Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods
This study examined the composition and properties of chlorophyll and carotenoid extracted from the leaves of several Mediterranean evergreen shrubs and subshrubs (<i>Myrtus communis</i> L., <i>Pistacia lentiscus</i> L., <i>Thymus vulgaris</i> L., <i>Salvia...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/10/2477 |
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| author | Daniela Cvitković Patricija Lisica Zoran Zorić Maja Repajić Sandra Pedisić Verica Dragović-Uzelac Sandra Balbino |
| author_facet | Daniela Cvitković Patricija Lisica Zoran Zorić Maja Repajić Sandra Pedisić Verica Dragović-Uzelac Sandra Balbino |
| author_sort | Daniela Cvitković |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined the composition and properties of chlorophyll and carotenoid extracted from the leaves of several Mediterranean evergreen shrubs and subshrubs (<i>Myrtus communis</i> L., <i>Pistacia lentiscus</i> L., <i>Thymus vulgaris</i> L., <i>Salvia officinalis</i> L. and <i>Laurus nobilis</i> L.) commonly used as herbs and spices. In order to fully assess their composition over a wide polarity range, pigments were extracted by successive solvent extraction with hexane, 80% acetone and 96% ethanol. Agitation-assisted extraction (AAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) were employed and compared regarding their effect on the pigments’ yield and composition. Individual chlorophylls and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, while the content of total pigments and the extracts’ antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically. Throughout the experiments, pheophytin <i>a</i>, <i>b</i> and <i>b</i>’ were dominant chlorophyll molecules, while lutein and β-carotene were dominant carotenoids. Overall, the extracted pigments were determined as being in the range of 73.84–127.60 mg 100 g<sup>−1</sup> and were the lowest in <i>T. vulgaris,</i> with no significant differences between other species. <i>M. communis</i> and <i>P. lentiscus</i> had the highest antioxidant capacities, showing a moderate positive correlation with carotenoid and chlorophyll levels. Significant differences were found in the levels of individual pigments with most of them showing a medium level of polarity due to the dissolution in acetone as a medium polar solvent. AAE and PLE demonstrated similar efficacy in the extraction of both carotenoids and chlorophylls; however, preference can be given to PLE, being a novel method with numerous advantages, e.g., shorter extraction time and lower solvent consumption. The examined plant species certainly expressed great diversity and showed the potential for application in the production of various functional products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:34:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ff59016f12c741b0bd7ef13756cd9bfa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:34:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-ff59016f12c741b0bd7ef13756cd9bfa2023-11-22T18:16:46ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582021-10-011010247710.3390/foods10102477Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction MethodsDaniela Cvitković0Patricija Lisica1Zoran Zorić2Maja Repajić3Sandra Pedisić4Verica Dragović-Uzelac5Sandra Balbino6Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaFaculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, CroatiaThis study examined the composition and properties of chlorophyll and carotenoid extracted from the leaves of several Mediterranean evergreen shrubs and subshrubs (<i>Myrtus communis</i> L., <i>Pistacia lentiscus</i> L., <i>Thymus vulgaris</i> L., <i>Salvia officinalis</i> L. and <i>Laurus nobilis</i> L.) commonly used as herbs and spices. In order to fully assess their composition over a wide polarity range, pigments were extracted by successive solvent extraction with hexane, 80% acetone and 96% ethanol. Agitation-assisted extraction (AAE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) were employed and compared regarding their effect on the pigments’ yield and composition. Individual chlorophylls and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, while the content of total pigments and the extracts’ antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically. Throughout the experiments, pheophytin <i>a</i>, <i>b</i> and <i>b</i>’ were dominant chlorophyll molecules, while lutein and β-carotene were dominant carotenoids. Overall, the extracted pigments were determined as being in the range of 73.84–127.60 mg 100 g<sup>−1</sup> and were the lowest in <i>T. vulgaris,</i> with no significant differences between other species. <i>M. communis</i> and <i>P. lentiscus</i> had the highest antioxidant capacities, showing a moderate positive correlation with carotenoid and chlorophyll levels. Significant differences were found in the levels of individual pigments with most of them showing a medium level of polarity due to the dissolution in acetone as a medium polar solvent. AAE and PLE demonstrated similar efficacy in the extraction of both carotenoids and chlorophylls; however, preference can be given to PLE, being a novel method with numerous advantages, e.g., shorter extraction time and lower solvent consumption. The examined plant species certainly expressed great diversity and showed the potential for application in the production of various functional products.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/10/2477Mediterranean plantspigmentsantioxidant capacitypressurized liquid extractionagitation-assisted extractionultrasound-assisted extraction |
| spellingShingle | Daniela Cvitković Patricija Lisica Zoran Zorić Maja Repajić Sandra Pedisić Verica Dragović-Uzelac Sandra Balbino Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods Foods Mediterranean plants pigments antioxidant capacity pressurized liquid extraction agitation-assisted extraction ultrasound-assisted extraction |
| title | Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods |
| title_full | Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods |
| title_fullStr | Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods |
| title_short | Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Pigments of Mediterranean Herbs and Spices as Affected by Different Extraction Methods |
| title_sort | composition and antioxidant properties of pigments of mediterranean herbs and spices as affected by different extraction methods |
| topic | Mediterranean plants pigments antioxidant capacity pressurized liquid extraction agitation-assisted extraction ultrasound-assisted extraction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/10/2477 |
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