Abstract
Abstract A new, fast and efficient method, hyphenated microwave-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (MA-ATPE) was applied in the extraction of α-solanine from Solanum retroflexum. This environmentally friendly extraction method applied water and ethanol as extraction solvents. Central composite design (CCD) was performed which included numerical parameters such as time, mass of plant powder and microwave power. The categorical factors included the chaotrope — NaCl or the kosmotrope — Na2CO3. Fitting the central composite design response surface model to the data generated a quadratic model with a good fit (R2 = 0.920). The statistically significant (p < 0.05) parameters such as time and mass of plant powder were influential in the extraction of α-solanine. Quantification of α-solanine was achieved using a robust and sensitive feature of the ultra-high performance quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-qTOF-MS), multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The optimized condition for the extraction of α-solanine in the presence of NaCl and Na2CO3 was a period of 1 min at a mass of 1.2 g using a microwave power of 40%. Maximal extraction of α-solanine was 93.50 mg kg−1 and 72.16 mg kg−1 for Na2CO3 and NaCl, respectively. The synergistic effect of salting-out and microwave extraction was influential in extraction of α-solanine. Furthermore, the higher negative charge density of the kosmotrope (Na2CO3) was responsible for its greater extraction of α-solanine than chaotrope (NaCl). The shorter optimal extraction times of MA-ATPE make it a potential technique that could meet market demand as it is a quick, green and efficient method for removal of toxic metabolites in nutraceuticals.
Highlights
Solanum retroflexum is one of many species within the Solanaceae family widely distributed and boasting over 3000 species of trees, shrubs and herbs
The extraction of α-solanine was performed of which was reported to be contained in Solanum retroflexum, using a hyphenated microwave-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction (MA-Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE)) approach (Daji et al 2018; Mokgehle et al 2021)
The presence of α-solanine has been reported in Solanum retroflexum and other species within the Solanum genus (Daji et al 2018; Mokgehle et al 2021)
Summary
Solanum retroflexum is one of many species within the Solanaceae family widely distributed and boasting over 3000 species of trees, shrubs and herbs. The consumption of Solanum retroflexum remains controversial in different cultural practices (Averbeke et al 2007; Managa et al 2020). In South Africa, Solanum retroflexum is an exclusively produced and consumed vegetable by African people, and due to its high nutrient composition in its leaves, its affordable means to alleviate malnutrition amongst poor rural based South Africans (Averbeke et al 2007). Solanum retroflexum is an inedible plant and persistent weed in Europe and America, as it is perceived to be toxic (Karabegović et al 2018). The edibility or inedibility of Solanum retroflexum is due to its metabolic composition. Some of the classes of secondary metabolites derived from Solanum plants include polyphenols such as flavonoids, widely renowned for its
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