Ultrasound-assisted packed-bed extraction of hypericin from Hypericum perforatum L. and optimization by response surface methodology

• Published in: Ultrasonics sonochemistry Vol. 57; pp. 89 - 97
• Main Authors: Tahmasebi-Boldaji, Ramin, Hatamipour, Mohammad-Sadegh, Khanahmadi, Morteza, Sadeh, Pegah, Najafipour, Iman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Ethanol - chemistry; HPLC; Hypericin; Hypericum - chemistry; Hypericum perforatum L; Methanol - chemistry; Models, Chemical; Perylene - analogs & derivatives; Perylene - analysis; Reproducibility of Results; RSM; Solvents - chemistry; Temperature; Time Factors; Ultrasonic Waves; Ultrasound-assisted Packed-bed; Hypericum perforatum L; Hypericin; Ultrasound-assisted Packed-bed; RSM; HPLC
• ISSN: 1350-4177; 1873-2828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2019.05.018

•Methanol-ethanol (50:50 v/v) increases the extraction efficiency of hypericin.•Ultrasound-assisted packed-bed increases the extraction efficiency of hypericin.•Temperature, time, and solvent to feed ratio affect the extraction efficiency.•Predicted optimization of extraction of hypericin yield was validated with the experiment through the UAE-PB.•A single stage extraction using ultrasound-assisted packed bed is sufficient and no further step is required. This paper presents the successful application of ultrasound-assisted packed-bed (UAE-PB) method for the extraction of hypericin from the Hypericum perfuratum L. The Soxhlet system was utilized for the determination of suitable solvent from ethanol, methanol or from the mixture of different proportions of ethanol-methanol. The mixture of 50:50 v/v ethanol-methanol was obtained to be the most suitable solvent since it led to the highest extraction amount of hypericin. The extraction amount of hypericin increased by 13.6% and 21.4% when the solvent changed from pure methanol to the mixture of 50:50 v/v ethanol-methanol for the extraction time of 3 and 8 h, respectively. Subsequently, the extraction was conducted through the UAE-PB, and the effects of temperature, time, and the ratio of solvent to the dried plant were studied. The response surface method (RSM) was used to investigate the effect of parameters on the extraction in the UAE-PB system. At the temperature of 60 °C, extraction time of 105 min, and the solvent to plant ratio of 15.3, the maximum extraction yield of hypericin was achieved. In the optimal conditions, the amount of extraction was 0.112 mg hypericin/g dried plant, which was in accordance with the optimized predicted value (0.111 mg hypericin/g dried plant) from Design-Expert software.