Optimization of Phenolic Compounds Extraction from Wood Apple (Limonia Acidissima L.) Fruit using Experimental Design Methodology

Abstract

Wood apple is an under exploited edible fruit, that contains a myriad of phytochemicals and is used in ethnomedicine to treat a variety of diseases. This research uses Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimize phenolic compound extraction as significantly (p<0.01) influenced by various solvents and extraction conditions including solvent concentration (50-100%), temperature (30-60oC) and time (2-5 hr) as independent variables, and extraction yield, phenolic content and DPPH activity as dependent variables. The optimal extraction conditions obtained were: methanol (81.46% concentration, 53oC temperature for 3.3 hr); ethanol (73.04% concentration, 45oC temperature for 3.58 hr); acetone (50% concentration, 43.48oC temperature for 3.06 hr) and ethyl acetate (99% concentration, 49.5oC temperature for 2 hr). The maximum extraction yield (38.14%) along with DPPH activity (80.85%) were observed using methanol, and phenolic content (248.84 mg GAE/g) using acetone. The phenolic compounds (gallic, syringic, vanillic acid etc.) in optimised solvent extract were quantified using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC-UV).