Abstract
Irradiation has been increasingly recognized as an effective decontamination technique that ensures the chemical and organoleptic quality of medicinal and aromatic plants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation in the phenolic compounds of Ginkgo biloba L. (infusion and methanol/water extract), widely used in traditional medicine and in dietary supplements. Twenty-five compounds were detected, eighteen of which were flavonoids, one phenolic acid, five terpene lactones and one unknown compound. Among the quantified phenolic compounds, flavonoids were the main group present, being two kaempferol derivatives the major compounds found: kaempferol-3-O-dirhamnosylglucoside and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside. The irradiation with the highest dose (10kGy) is sufficient to guarantee the product disinfestation and microbial decontamination, also contributing to an increase in the extractability of phenolic compounds, both in methanol/water and infusion preparations.
Highlights
The interest for natural antioxidants has been increasing over the years
Plants are some of the most important sources of natural antioxidants including phenolic compounds, which have been related with the bioactivity of several medicinal plants (Sati et al, 2013)
This study aims to evaluate if gamma irradiation improves the extraction of phenolic compounds using Ginkgo biloba as source material
Summary
The interest for natural antioxidants has been increasing over the years. Phenolic compounds comprise a very large group of biologically active molecules, being appreciated for their beneficial effects on health (physiologically active compounds with anti-allergic, anti-atherogenic, antimicrobial, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective and vasodilatory effects) (Mendel and Youdim, 2004; Balasundram et al, 2006; Martins et al, 2011). The use of irradiation has been increasingly accepted for decontamination and conservation, since it does not significantly affect (at specific doses) the organoleptic and physico-chemical properties of the irradiated matrices (Alothman et al, 2009; Kirkin et al, 2014), including G. biloba (Pereira et al, 2015) This method reduces reliance on chemical fumigants (ethylene oxide and methyl bromide), which have been pointed out as mutagens and carcinogens to humans, leave chemical residue on plants and destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere (Migdal & Owczarczyk, 1998; Chmielewski & Migdal, 2005). This study aims to evaluate if gamma irradiation (at doses of 1 and 10 kGy) improves the extraction of phenolic compounds using Ginkgo biloba (infusion and methanolic extract) as source material
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