Optimisation of saponin extraction conditions with Camellia sinensis var. assamica seed and its application for a natural detergent

The Extraction Using Deep Eutectic Solvents and Evaluation of Tea Saponin

Tea saponins have high surface-active and biological activities and are widely used in chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. Tea saponins are usually extracted using ethanol or water, but both methods have their disadvantages, including a negative impact on the environment, high energy consumption, and low purity. In this study, we explored an effective process for extracting tea saponins from tea meal using deep eutectic solvents combined with ultrasonic extraction and enzymatic techniques. The experimental results showed that a high extraction efficiency of 20.93 ± 0.48% could be achieved in 20 min using an ultrasonic power of 40% and a binary DES consisting of betaine and ethylene glycol (with a molar ratio of 1:3) at a material-liquid ratio of 1:35 and that the purity of the tea saponins after purification by a large-pore adsorption resin reached 95.94%, which was higher than that of commercially available standard tea saponin samples. In addition, the extracted tea saponins were evaluated for their antioxidant and bacteriostatic activities using chemical and biological methods; the results showed that the tea saponins extracted using these methods possessed antioxidant properties and displayed significant antibacterial activity. Therefore, the present study developed a method for using deep eutectic solvents as an environmentally friendly technological solution for obtaining high-purity tea saponins from tea meal oil. This is expected to replace the current organic solvent and water extraction process and has great potential for industrial development and a number of possible applications.

Isolation and microbial transformation of tea sapogenin from seed pomace of Camellia oleifera with anti-inflammatory effects

In the current study, tea saponin, identified as the primary bioactive constituent in seed pomace of Camellia oleifera Abel., was meticulously extracted and hydrolyzed to yield five known sapogenins: 16-O-tiglogycamelliagnin B (a), camelliagnin A (b), 16-O-angeloybarringtogenol C (c), theasapogenol E (d), theasapogenol F (e). Subsequent biotransformation of compound a facilitated the isolation of six novel metabolites (a1-a6). The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds was assessed using pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns molecules (DAMPs)-mediated cellular inflammation models. Notably, compounds b and a2 demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on both lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-induced inflammation, surpassing the efficacy of the standard anti-inflammatory agent, carbenoxolone. Conversely, compounds d, a3, and a6 selectivity targeted endogenous HMGB1-induced inflammation, showcasing a pronounced specificity. These results underscore the therapeutic promise of C. oleifera seed pomace-derived compounds as potent agents for the management of inflammatory diseases triggered by infections and tissue damage.

Application of response surface methodology to optimise the extraction of tea saponin from Camellia oleifera, and their verification by HPLC

Single factor combined with response surface methodology was used to optimise the process parameters of tea saponin extraction from Camellia oleifera. Four factors including material-liquid ratio, extraction temperature, extraction time, and ethanol concentration were selected as the influencing factors on the basis of single factor. The extraction rate of tea saponin was used as the response factor to analyse the response of these four factors and three levels. Results showed that extraction temperature of 81.69°C, material-liquid ratio of 1:11.85 g/mL, time of 6.17 h, and ethanol concentration of 56.69% were the best extraction conditions. The estimated yield of extraction was 7.46%. Analysis of the tea saponin samples by using high performance liquid chromatography showed that the main peak time was 6.668 min, and the absorption peaks and peaks were symmetric.

Optimized pulsed electric field-assisted extraction of biosurfactants from Chubak (Acanthophyllum squarrosum) root and application in ice cream

BACKGROUND

In this study, a face-centered central composite design was applied to optimize pulsed electric field parameters (voltage: 1, 4, 7 kV cm^-1 ; pulse number: 10, 65, 120) for the extraction of natural saponins from Chubak root. Data analysis showed that increasing the voltage from 1 to 4 kV cm^-1 and pulse number from 10 to 65 increased foaming ability (FA) and emulsion stability, and decreased foam density (FD), foam stability (FS) and lightness, due to the improved extraction of saponins.

RESULTS

Whereas, an opposite trend was observed for FA, FD and FS on increasing the voltage from 4 to 7 kV cm^-1 as a result of more impurities being extracted. Furthermore, the Chubak root extract (CRE) (0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 g kg^-1 ) obtained under the optimized conditions (voltage of 6.4 kV cm^-1 and pulse number of 80) was used in ice cream formulation because of its ability to reduce surface tension. Based on the results, the samples containing higher amounts of CRE showed higher viscosity, consistency coefficient, overrun, melting resistance and creaminess, as well as lower values of flow behavior index, hardness, adhesiveness, coarseness and coldness. This could be related to the increased water retention, improved whipping ability, greater fat destabilization and smaller ice crystals. Although more bitterness was perceived as a result of an increase in the level of CRE, it had no negative effect on the overall acceptance assessed by trained sensory panelists.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study briefly support the conclusion that CRE has a very high potential for use as a foaming, emulsifying and stabilizing agent to improve the quality of ice cream. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

COVID-19: Eco-friendly hand hygiene for human and environmental safety

The Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is caused by a highly pathogenic novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). To date, there is no prescribed medicine for COVID-19. Frequent handwashing with soap and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is recommended by WHO for hand hygiene and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, there are safety concerns associated with the use of soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Therefore, the review aims to highlight the health and environmental concerns associated with the frequent use of soaps/detergents and alcohol-based hand sanitizers amid COVID-19. The potential of some of the natural detergents and sanitizing agents as eco-friendly alternatives to petrochemical-based soaps and alcohol-based hand rubs for hand hygiene are discussed. The market of soaps and hand sanitizers is expected to grow in the coming years and therefore, future research should be directed to develop eco-friendly soaps and hand sanitizers for human and environmental safety.

Nematotoxicity of Paeonia spp. Extracts and Camellia oleifera Tea Seed Cake and Extracts to Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyne incognita

Tea-oil camellia (Camellia oleifera) is grown for tea seed oil production, with tea seed cake produced as a byproduct. Rather than disposing of the cake, agricultural uses increase the value of oil production. Constituents of C. oleifera are also utilized for traditional Chinese medicine, as are compounds produced by tree peony roots. Consequently, the unused C. oleifera cake, and stems from two tree peony species, Paeonia rockii and Paeonia suffruticosa, were studied for compounds antagonistic to soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) and root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). Extracts from C. oleifera cake and P. rockii stems suppressed hatch and were nematotoxic to second-stage juveniles (J2) of both nematode species. P. rockii extracts were more effective than P. suffruticosa extracts for decreasing M. incognita hatch and J2 viability. In greenhouse trials with soybean (Glycine max 'Essex'), powdered C. oleifera cake applied as a soil amendment suppressed H. glycines cysts/g root by up to 66% compared with nonamended controls. These results indicate that the extracts and cake contain compounds active against H. glycines and M. incognita, with activity varying between the two Paeonia species. C. oleifera tea seed cake, and constituents of the cake or of P. rockii, are candidates for further studies on management of these nematodes.

Optimization of tea-leaf saponins water extraction and relationships between their contents and tea (Camellia sinensis) tree varieties

Resulting from the year-on-year increase in tea plantations and the saturated consumption of tea leaves, the relative overcapacity in China's tea-leaf production appears. Discovering the new utilization of tea leaves is helpful to alleviate this phenomenon. The feasibility of extracting saponins from aged tea leaves was investigated and confirmed; three major variables in water extraction were optimized by Box-Behnken designs. The significant variable found in Box-Behnken designs, liquid-solid ratio, was went through single-variable experiments for a more accurate optimization. Seventy-five ml/g, 1 hr, and 80°C were optimal values and tea-leaf saponins yield of tea tree variety Longjing 43 reached 12.19% ± 0.0030% after optimizations, higher than the yield of tea-seed saponins from Camellia oleifera seed meals using the same extraction method (water extraction based on optimizations). According to correlation analyses, tea tree's leaf type and germination stage affected tea-leaf saponins contents positively, indicating tea trees with larger leaves and later germination stage would have a higher content of tea-leaf saponins with a higher yield of tea-leaf saponins under the same extraction method.