What are plant extracts used for?
Due to the high chemical diversity of natural compounds, plant extracts could control the growth of microbes in food products. In addition, they are used in traditional medicine, functional foods, food supplements, and recombinant protein production. The bioactive compounds typically present in plant extracts can be highly diverse and can be hydrophilic or lipophilic in nature; they include polyphenols, carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocopherols and tocotrienols, phytoestrogens, phytosterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, peptides, and polysaccharides.Nowadays, plant extracts are increasingly becoming important additives in the food industry due to their content in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols [1] and carotenoids [2], which have antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, especially against low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) .Vegetable extracts refer to substances derived from vegetables that possess significant antioxidant activity and can enhance the quality and storage life of food systems, primarily due to their phenolic compounds.
What are the solvents used for extracting plant extract?
As stated previously, several solvent combinations have been applied to effectively extract phenolic components from plant material. Water, ethanol, methanol, acetone, and their aqueous mixes are the most commonly used solvents53. Vegetable extracts are obtained by solvent extractions and are constituted of a mixture of compounds with high antioxidants; among those identified are terpenes, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and phenols, among others (Chávez-Quintal et al. El-Khateeb et al.When 80% ethanol was used for extraction the high- est amount of flavonoids was detected and also the best antioxidant capacity. Conclusions. The results clearly showed that utilization of polar solvent enable extraction of significant amounts of phenolics and flavonoids.
Which extraction method is the best for plants?
A water-alcohol solvent mixture is commonly utilized, resulting in extra efficient extraction because water hydrates plant walls as the alcohol is chemically similar to most active components extracts from the plant material. A concoction of oil of fresh or dried herbs with alcohol is termed as herbal extracts. In the process, the solid particles are removed with the process of extraction and hence, the oil stays with alcohol making it ideal for medicinal and dietary uses.
What are the ingredients in plant extract?
The bioactive compounds typically present in plant extracts can be highly diverse and can be hydrophilic or lipophilic in nature; they include polyphenols, carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocopherols and tocotrienols, phytoestrogens, phytosterols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, peptides, and polysaccharides. Here are some examples of plants that, due to their properties, can be used to obtain extracts for particular cosmetic uses: Astringent: Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn Extract), Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree Extract), Castanea sativa (Chestnut Extract), Hedera helix (Ivy Extract), Ficus carica (Fig Extract) .Several extracts, such as Plectranthus barbatus, Lippia alba, Curcuma zedoaria, Hydrocotyle bonariensis, Aristolochia cymbifera, Plectranthus amboinicus, Mentha piperita, Justicia pectoralis, Calamintha adscendens, and Eleutherine bulbosa are used for the treatment of various diseases (Nivedha et al.