Determination of Bovine Serum Albumin Adsorption Capacity of Newly Obtained Cellulose extracted from Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)

Exploration of biodegradable and renewable composites ingredients is of great importance. Up to now, roots extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra has been used for different medicinal purposes but remaining cellulose-rich residues have not been evaluated for isolation of any green materials like cellulose. Here in this study, cellulose was successfully isolated from the roots of G. glabra by using conventional cellulose extraction method. The obtained product was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, and SEM. FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed the identity of the product. The crystallinity index of cellulose isolates was calculated from XRD data as 70%. The cellulose content of the roots on dry basis was recorded as 48.5%. Three types of surface morphologies were observed: smooth non-porous surface, surface with fibril bundles, and porous surface having thin cellulose fibrils. In addition, bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption capacity of G. glabra cellulose was determined and compared with that of commercial cellulose. Newly obtained cellulose from the roots of G. glabra exhibited a higher affinity for BSA protein at neutral pH.