Microwave‐assisted extraction of total bioactive saponin fraction from Gymnema sylvestre with reference to gymnemagenin: a potential biomarker

Objective – To develop a fast and ecofriendly microwave assisted extraction (MAE) technique for the effective and exhaustive extraction of gymnemagenin as an indicative biomarker for the quality control of Gymnema sylvestre. Methodology – Several extraction parameters such as microwave power, extraction time, solvent composition, pre‐leaching time, loading ratio and extraction cycle were studied for the determination of the optimum extraction condition. Scanning electron micrographs were obtained to elucidate the mechanism of extraction Results – The final optimum extraction conditions as obtained from the study were: 40% microwave power, 6 min irradiation time, 85% v/v methanol as the extraction solvent, 15 min pre‐leaching time and 25 : 1 (mL/g) as the solvent‐to‐material loading ratio. The proposed extraction technique produced a maximum yield of 4.3% w/w gymnemagenin in 6 min which was 1.3, 2.5 and 1.95 times more efficient than 6 h of heat reflux, 24 h of maceration and stirring extraction, respectively. A synergistic heat and mass transfer theory was also proposed to support the extraction mechanism Conclusion – Comparison with conventional extraction methods revealed that MAE could save considerable amounts of time and energy, whilst the reduction of volume of organic solvent consumed provides an ecofriendly feature. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isolation of chlorophylls and carotenoids from freshwater algae using different extraction methods

Usually marine algae are an excellent source of pigments for different commercial sectors. Freshwater macroalgae can be exploited as a good source of biologically active compounds provided an appropriate extraction method is developed. The efficiency of four methods, like microwave‐assisted (MAE), ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with ethanol as a co‐solvent, as well as conventional Soxhlet extraction were studied in the same conditions (time, solvent and temperature) for the recovery of chlorophylls and carotenoids from three freshwater green algae species: Cladophora glomerata, Cladophora rivularis and Ulva flexuosa. UV‐Vis spectrophotometry was used to determine chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total carotenoid content in obtained extracts. The results of this study showed that the advantages of novel extraction techniques (MAE and UAE) include higher yield and, in consequence, lower costs compared to traditional solvent extraction techniques. These methods were much more efficient in freshwater green algae pigment recovery than the classic Soxhlet extraction as well as SFE.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of glycyrrhizic acid from licorice root

In the present study, a microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique has been developed for the extraction of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) from licorice root. Various experimental conditions, such as extraction time, different ethanol and ammonia concentration, liquid/solid ratios, pre-leaching time before MAE and material size for the MAE procedure were investigated to optimize the efficiency of the extraction. Under appropriate MAE conditions, such as extraction times of 4-5min, ethanol concentrations of 50-60% (v/v), ammonia concentrations of 1-2% (v/v) and liquid/solid ratios of 10:1(ml/g), the recovery of GA from licorice root with MAE was equivalent with conventional extraction methods. Those methods include extraction at room temperature (ERT), the traditional Soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction and ultrasonic extraction. Due to the considerable savings in time and solvent, MAE was more effective than the conventional methods. This novel method is suitable for fast extraction of GA from licorice root.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of cyclotides from Viola ignobilis

Cyclotides are an interesting family of circular plant peptides. Their unique three-dimensional structure, comprising a head-to-tail circular backbone chain and three disulfide bonds, confers them stability against thermal, chemical, and enzymatic degradation. Their unique stability under extreme conditions creates an idea about the possibility of using harsh extraction methods such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) without affecting their structures. MAE has been introduced as a potent extraction method for extraction of natural compounds, but it is seldom used for peptide and protein extraction. In this work, microwave irradiation was applied to the extraction of cyclotides. The procedure was performed in various steps using a microwave instrument under different conditions. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI–TOF) results show stability of cyclotide structures on microwave radiation. The influential parameters, including time, temperature, and the ratio of solvents that are affecting the MAE potency, were optimized. Optimal conditions were obtained at 20 min of irradiation time, 1200 W of system power in 60 °C, and methanol/water at the ratio of 90:10 (v/v) as solvent. The comparison of MAE results with maceration extraction shows that there are similarities between cyclotide sequences and extraction yields.     

亚麻木酚素的微波辅助提取工艺研究

采用微波辅助提取法从脱脂亚麻籽壳中提取亚麻木酚素,以磷钼酸显色的方法定量测定亚麻木酚素,通过单因素试验、中心组合试验及响应面分析,确定微波辅助提取的最优工艺条件为:乙醇浓度40.9%(v/v)、液固比21.9:1(mL/g)、超声处理5 min进行预浸、辐照时间90.5 s、微波功率为130 W。与常规溶剂提取法和索氏提取方法相比,微波辅助提取法显著提高了亚麻木酚素的得率,大大缩短了提取时间,并节省了能耗。     

微波辅助提取荔枝核黄酮类化合物及其抗氧化性研究

研究微波辅助法提取荔枝核黄酮类化合物的工艺,考察了提取溶剂、微波功率、溶剂用量、辐射时间、提取次数等因素对提取的影响。通过正交实验确定最佳的提取参数为:60%乙醇作为提取溶剂,微波功率700 W,料液比1∶25,辐射时间150 s,提取一次。在此优化条件下用微波辅助,黄酮类化合物的得率为6.86%,提取物中黄酮含量达到36.7%。抗氧化性研究表明荔枝核黄酮类化合物有良好的抗氧化活性,能有效清除羟基自由基(OH.)和超氧阴离子自由基(O2-.)。     

Application of microwave‐assisted extraction coupled with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography for separation and purification of Dehydrocavidine from Corydalis saxicola Bunting

Introduction – Dehydrocavidine is a major component of Corydalis saxicola Bunting with sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsive and antibacterial activities. Conventional methods have disadvantages in extracting, separating and purifying dehydrocavidine from C. saxicola. Hence, an efficient method should be established. Objective – To develop a suitable preparative method in order to isolate dehydrocavidine from a complex C. saxicola extract by preparative HSCCC. Methodology – The methanol extract of C. saxicola was prepared by optimised microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE). The analytical HSCCC was used for the exploration of suitable solvent systems and the preparative HSCCC was used for larger scale separation and purification. Dehydrocavidine was analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and further identified by ESI‐MS and 1H NMR. Results – The optimised MAE experimental conditions were as follows: extraction temperature, 60°C; ratio of liquid to solid, 20; extraction time, 15 min; and microwave power, 700 W. In less than 4 h, 42.1 mg of dehydrocavidine (98.9% purity) was obtained from 900 mg crude extract in a one‐step separation, using a two‐phase solvent system composed of chloroform–methanol–0.3 m hydrochloric acid (4 : 0.5 : 2, v/v/v). Conclusion – Microwave‐assisted extraction coupled with high‐speed counter‐current chromatography is a powerful tool for extraction, separation and purification of dehydrocavidine from C. saxicola. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

密闭微波辅助间歇提取RP-HPLC测定三七中三种皂苷类化合物

本文建立了采用微波辅助间歇提取三七样品中的皂苷类化合物,并以反相高效液相色谱（RP—HPLC）测定其中三七皂苷R1、人参皂苷Rg1和人参皂苷Rb1含量的实验方法。分别通过单因素实验和正交实验设计,优化了萃取溶剂浓度、溶剂用量、微波功率和微波辐射时间等提取条件。与传统的索氏提取法、冷浸法和超声波提取法比较,微波辅助萃取法具有快速、提取率高、溶剂消耗少等优点,间歇萃取较连续萃取更是大大节省了微波能耗。     

Microwave-assisted extraction of the Carrageenan from Hypnea musciformis (Cystocloniaceae,Rhodophyta)

Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen in Jacqu.) J. V. Lamour. (Rhodophyta) was investigated for its carrageenan production. Traditionally, the desulfation process for carrageenans has been promoted by an alkaline treatment of up to 3 h by conventional heating during carrageenan extraction. New extraction techniques based on microwave irradiation may accelerate this reaction with the advantages of reduced consumption of solvents, energy, and extraction time, suggesting the feasibility of this method as a “Green” technology. In this study, aqueous- and alkali-treated carrageenans from H. musciformis collected along Quintana Roo coast of Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) were extracted by conventional method and by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Microwave irradiation in closed vessels was used to carry out the alkaline modification. The influence of temperature (85, 95, and 105 °C) and extraction time (10 and 20 min) in MAE was investigated in terms of yield, sulfate, and 3,6-anhydrogalactose contents, and Fourier transformed infrared spectra. Although lower carrageenan yields were obtained during MAE extraction, the κappa/iota hybrid carrageenan obtained by this novel method is comparable to that extracted by conventional technique. At the maximum temperature used for MAE (105 °C), an increase of 3,6-anhydrogalactose as well as an increase of the κappa-proportion was observed indicating that MAE could be an adequate procedure for carrageenan extraction of H. musciformis; however, further extraction parameters should be tested to optimize extraction.     

Comparison of extraction methods for quantifying vitamin E from animal tissues

Four extraction methods: (1) solvent (SOL), (2) ultrasound assisted solvent (UA), (3) saponification and solvent (SP), and (4) saponification and ultrasound assisted solvent (SP-UA), were used in sample preparation for quantifying vitamin E (tocopherols) in chicken liver and plasma samples. The extraction yields of SOL, UA, SP, and SP-UA methods obtained by adding delta-tocopherol as internal reference were 95%, 104%, 65%, and 62% for liver and 98%, 103%, 97%, and 94% for plasma, respectively. The methods with saponification significantly affected the stabilities of tocopherols in liver samples. The measured values of alpha- and gamma-tocopherols using the solvent only extraction (SOL) method were much lower than that using any of the other extraction methods. This indicated that less of the tocopherols in those samples were in a form that could be extracted directly by solvent. The measured value of alpha-tocopherol in the liver sample using the ultrasound assisted solvent (UA) method was 1.5-2.5 times of that obtained from the saponification and solvent (SP) method. The differences in measured values of tocopherols in the plasma samples by using the two methods were not significant. However, the measured value of the saponification and ultrasound assisted solvent (SP-UA) method was lower than either the saponification and solvent (SP) or the ultrasound assisted solvent (UA) method. Also, the reproducibility of the ultrasound assisted solvent (UA) method was greater than any of the saponification methods. Compared with the traditional saponification method, the ultrasound assisted solvent method could effectively extract tocopherols from sample matrix without any chemical degradation reactions, especially for complex animal tissue such as liver.     

Optimisation of a microwave-assisted method for extracting withaferin A from Withania somnifera Dunal. using central composite design

Introduction – Recently, there have been growing attention on the modification and optimisation of new extraction and quantification methods, caused by the lack of environmentally friendly methodologies for the extraction of phytochemicals from complex matrices. In the case of pharmaceutical compounds, not only the extraction procedure but also the analysis method should be efficient, precise, fast and easy. Objectives – The essential pharmaceutical characteristics and trace concentration of withanolides led us to modify and optimise the previously reported extraction and quantification procedure for withaferin A (WA) as a candidate for withanolides. Matrial and methods – The WA from the air‐dried aerial part of Withania somnifera Dunal. was extracted using a microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) technique. Four variables affecting the extraction procedure were optimised using the central composite design approach. The method of high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography assay was validated and applied for the quantification of each experiment. Results – The optimum values of factors were: extraction time (150 s), extraction temperature (68°C) and 17 mL of methanol : water in the ratio 25 : 75 as extracting solvent. The solvent system consisted of ethyl acetate : toluene : formic acid : 2‐propanol (7.0 : 2.0 : 0.5 : 0.5, v/v/v/v), and densitometric scanning at 220 nm was applied for the analysis. The dynamic linear range, LOD, LOQ and recovery with the inter‐day, and intra‐day RSDs of the developed method indicated the validity of the method. Conclusion – A pressurised MAE method for extracting WA from the plant's aerial part was optimised using factorial‐based design. The net effect of time, temperature, solvent volume and its ratio suggests that the yield of WA increases until each factor reaches its optimum value, and decreases with further increase in temperature or solvent ratio. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Comparative Analysis of the ‘Green’ Techniques Applied for Polyphenols Extraction from Bioresources

From all the valuable biomass extractives, polyphenols are a widespread group of secondary metabolites found in all plants, representing the most desirable phytochemicals due to their potential to be used as additives in food industry, cosmetics, medicine, and others fields. At present, there is an increased interest to recover them from plant of spontaneous flora, cultivated plant, and wastes resulted in agricultural and food industry. That is why many efforts have been made to provide a highly sensitive, efficiently, and eco‐friendly methods, for the extraction of polyphenols, according to the green chemistry and sustainable development concepts. Many extraction procedures are known with advantages and disadvantages. From these reasons, the aim of this article is to provide a comparative analysis regarding technical and economical aspects related to the most innovative extraction techniques studied in the last time: microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE).     

塔拉豆荚壳中单宁的提取-微波辅助萃取法

利用微波辅助萃取技术对塔拉单宁进行提取,通过不同的起始温度、加蒸馏水量、提取次数、功率大小等实验并用1%的FeCl3溶液检测提取效果,确定较佳的提取温度、次数、加蒸馏水量和微波辅助萃取仪的功率等因素。结果表明,微波提取塔拉单宁的最佳提取条件为:每次提取加水150~200 mL,微波功率400 w,60℃提取20 min,反复提取4次;再升温至70℃提取20 min 2次,即可提取完全。原料中的单宁含量微波浸提比水浴锅浸提稍高。因此认为用此提取方法可替代水浴浸提法。     

Microwave-assisted extraction of the main phenolic compounds in flaxseed

A microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method has been applied for the first time to the extraction of the main lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), and the two most concentrated hydroxycinnamic acid glucosides in flaxseed. The effects of microwave power, extraction time and alkaline treatment were investigated. It was shown that a 3 min MAE resulted in an SDG content of 16.1+/-0.4 mg/g, a p-coumaric acid glucoside content of 3.7+/-0.2 mg/g and a ferulic acid glucoside content of 4.1+/-0.2 mg/g. These values were compared with those obtained using conventional extraction methods and the results demonstrated that MAE was more effective in terms of both yield and time consumption.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of homoharringtonine from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cephalotaxus koreana</Emphasis>

An efficient method using microwave energy was developed to extract homoharringtonine (HHT), an alkaloid component effective in the treatment of leukemia, from Cephalotaxus koreana. The effects of major process parameters on extraction efficiency were also investigated. Using a fixed biomass-to-methanol ratio of 1:8 (w/v), an extraction temperature of 30°C, an extraction time of 20 min, and a stirrer velocity of 250 rpm, a 25% higher yield of HHT was achieved using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) than using conventional solvent extraction. It was possible to recover more than 95% of the HHT by extracting twice using MAE. In addition, the HHT yield increased as the extraction temperature increased, but the content of plant-derived tar and waxy compounds increased as well. Removal of these impurities and of the pigments from extracts was most effectively accomplished at a mixing ratio of biomass-to-sylopute of 1:1.5 (w/w). The effects of using different organic solvents (acetone, chloroform, ethanol, or methanol) for MAE were also assessed; the highest extraction efficiency was obtained using methanol. When the agitation speed was altered, most of the HHT (> 99%) was recovered at 250 rpm. A mixing ratio of biomass-to-methanol of 1:6 (w/v) at an extraction temperature of 40°C and an extraction time of 10 min proved to be the most effective for reducing processing time and organic solvent usage while enabling nearly all of the HHT (> 99%) to be recovered.     

Rapid solubility determination of the triterpenes oleanolic acid and ursolic acid by UV-spectroscopy in different solvents

Salvia triloba (Greek sage) has been used for the treatment of various diseases and contains two bioactive triterpene acids of major interest: oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA). The determination of the solubility of OA and UA in different solvents is a prerequisite to select the optimal solvent. The main goal of this work was to develop a quick method of predicting the solubility of OA/UA in different solvents to get a first indication of which solvents could be considered suitable for extraction from any plant material containing at least one of these triterpenes. A novel and simple ultra-violet spectroscopy method was developed for this purpose.The best solubilities were determined in THF, dioxane and n-butanol as well as in blends of dioxane and n-butanol.     

Ultrasound assisted extraction in quantifying lutein from chicken liver using high-performance liquid chromatography

Four sample preparation methods, (1) solvent (SOL), (2) saponification and solvent (SP), (3) ultrasound assisted solvent (UA), and (4) saponification and ultrasound assisted solvent (SP-UA), were used for quantifying lutein in chicken liver samples by HPLC. The lutein concentrations obtained by using SOL, UA, SP, and SP-UA were significantly different with values from 10.4 microg/g (UA) to undetected (SOL). Efficiency of the four different methods for extracting lutein from high to low were the UA, SP, SP-UA, and SOL method. The measured value of lutein in the liver sample using the UA method was approximately two and three times higher than that obtained from the SP and SP-UA method, respectively. The methods with saponification significantly affected the stabilities of lutein in liver samples. The lutein concentration measured with the solvent only method was either much lower than any of the other extraction methods or undetectable. This indicated that little lutein in those samples was in a form that could be extracted directly by solvent. Compared with the saponification method, the ultrasound assisted solvent method could effectively extract lutein from sample matrix and thus avoid chemical degradation reactions, which would be especially important for complex biological tissue such as liver.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of embelin from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Embelia ribes</Emphasis>

A rapid and efficient microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process for the selective extraction of embelin from Embelia ribes was developed. Solvent selection, microwave energy input and solid loading were optimized. The rate of extraction and purity of embelin depended upon the solvent used and exposure time to microwaves. Maximum MAE was achieved in acetone with total yield of 92% (w/w) embelin with 90% (w/w) purity with 1% (w/v) raw material loading at 150 W power level in 80 s. Non-polar solvents, such as hexane and dichloromethane, were not effective for the selective extraction of embelin.     

A comparative exploration of the phytochemical profiles and bio-pharmaceutical potential of Helichrysum stoechas subsp. barrelieri extracts obtained via five extraction techniques

We endeavoured to probe into and compare the possible effect(s) of different extraction techniques (accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonication-assisted extraction (UAE), maceration, and Soxhlet extraction (SE)) on the bioactivity (antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities) of the aerial parts of Helichrysum stoechas subsp. barrelieri (Ten.) Nyman. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts obtained by different extraction methods followed the order of ASE > MAE > UAE > maceration > SE. Extract obtained by ASE was the most potent radical scavenger (219.92 and 313.12 mg Trolox equivalent [TE]/g, against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), respectively) and reducing agent (927.39 and 662.87 mg TE/g, for cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), respectively). Helichrysum stoechas extract obtained by UAE (18.67 mg ethylenediaminetetraacetic equivalent [EDTAE]/g) was the most active metal chelator and inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (4.23 mg galantamine equivalent [GALAE]/g) and butyrylcholinesterase (6.05 mg GALAE/g) cholinesterase. Extract from maceration (183.32 mg kojic acid equivalent [KAE]/g) was most active against tyrosinase while ASE extract (1.66 mmol acarbose equivalent [ACAE]/g) effectively inhibited α-glucosidase. In conclusion, data amassed herein tend to advocate for the use of non-conventional extraction techniques, namely ASE and UAE, for the extraction of bioactive secondary metabolites from H. stoechas aerial parts.     

Ultrasound Assisted Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Peaches and Pumpkins

The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method was used to optimize the extraction of phenolic compounds from pumpkins and peaches. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the effects of three independent variables each with three treatments. They included extraction temperatures (30, 40 and 50°C), ultrasonic power levels (30, 50 and 70%) and extraction times (10, 20 and 30 min). The optimal conditions for extractions of total phenolics from pumpkins were inferred to be a temperature of 41.45°C, a power of 44.60% and a time of 25.67 min. However, an extraction temperature of 40.99°C, power of 56.01% and time of 25.71 min was optimal for recovery of free radical scavenging activity (measured by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reduction). The optimal conditions for peach extracts were an extraction temperature of 41.53°C, power of 43.99% and time of 27.86 min for total phenolics. However, an extraction temperature of 41.60°C, power of 44.88% and time of 27.49 min was optimal for free radical scavenging activity (judged by from DPPH reduction). Further, the UAE processes were significantly better than solvent extractions without ultrasound. By electron microscopy it was concluded that ultrasonic processing caused damage in cells for all treated samples (pumpkin, peach). However, the FTIR spectra did not show any significant changes in chemical structures caused by either ultrasonic processing or solvent extraction.