Removal of Mimosine from Leucaena Leucocephala Seeds to Increase Their Benefits as Nutraceuticals

The study investigated methods to remove mimosine, a hair loss-inducing compound, from Leucaena leucocephala seeds to improve their potential as nutraceuticals. Three treatments were evaluated: no soaking, soaking in distilled water for 24 hours, and splitting seeds before soaking, followed by ethanol extraction. It was found that soaking and ethanol concentration significantly influenced extract yields and mimosine levels. The optimal method for maximizing extract yield while minimizing mimosine was using unsoaked seeds with 70% ethanol extraction.