Influence of Operating Parameters on the Use of the Microwave-Assisted Process (MAP) for the Extraction of Azadirachtin-Related Limonoids from Neem (Azadirachta indica) under Atmospheric Pressure Conditions

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 49; no. 10; pp. 4584 - 4588
• Main Authors: Dai, Jianming, Yaylayan, Varoujan A, Raghavan, G. S. Vijaya, Paré, J. R. Jocelyn, Liu, Zhun, Bélanger, Jacqueline M. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.10.2001
• Subjects: Atmospheric Pressure; Benzaldehydes; Biological and medical sciences; Colorimetry; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Limonins; Microwaves; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Seeds - chemistry; Solvents; Time Factors; Trees; Triterpenes - isolation & purification; Colorimetry; Azadirachtin; Meliaceae; Plant part; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Microwave irradiation; Spermatophyta; Hardwood forest tree; Extraction; Vanillin; Quantitative analysis; Azadirachta indica
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf010592k

The use of the microwave-assisted process (MAP) for the extraction of azadirachtin-related limonoids (AZRL) from various parts of the neem tree was investigated under different operating conditions. The influence of microwave power, solvent, and irradiation time on the recovery of AZRL was studied. The efficiency of the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of the seed kernel, the seed shell, the leaf, and the leaf stem was compared to that of conventional extraction methods. The content of AZRL in the extracts was estimated with a vanillin-based colorimetric assay and a multivariate calibration technique. The results showed that the MAE technique can enhance the extraction of AZRL from different parts of neem possessing microstructures. Investigation of the influence of the solvent also indicted that the solvent used not only influences the efficiency but also affects the selectivity of the MAE. Keywords: Azadirachtin; neem; vanillin assay; MAP; microwave-assisted extraction