Enhanced Extraction Efficiency of Flavonoids from Pyrus ussuriensis Leaves with Deep Eutectic Solvents

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Vacuum Distillate from Panax ginseng Root on LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Cells

Panax ginseng has been widely applied as an important herb in traditional medicine to treat numerous human disorders. However, the inflammatory regulation effect of P. ginseng distillate (GSD) has not yet been fully assessed. To determine whether GSD can ameliorate inflammatory processes, a GSD was prepared using the vacuum distillation process for the first time, and the regulation effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages was assessed. The results showed that GSD effectively inhibited nitric oxide (NO) formation and activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in murine macrophage cell, but not cyclooxygenase-2 production. The mRNA expression pattern of tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-6 were also reduced by GSD. Furthermore, we confirmed that GSD exerted its anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation, and signaling pathway of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Our findings revealed that the inflammatory regulation activity of GSD could be induced by iNOS and NO formation inhibition mediated by regulation of nuclear factor kappa B and p38/JNK MAPK pathways.

Green Extraction of Polyphenols via Deep Eutectic Solvents and Assisted Technologies from Agri-Food By-Products

Polyphenols are the largest group of phytochemicals with important biological properties. Their presence in conveniently available low-cost sources, such as agri-food by-products, has gained considerable attention in their recovery and further exploitation. Retrieving polyphenols in a green and sustainable way is crucial. Recently, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been identified as a safe and environmentally benign medium capable of extracting polyphenols efficiently. This review encompasses the current knowledge and applications of DESs and assisted technologies to extract polyphenols from agri-food by-products. Particular attention has been paid to fundamental mechanisms and potential applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. In this way, DESs and DESs-assisted with advanced techniques offer promising opportunities to recover polyphenols from agri-food by-products efficiently, contributing to a circular and sustainable economy.

Editorial for Special Issue: "Recent Advances in Green Solvents"

Today, environmental conservation is one of the most urgent targets [...].

Extraction of Bioactive Components from Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop. with Choline Chloride and Organic Acids Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents

Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop. (fireweed) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Onagraceae family widely used in folk and scientific medicine. It is a promising source of bioactive components. One of the modern trends in extraction is the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE). However, works devoted to the extraction of biologically active substances from C. angustifolium using NADESs are scarce. The aim of this work is a comprehensive study of UAE of bioactive components from C. angustifolium using NADESs based on choline chloride and malonic, malic, tartaric, and citric acids. The antioxidative properties, total phenols, and flavonoids content were estimated for NADES-based extracts. The reference solvents were water and 90% v/v ethanol. Volatile extracted components were identified using GC-MS. The kinetics of the UAE were studied at 45 °C for 20–180 min with water added to 30 wt% NADES. The power of the ultrasound was 120 W, and the frequency was 40 kHz. It was found that NADES choline chloride + citric acid is more effective for the extraction of bioactive components. For this, NADES UAE conditions were optimized following a Box–Behnken design of the experiment and a response surface methodology. The temperature ranged from 30 to 60 °C, the time of extraction ranged from 20 to 60, and the addition of water ranged from 30 to 70 wt%. We established the optimal extraction conditions: temperature 58 °C, time of extraction 35 min, and 70 wt% water. The obtained results expand the knowledge about the use of NADES for the extraction of biologically active compounds from cheap and available plant raw materials.