Optimum production conditions for the preparation of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) tincture using response surface methodology

S Akçura

doi:10.15421/012019

Abstract

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a member of medicinal and aromatic plants that have been used for phytotherapeutic applications for decades. In this study, optimum production conditions of lemon balm tincture, which is a functional product used commonly by the people for medicinal purposes, were investigated. For this aim, the response surface methodology approach was applied, and to determine the effect of processing variables, solid concentration (X1), ethanol concentration (X2), and processing time (X3) were selected as the parameters showing the essential effects on the tincture production. The production of high phenolic yielded tincture was aimed at, and therefore, total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity as inhibition concentration (IC50) of the tinctures were determined as the responses in the study. According to the experimental design, 15 tincture samples were prepared, and TPC ranged 1,462–10,335 mg GAE/L, while the IC50 ranged 11.8–78.1 mL. Multiple response optimization approaches were expertly applied, and optimum solid concentration and ethanol concentration for the high bioactive lemon balm tincture was determined as 5 g in 30 mL solvent and 38.6%, respectively. These optimum production conditions will help manufacturing the ideal lemon balm tincture with high bioactivity.

Highlights

The tincture is a hydroalcoholic extract of various plants used for medicinal purposes, namely it is universally used in phytotherapy, and used effectively for the treatment of many diseases or reduction of fevers.Tinctures are the galenic pharmaceutical forms that are prepared by using hydroalcoholic extraction, and the tincture preparation methods using different medicinal plants are recommended by some Pharmacopoeias, e.g., European Pharmacopoeia and Polish Pharmacopoeia (Olech et al, 2012)
The highest Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined for the sample which was prepared by 5 g of solid concentration (SC), 50% ethanol concentration stored for 15 days while the lowest one was determined in the tincture which was prepared by 1 g of SC, 25% ethanol concentration stored for eight days
It was observed that the TPC of the tincture was affected by solid concentration significantly (P < 0.05, Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

The tincture is a hydroalcoholic extract of various plants used for medicinal purposes, namely it is universally used in phytotherapy, and used effectively for the treatment of many diseases or reduction of fevers.Tinctures are the galenic pharmaceutical forms that are prepared by using hydroalcoholic extraction, and the tincture preparation methods using different medicinal plants are recommended by some Pharmacopoeias, e.g., European Pharmacopoeia and Polish Pharmacopoeia (Olech et al, 2012). The tincture is a hydroalcoholic extract of various plants used for medicinal purposes, namely it is universally used in phytotherapy, and used effectively for the treatment of many diseases or reduction of fevers. The powder pharmaceutical forms of the plants are commonly used, but the liquid extracts of the plants called tincture have many advantages for the treatments of the diseases. Bone (2003) reported that the tinctures have superior bioavailability because all important phytochemical constituents are already present in the solution compared to solid dose preparation. Dose flexibility is easier for the herbal liquids, and children could ingest fluids easier compared to solids (Bone, 2003; Kaplan et al, 2019). Sanchez Medina (2007) reported that the tincture products are popular because of availability, ease of dosage, and for convenient storage

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