Intensification of imperatorin extraction from Aegle marmelos by ultrasound assisted three phase partitioning: Comparative studies and exploring its ethnomedicinal uses

Abstract

The current work demonstrates the use of a hybrid technique where ultrasound was coupled with three phase partitioning (UA-TPP) to intensify the extraction of imperatorin from fruits of A. marmelos. The optimized parameters obtained were ultrasound time 30 min, ammonium sulphate mass fraction 30 % (w/v), biomass to solvent proportion 1:40 (w/v), biomass slurry to t-butanol proportion 1:1 (v/v), ultrasound power 120 W, and duty cycle 60% (6 sec on 4 sec off). The maximum extraction yield of imperatorin obtained was 5.44 mg/g using UA-TPP, which was much higher than the traditional techniques such as three-phase partitioning (TPP), Soxhlet, and batch extraction. The extraction time was also drastically reduced to 30 min in UA-TPP from 150 min compared to TPP. UA-TPP enhanced the extraction yield of imperatorin with a reduction in time and improved the ethnomedicinal properties such as total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity as compared to traditional extraction techniques.