Influence of process parameters on hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna Jack.) extraction

Abstract

Given that many synthetic medications can induce a variety of negative reactions in patients, a search for natural substances with minimal side effects in patients has been conducted. Nowadays, researchers are focusing on plant medicines, which have been used to heal illnesses since ancient times. The plant Crataegus monogyna Jack. (hawthorn) is the most abuntant plant in the Rosaceae family that is also used in traditional medicine. C. monogyna's pharmaceutical, phytochemical, functional, and therapeutic qualities are based on a wide range of useful secondary metabolites, which include phenolic compound (flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins), vitamin C and antioxidants.

Total (poly)phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins contents in C. monogyna Jacq. extracts were measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, aluminium chloride and the pH differential methods, respectively. The extraction lasted 15 to 120 min, with a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:15 w/v and 1:30 w/v and solvents of 30% and 60% ethanol.

According to the results, the extraction process has the highest velocity within the first 15 min, when the majority of (poly)phenols and flavonoids are extracted, but it becomes slower as time passes. Higher yields are obtained by utilizing a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:30 w/v rather than a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:15 w/v, which indicates that when the amount of drug increases over a certain optimal value, the resistance to mass transfer from a solid material to liquid increases. Finally, the results about the impact of the ethanol content in the solvent demonstrate that a larger ethanol content greatly favors the extraction of flavonoids, but this is not as evident for the extraction of total (poly)phenols and anthocyanins.