Abstract
This report deals with a new procedure suitable for the extraction of coumarin 1 from Mikania glomerata, The aim of this investigation is to obtain this compound in an economically profitable way, taking into account the yield of its extraction, the cost, and the time of the overall process. Fresh and dried plants collected in several areas of the State of Rio de Janeiro were used, and seasonal effects on coumarin content were studied. Obtained results indicated that extraction with a 1% (w/v) NaOH solution, under appropriate conditions, allows a simple and complete recovery of the desired product and that the best yields were obtained with the fresh aerial parts of the plant. Season and area of harvesting effects have also been studied