Abstract
Trifolium pratense L. is receiving increasing attention due to the isoflavones it contains, which have been studied for their benefits to human health. A common problem with isoflavone aglycones is a rather low water solubility and limited pharmaceutical applications. The use of excipients, such as cyclodextrins in the production of isoflavone rich extracts, could become one of the new strategies for the extraction of target compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate an eco-friendly method using the effects of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrins for isoflavone solubilization in plant extracts in comparison to a standard extract without excipients. Extractions of red clover were prepared using ultrasound-assisted combined with thermal hydrolysis and heat reflux. It was determined that cyclodextrins significantly increased the isoflavones aglycone yields. By increasing cyclodextrins in the extraction media from 1 to 5%, the daidzin concentration increased on average by 1.06 (α-cyclodextrins), 1.4 (β-cyclodextrins) and 1.25 (γ-cyclodextrins) times. Genistein concentration increased using α- and γ-cyclodextrins (1.28 and 1.12 times, α- and γ-cyclodextrins, respectively), but decreased using β-cyclodextrins. The results showed that the cyclodextrin-assisted extraction enhanced the yields of isoflavones from red clover, which suggests using cyclodextrins as a green alternative and a cost-effective method to increase its pharmaceutical application.
Highlights
Before the experiment optimal conditions were selected for this research, different concentrations of ethanol and two temperatures of ultrasound were selected in order to obtain higher amounts of isoflavones
The results indicate that the use of α, β- and γ-compared trins (CDs) during extractions increases the
Isoflavone aglycones can be unstable at high temperatures and break down [42]
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. (red clover) (Figure 1) is a member of the family Leguminosae or Fabaceae. It is a short-lived biennial plant which has been used for its wide health benefits, which come from isoflavones [1]. The main isoflavones found in red clover are daidzein, genistein, formononetin, and biochanin A, as well as their glycosides (such as genistin, daidzin) [2,3]
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