Optimization of the extraction process of Phyllanthus niruri L.

Abstract

Phyllanthus niruri L., known as stone breaker, is a plant in the Phyllanthaceae family, belonging to the genus Phyllanthus. In this study, the factorial design was evaluated to study the importance of factors (concentration of ethanol and extraction process) on the concentration of flavonoids and phenolic compounds present in P. niruri extracts. Different extracts of P. niruri was prepared using 50 and 96% ethanol, using three different extraction methods: Maceration, percolation and ultrasound. The quantification of flavonoids was performed by the spectrophotometric method with 10% AlCl3 (v/v) in water. The Folin- Ciocalteu method were employed for the quantification of phenolic compounds. The analyses were performed in triplicate and the results were analyzed using the Minitab18® and Prisma GraphPad® software. Significant differences (p≤0.05) were observed in the values of flavonoids and total phenolic compounds in the extracts produced from P. niruri, when different extraction processes were used, as well as different concentrations of ethanol. Analyzing the Pareto graphs, it was possible to verify that the solvent concentration was the effect that most contributed to the extraction of both bioactive compounds. Checking the interaction graphs, it was possible to identify that 96% ethanol positively influenced the extraction of flavonoids and 50% ethanol influenced the extraction of phenolic compounds. Thus, the factorial design applied to the extraction process of P. niruri showed that the extraction of flavonoids can be carried out efficiently by traditional extraction methods, maceration or percolation, using 96% ethanol as a solvent. The optimized conditions for the extraction of phenolic compounds are by percolation or ultrasound with 50% ethanol.