Abstract
Purpose: To develop a more green, efficient and low cost process for the extraction of steroidal saponins from Dioscorea Zingiberensis C. H. Wright.Methods: Six kinds of ionic liquids with different cations and anions were evaluated. In addition, the extraction parameters of the ionic liquid based ultrasonic/microwave extraction were studied. In order to quantify the total saponin content accurately, all steroidal saponins were converted into diosgenin and quantified with an appropriate HPLC procedure. IL-UMAE under optimal conditions was compared with heat reflux extraction (HRE) and ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE).Results: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIm]BF4) solution at concentration of 0.5 mol L-1 was selected as extraction solvent. The optimum conditions were as follows: solvent to solid ratio 15:1, microwave power 500 W and extraction time 8 min. Under these optimal conditions, the highest extraction yield of diosgenin 10.24 ± 0.31 mg g-1 was obtained. It took only 8 min to obtain the 91.67 % content of diosgenin obtained by traditional HRE. Extracting on time was shortened from 120 min to 8 min.Conclusion: Compared with traditional methods, IL-UMAE method uses Ionic liquid-solvent which greatly shortens the extraction time. IL-UMAE as a simple, effective and environmentally friendly approach shows a broad prospect for active ingredient extraction.Keywords: Dioscorea zingiberensis Steroidal saponins, Ionic liquid, Ultrasonic, Microwave
Highlights
Diosgenin is stored in plants in the form of saponins that are regarded as the major active components of D. zingibiensis [3]
ionic liquid (IL)-ultrasonic/ microwave-assisted synergic extraction (UMAE) under optimal conditions was compared with heat reflux extraction (HRE) and ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE)
Extraction yield dramatically decreased when the alkyl chain length was increasing from ethyl to butyl
Summary
H. Wright is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Wright is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) It is widely distributed in Shanxi, Hubei and Yunnan provinces of China [1]. It is the important plant resource for diosgenin, a starting material for the semi-synthesis of drugs of steroidal hormones [2]. Diosgenin is stored in plants in the form of saponins that are regarded as the major active components of D. zingibiensis [3]. In the last few years, saponins have attracted worldwide attention because of their rich variety of structures and functional activities [4]. Anti-thrombotic activity [5], protective effects against hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress [6], cytotoxic activity against the cancer [7], inhibiting platelet aggregation [8] were reported
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