Abstract
Natural compounds obtained from different medicinal and aromatic plants have gained respect as alternative treatments to synthetic drugs, as well as raw materials for different applications (cosmetic, food and feed industries, environment protection, and many others). Based on a literature survey on dedicated databases, the aim of the present work is to be a critical discussion of aspects regarding classical extraction versus modern extraction techniques; possibilities to scale up (advantages and disadvantages of different extraction methods usually applied and the influence of extraction parameters); and different medicinal and aromatic plants’ different applications (medical and industrial applications, as well as the potential use in nanotechnology). As nowadays, research studies are directed toward the development of modern, innovative applications of the medicinal and aromatic plants, aspects regarding future perspectives are also discussed.
Highlights
National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM, Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, University “Politehnica”
Medicinal plants are a source of bioactive compounds that act as drugs in traditional treatments [1]; aromatic plants represent a rich source of essential oils, which can be used for their aroma and flavor [2]
Considering the results presented by the authors, the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) and modern extraction techniques could be successfully applied for the scale-up of the procedure
Summary
Espino and coworkers developed and optimized ultrasound-mediated extraction for phenolic compounds from Larrea cuneifolia Cav. 1800, which is a medicinal plant from the Larrea genus used in the Argentinian folk medicine [44] They chemometrically optimized the extraction conditions, obtaining better results than using classical solvents in terms of resulted wastes: for conventional techniques (maceration, decoction, heat reflux), wastes are in the range 1.5–2.85 penalty points for waste calculated according to the methodology previously mentioned [39,40,41], while for modern techniques, such as microwave and ultrasound-assisted extractions, wastes are in the range of 1–1.5 penalty points for waste, which are calculated according to the same protocol. There must be a balance between the parameters, and according to Belwal and coworkers, every method must prove its maturity level through technology readiness levels (TRL) [49]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
