (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jl. Prof. Dr. H. Hadari Nawawi, Bansir Laut, Kec. Southeast Pontianak, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.)

Hydrogen: Jurnal Kependidikan Kimia
Vol. 14 No. 4 (2026): August 2026

Solvent polarity plays an important role in determining the amount and profile of secondary metabolites recovered from plant materials. However, comparative information on the effects of different solvent polarities on the extract yield and phytochemical profile of kratom leaves (Mitragyna speciosa) remains limited. This study aimed to compare the extract yield and qualitative phytochemical profile of kratom leaves extracted using ethanol, distilled water, and ethyl acetate. Ethanol and ethyl acetate extractions were performed using maceration for 3 × 24 h, whereas distilled water extraction was conducted using an infusion method at 90 °C for 15 min. The concentrated extracts were evaluated based on their yield, followed by qualitative phytochemical screening for alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, triterpenoids, steroids, and saponins. Ethanol produced the highest extract yield (12.00%), followed by distilled water (6.54%) and ethyl acetate (2.07%). The phytochemical screening revealed different profiles among the extracts. The ethanol extract showed alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, triterpenoids, and saponins; the distilled water extract showed alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, and saponins; while the ethyl acetate extract showed alkaloids, phenolics, tannins, and steroids. These findings demonstrate that solvent polarity influences both the extract yield and the range of phytochemical groups detected in kratom leaf extracts. The comparative findings provide a basis for selecting an appropriate solvent according to the desired phytochemical profile and support further investigation of kratom leaves as a source of bioactive compounds.