Abstract
Simple SummaryAloesin is a bioactive constituent of Aloe spp. used primarily in cosmetic products. Its recovery from plant materials is affected by several variables that can compromise the process yield and profitability, which is why it is necessary to determine the best processing conditions. This study describes the design and optimization of a method for extraction of aloesin from Aloe vera rind, a leaf part often discarded as a by-product, using the response surface methodology. The effect of the variables time, temperature, solvent composition, and solid/liquid ratio were investigated. Green organic solvents (ethanol, propylene glycol, and glycerol) were used in aqueous mixtures. Aqueous propylene glycol was found to be the most promising solvent for aloesin recovery and a linear increase in extraction yields was verified with the increase in solid/liquid ratio. To assess the bioactivity of the extracts, their ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and the fungal and bacterial growth, as well as their cytotoxic potential, was tested in vitro. Overall, it was possible to determine the best extraction conditions for aloesin and to better understand the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the aloesin-rich extracts, which may be produced and used by the industrial sector.Aloesin is an aromatic chromone with increasing applications in the cosmetic and health food industries. To optimize its extraction from the Aloe vera leaf rind, the independent variables time (10–210 min), temperature (25–95 °C) and organic solvent composition (0–100%, w/w) were combined in a central composite design coupled with response surface methodology. The solvents consisted of binary mixtures of water with ethanol, propylene glycol, or glycerol. The aloesin levels quantified in each extract were used as response for optimization. The theoretical models were fitted to the experimental data, statistically validated, and used to obtain the optimal extraction conditions. Then, a dose–response analysis of the solid/liquid ratio (S/L) was performed under the optimal conditions determined for each alcohol–water system and revealed that a linear improvement in extraction efficiency can be achieved by increasing the S/L ratio by up to 40 g/L. This analysis also allowed to experimentally validate the predictive models. Furthermore, the aloesin-rich extracts revealed antioxidant activity through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation inhibition, antimicrobial effects against bacterial and fungal strains, and no toxicity for PLP2 cells. Overall, this study provided optimal extraction conditions for the recovery of aloesin from Aloe vera rind through an eco-friendly extraction process and highlighted its bioactive potential.
Highlights
Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Mill.) is a succulent plant popularly recognized for its health-promoting effects and broad history of use in traditional medicine [1,2]
Alternative green solvents have been increasingly exploited to extract bioactive phenolic compounds from plant materials, including propylene glycol and glycerol, which are generally applied in aqueous mixtures as co-solvents [34,35,36,37,38,39]. The extraction of these phytochemicals is affected by other factors, such as processing time, temperature, and solid/liquid ratio, as well as by the intrinsic nature of the plant material
This study is aligned with the concept of “green extraction” and societal challenges of the 21st century to obtain high quality and safe bioactive ingredients and protect the environment [49], as it describes the design of an eco-sustainable extraction process for the recovery of aloesin from an Aloe vera by-product based on the use of alternative non-toxic green solvents
Summary
Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Mill.) is a succulent plant popularly recognized for its health-promoting effects and broad history of use in traditional medicine [1,2]. It is used worldwide mainly for the treatment of dermatological problems and the maintenance of healthy skin due to its healing, emollient, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and depigmenting effects [3,4,5]. The beneficial effects on the skin associated with Aloe vera have been linked to several bioactive compounds, including aloesin ( called aloeresin B) [8,9,10].
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