Supercritical Carbon Dioxide and Microwave-Assisted Extraction of Functional Lipophilic Compounds from Arthrospira platensis

Enhancing Nutrient Recovery and Bioactive Compound Extraction from Spirulina through Supercritical Fluid Extraction: Implications for SH-SY5Y Cell Viability

This work explores the efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) to recover minerals, pigments, and antioxidant compounds from the spirulina microalgae. Moreover, the fatty acids and phenolic profiles of the extracts obtained were also investigated, and the effect of the extracts on SH-SY5Y cell viability was tested. The extraction of phycocyanin was improved by SFE compared to conventional extraction, from 2.838 ± 0.081 mg/g dry matter (DM) (control) to 6.438 ± 0.411 mg/g DM (SFE). SFE treatment also improved chlorophyll a and carotenoid recoveries increasing from 5.612 ± 0.547 to 8.645 ± 0.857 mg/g DM and from 0.447 ± 0.096 to 0.651 ± 0.120 mg/g DM, respectively. Regarding minerals, the SFE improved Mg recovery with 77% more than the control extraction. Moreover, palmitoleic, stearic, γ-linolenic, eicosadienoic and eicosatrienoic acids recovery was improved by SFE. Phenolic profiles were identified via triple-TOF-LC-MS-MS. Considering heavy metals, a higher rate of Pb extraction was observed for the SFE extract, while no significant differences were observed for Hg between both extractions. Finally, SFE extract improved cell viability compared to the control extract. Thus, SFE constitutes an interesting tool to sustainably extract high-added-value compounds; however, potential contaminants such as Pb need to be controlled in the resulting extracts.

Recent Advances in Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Pigments, Lipids and Bioactive Compounds from Microalgae

Supercritical CO₂ extraction is a green method that combines economic and environmental benefits. Microalgae, on the other hand, is a biomass in abundance, capable of providing a vast variety of valuable compounds, finding applications in the food industry, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and biofuels. An extensive study on the existing literature concerning supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of microalgae has been carried out focusing on carotenoids, chlorophylls, lipids and fatty acids recovery, as well as the bioactivity of the extracts. Moreover, kinetic models used to describe SFE process and experimental design are included. Finally, biomass pretreatment processes applied prior to SFE are mentioned, and other extraction methods used as benchmarks are also presented.

Food Wastes and Microalgae as Sources of Bioactive Compounds and Pigments in a Modern Biorefinery: A Review

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has created more pressure on countries and society at large for the development of alternative solutions for synthetic and fossil fuel derived products, thus mitigating climate change and environmental hazards. Food wastes and microalgae have been studied for decades as potential sources of several compounds that could be employed in various fields of application from pharmaceutical to textile and packaging. Although multiple research efforts have been put towards extracting rich compounds (i.e., phenolic compounds, tocopherols, and tocotrienols) from these sources, they still remain overlooked as two major sources of bioactive compounds and pigments, mainly due to inefficient extraction processes. Hence, there is a growing need for the development of optimized extraction methods while employing non-organic solvent options following the main principles of green chemistry. This review will focus on delivering a clear and deep analysis on the existing procedures for obtaining bioactive compounds and pigments from food wastes derived from the most consumed and produced fruit crops in the world such as apples, oranges, cherries, almonds, and mangoes, and microalgal biomass, while giving light to the existing drawbacks in need to be solved in order to take full advantage of the rich properties present in these two major biorefinery sources.

Sample Preparation in Microbial Metabolomics: Advances and Challenges

Microbial metabolomics has gained significant interest as it reflects the physiological state of microorganisms. Due to the great variability of biological organisms, in terms of physicochemical characteristics and variable range of concentration of metabolites, the choice of sample preparation methods is a crucial step in the metabolomics workflow and will reflect on the quality and reliability of the results generated. The procedures applied to the preparation of microbial samples will vary according to the type of microorganism studied, the metabolomics approach (untargeted or targeted), and the analytical platform of choice. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the sample preparation workflow for microbial metabolomics, highlighting the pre-analytical factors associated with cultivation, harvesting, metabolic quenching, and extraction. Discussions focus on obtaining intracellular and extracellular metabolites. Finally, we introduced advanced sample preparation methods based on automated systems.

Improvement in the Sequential Extraction of Phycobiliproteins from Arthrospira platensis Using Green Technologies

Arthrospira platensis (commercially known as Spirulina) is an excellent source of phycobiliproteins, especially C-phycocyanin. Phycobiliproteins are significant bioactive compounds with useful biological applications. The extraction process plays a significant role in downstream microalga production and utilisation. The important pigments found in A. platensis include chlorophyll and carotenoids as nonpolar pigments and phycobiliproteins as polar pigments. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) as a green extraction technology for the high-value metabolites of microalgae has potential for trends in food and human health. The nonpolar bioactive compounds, chlorophyll and carotenoids of A. platensis, were primarily separated using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) solvent-free fluid extraction pressure; the temperature and ethanol as cosolvent conditions were compared. The residue from the A. platensis cells was subjected to phycobiliprotein extraction. The phosphate and water extraction of A. platensis SFE residue were compared to evaluate phycobiliprotein extraction. The SFE results exhibited higher pressure (350 bar) and temperature extraction (50 °C) with ethanol-free extraction and increased nonpolar pigment. Phycobiliprotein yield was obtained from A. platensis SFE residue by ethanol-free buffer extraction as a suitable process with antioxidant properties. The C-phycocyanin was isolated and enhanced to 0.7 purity as food grade. This developed method can be used as a guideline and applied as a sustainable process for important pigment extraction from Arthrospira microalgae.

Recent biotechnological developments in reshaping the microalgal genome: A signal for green recovery in biorefinery practices

The use of renewable energy sources as a substitute for nonrenewable fossil fuels is urgently required. Algae biorefinery platform provides an excellent alternate to overcome future energy problems. However, to let this viable biomass be competent with existing feedstocks, it is necessary to exploit genetic manipulation and improvement in upstream and downstream platforms for optimal bio-product recovery. Furthermore, the techno-economic strategies further maximize metabolites production for biofuel, biohydrogen, and other industrial applications. The experimental methodologies in algal photobioreactor promote high biomass production, enriched in lipid and starch content in limited environmental conditions. This review presents an optimization framework combining genetic manipulation methods to simulate microalgal growth dynamics, understand the complexity of algal biorefinery to scale up, and identify green strategies for techno-economic feasibility of algae for biomass conversion. Overall, the algal biorefinery opens up new possibilities for the valorization of algae biomass and the synthesis of various novel products.

Multi-product biorefinery from Arthrospira platensis biomass as feedstock for bioethanol and lactic acid production

With the aim to reach the maximum recovery of bulk and specialty bioproducts while minimizing waste generation, a multi-product biorefinery for ethanol and lactic acid production from the biomass of cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis was investigated. Therefore, the residual biomass resulting from different pretreatments consisting of supercritical fluid extraction (SF) and microwave assisted extraction with non-polar (MN) and polar solvents (MP), previously applied on A. platensis to extract bioactive metabolites, was further valorized. In particular, it was used as a substrate for fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae LPB-287 and Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121 to produce bioethanol (BE) and lactic acid (LA), respectively. The maximum concentrations achieved were 3.02 ± 0.07 g/L of BE by the MN process at 120 rpm 30 °C, and 9.67 ± 0.05 g/L of LA by the SF process at 120 rpm 37 °C. An economic analysis of BE and LA production was carried out to elucidate the impact of fermentation scale, fermenter costs, production titer, fermentation time and cyanobacterial biomass production cost. The results indicated that the critical variables are fermenter scale, equipment cost, and product titer; time process was analyzed but was not critical. As scale increased, costs tended to stabilize, but also more product was generated, which causes production costs per unit of product to sharply decrease. The median value of production cost was US$ 1.27 and US$ 0.39, for BE and LA, respectively, supporting the concept of cyanobacterium biomass being used for fermentation and subsequent extraction to obtain ethanol and lactic acid as end products from A. platensis.

Implementation of kLa-Based Strategy for Scaling Up Porphyridium purpureum (Red Marine Microalga) to Produce High-Value Phycoerythrin, Fatty Acids, and Proteins

Porphyridium purpureum is a well-known Rhodophyta that recently has attracted enormous attention because of its capacity to produce many high-value metabolites such as the pigment phycoerythrin and several high-value fatty acids. Phycoerythrin is a fluorescent red protein-pigment commercially relevant with antioxidant, antimicrobial activity, and fluorescent properties. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) was kept constant within the different scaling-up stages in the present study. This scaling-up strategy was sought to maintain phycoerythrin production and other high-value metabolites by Porphyridium purpureum, using hanging-bag photobioreactors. The k_La was monitored to ensure the appropriate mixing and CO₂ diffusion in the entire culture during the scaling process (16, 80, and 400 L). Then, biomass concentration, proteins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and phycoerythrin were determined in each step of the scaling-up process. The k_La at 16 L reached a level of 0.0052 s^-1, while at 80 L, a value of 0.0024 s^-1 was achieved. This work result indicated that at 400 L, 1.22 g L^-1 of biomass was obtained, and total carbohydrates (117.24 mg L^-1), proteins (240.63 mg L^-1), and lipids (17.75% DW) were accumulated. Regarding fatty acids production, 46.03% palmitic, 8.03% linoleic, 22.67% arachidonic, and 2.55% eicosapentaenoic acid were identified, principally. The phycoerythrin production was 20.88 mg L^-1 with a purity of 2.75, making it viable for food-related applications. The results of these experiments provide insight into the high-scale production of phycoerythrin via the cultivation of P. purpureum in an inexpensive and straightforward culture system.

Spirulina Lipids Alleviate Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Mice Fed a High-Fat and High-Sucrose Diet

High-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD)-induced obesity leads to oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory status. However, little is known about the beneficial effects of total lipids extracted from Spirulina. Hence, in the present study, Spirulina lipids were extracted with chloroform/methanol (SLC) or ethanol (SLE) and then their effects on oxidative stress and inflammation in the mice fed a HFHSD were investigated. The results show that the major lipid classes and fatty acid profiles of SLC and SLE were almost similar, but the gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and carotenoid contents in SLE was a little higher than that in SLC. Dietary 4% SLC or SLE for 12 weeks effectively decreased the hepatic lipid hydroperoxide levels as well as increased the activities and mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes in the mice fed a HFHSD. In addition, supplementation with SLC and SLE also markedly decreased the levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver and epididymal white adipose tissue of mice fed a HFHSD, and the effects of SLC and SLE were comparable. These findings confirm for the first time that dietary Spirulina lipids could alleviate HFHSD-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Multiproduct biorefinery from Arthrospira spp. towards zero waste: Current status and future trends

Considering the high- and low-value product perspectives, Arthrospira spp. are one of the most industrially exploited microalgae. However, currently, the biomass is being utilized for one specific product resulting in a steep upsurge in the overall production cost. Hence, to boost the economic viability of Arthrospira biorefinery process, every high- and low-value products from it ought to be valorized. Envisioning how costlier can be the multiproduct biorefinery concept owing to the downstream processing at an industrial scale, it is quite essential to look for new trends and encouraging solutions. This article intended to propose a sustainable biorefinery in the wake of the current understanding of the present constraints and challenges associated with Arthrospira biorefinery. The current review aimed at defining the future aspects of this biorefinery including integration and optimization of the culture strategy, and, implementation of new ingenious techniques to improve downstream processing (harvesting, extraction, fractionation, and purification).

Add-On Effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine for Post-Stroke Spasticity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Treatment for post-stroke spasticity (PSS) remains a major challenge in clinical practice. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is often administered to assist in routine care (RC) in the treatment of PSS, with increasing numbers of clinical research and preclinical studies suggesting that it has potential benefits. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the add-on effects and safety of CHM for PSS. Methods: Five English and four Chinese databases were searched from their respective inception to 28 February 2018. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the add-on effects of CHM for PSS, based on changes in the scores of the (Modified) Ashworth Scale (AS or MAS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Sensorimotor Recovery (FMA), and Barthel Index (BI). Results: Thirty-five trials involving 2,457 patients were included. For upper-limb AS or MAS, the estimated add-on effects of CHM to RC were significantly better when using oral (SMD -1.79, 95% CI: -3.00 to -0.57) or topical CHM (SMD -1.06, 95% CI: -1.40 to -0.72). For lower-limb AS or MAS, significant add-on benefits to RC were also detected (SMD -1.01, 95% CI: -1.43 to -0.59 and SMD -1.16, 95% CI: -1.83 to -0.49) using oral and topical CHM, respectively. For FMA and BI, better results were detected when adding CHM to RC, except for the subgroup of oral CHM for upper-limb FMA. Ten of the 35 included studies reported safety information, with two of them mentioning two mild adverse events. Conclusions: Noting the quality concerns of the included trials, this review suggests that CHM appears to be a well-tolerated therapy for patients with PSS, and the potential add-on effects of CHM in reducing spasticity and improving the daily activities of patients with PSS require further rigorous assessment.

Selenium in Germinated Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Increases the Stability of Its Oil Fraction

Selenium is an essential mineral in human nutrition. In order to assess its effect on the stability of chickpea oil, seeds were germinated and tested with different amounts of sodium selenite (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/100g seeds) for four days. Oil was extracted from sprouted chickpea and its physical properties, fatty acid profile (FAME), oxidative stability index (OSI), lipase and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities, cellular antioxidant activity (CAA), and phenolics and carotenoids were assessed and compared to chickpea seed oil. The amount of chickpea oil and its acid value (AV) increased during germination. The OSI increased by 28%, 46% and 14% for 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/100g compared with non-selenium treated sprouts. Phenolics increased up to 36% and carotenoids reduced by half in germinated sprouts with and without selenium compared to seeds. Carotenoids increased by 16% in sprouts treated with 1.0 mg/100 g selenium compared to their counterparts without selenium. FAME was not affected by treatments but samples with the highest selenium concentration increased lipase activity by 19% and decreased lipoxygenase activity by 55% compared with untreated sprouts. The CAA of oils increased by 43% to 66% in all germinated treatments compared with seeds. Results suggest that Se-enriched chickpea sprouts could represent an excellent source of oil with a high OSI and CAA, associated with a reduction in LOX activity and an increase in phenolics, respectively.

Solid Matrix-Supported Supercritical CO₂ Enhances Extraction of γ-Linolenic Acid from the Cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis and Bioactivity Evaluation of the Molecule in Zebrafish

Marine cyanobacteria represent a large untapped source of functional glycolipids enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for human health. However, advanced methods for scalable isolation of diverse species containing high-purity PUFA-rich glycolipids will have to be developed and their possible pharmaceutical and nutraceutical functions identified. This paper introduces a novel solid matrix-supported supercritical CO₂ extraction method for scalable isolation of the PUFA γ-linolenic acid (GLA)-enriched glycolipids from the cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis, which has been the most widely used among microalgae in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Of various porous materials studied, diatomite was the best to facilitate extraction of GLA-rich glycolipids, resulting in an extraction efficiency of 98%. Gamma-linolenic acid made up 35% of total fatty acids (TFAs) in the extracts, which was considerably greater than that obtained with ethanol (26%), Bligh and Dyer (24%), and in situ transesterification (24%) methods, respectively. Lipidomics analysis revealed that GLA was exclusively associated with galactolipids. Pharmaceutical functions of GLA-rich galactolipids were investigated on a zebrafish caudal fin regeneration model. The results suggested that GLA extracted from A. platensis possessed anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic activities, which acted in a concerted manner to promote post-injury regeneration of zebrafish.

Supercritical CO2-based tailor made valorization of Origanum vulgare L extracts: A green approach to extract high-value compounds with applied perspectives

In this study, the supercritical CO₂-based extraction approach was used from the green technologies to extract Oregano oil (Origanum vulgare L.). A Taguchi experimental design was applied to evaluate the effect of pressure, temperature and ethanol as co-solvent. High yield of oregano oil (13.40%) was obtained at 40 °C, 100 bar and 8 g min^-1 of co-solvent flow. Fatty acids profile include α-linolenic, palmitic, oleic and linoleic that contribute to 70.9-76.8% of total fatty acids. Volatile compounds including carvacrol (29.99%), heneicosane (8.21%), nonacosane (11.78%), docosane (7.18%), borneol (4.35%) and thymol (4.51%) were the main compounds identified. Antimicrobial activity assays showed that extracts obtained at 40 °C were highly efficient against S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. Highest antioxidant activities on DPPH and FRAP assays were reached under 8 g min^-1 of co-solvent flow (6.08 and 6.89 μmol TE g^-1 extract, respectively). On the other hand, antioxidant activity (35.76 μmol TE g^-1) on ABTS assay was improved at 40 °C, 100 bar, and 4 g min^-1 of co-solvent flow.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction for Microalgae: From Biofuels to Biorefinery

The commercial reality of bioactive compounds and oil production from microalgal species is constrained by the high cost of production. Downstream processing, which includes harvesting and extraction, can account for 70-80% of the total cost of production. Consequently, from an economic perspective extraction technologies need to be improved. Microalgal cells are difficult to disrupt due to polymers within their cell wall such as algaenan and sporopollenin. Consequently, solvents and disruption devices are required to obtain products of interest from within the cells. Conventional techniques used for cell disruption and extraction are expensive and are often hindered by low efficiencies. Microwave-assisted extraction offers a possibility for extraction of biochemical components including lipids, pigments, carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins, individually and as part of a biorefinery. Microwave technology has advanced since its use in the 1970s. It can cut down working times and result in higher yields and purity of products. In this review, the ability and challenges in using microwave technology are discussed for the extraction of bioactive products individually and as part of a biorefinery approach.

Natural 6-hydroxy-chromanols and -chromenols: structural diversity, biosynthetic pathways and health implications

We present the first comprehensive and systematic review on the structurally diverse toco-chromanols and -chromenols found in photosynthetic organisms, including marine organisms, and as metabolic intermediates in animals. The focus of this work is on the structural diversity of chromanols and chromenols that result from various side chain modifications. We describe more than 230 structures that derive from a 6-hydroxy-chromanol- and 6-hydroxy-chromenol core, respectively, and comprise di-, sesqui-, mono- and hemiterpenes. We assort the compounds into a structure-activity relationship with special emphasis on anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activities of the congeners. This review covers the literature published from 1970 to 2017.

Effect of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Parameters on the Biological Activities and Metabolites Present in Extracts from Arthrospira platensis

Arthrospira platensis was used to obtain functional extracts through supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE-CO₂). Pressure (P), temperature (T), co-solvent (CX), static extraction (SX), dispersant (Di) and dynamic extraction (DX) were evaluated as process parameters through a Plackett–Burman design. The maximum extract yield obtained was 7.48 ± 0.15% w/w. The maximum contents of bioactive metabolites in extracts were 0.69 ± 0.09 µg/g of riboflavin, 5.49 ± 0.10 µg/g of α-tocopherol, 524.46 ± 0.10 µg/g of β-carotene, 1.44 ± 0.10 µg/g of lutein and 32.11 ± 0.12 mg/g of fatty acids with 39.38% of palmitic acid, 20.63% of linoleic acid and 30.27% of γ-linolenic acid. A. platensis extracts had an antioxidant activity of 76.47 ± 0.71 µg GAE/g by Folin–Ciocalteu assay, 0.52 ± 0.02, 0.40 ± 0.01 and 1.47 ± 0.02 µmol TE/g by DPPH, FRAP and TEAC assays, respectively. These extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Overall, co-solvent was the most significant factor for all measured effects (p < 0.05). Arthrospira platensis represents a sustainable source of bioactive compounds through SFE using the following extraction parameters P: 450 bar, CX: 11 g/min, SX: 15 min, DX: 25 min, T: 60 °C and Di: 35 g.

Advancement of green process through microwave-assisted extraction of bioactive metabolites from Arthrospira Platensis and bioactivity evaluation

Bioactivity and functional properties of cyanobacterial extract mostly depends on process of extraction, temperature and solvent used (polar or non-polar). To evaluate these parameters a design of experiment (DOE; using a 2^k design) was performed with Arthrospira platensis. Extraction process was optimized through microwave-assisted extraction considering solvent ratio, temperature and time of extraction with polar (PS) and non-polar (NPS). Maximum extract yield obtained was 4.32±0.25% and 5.26±0.11% (w/w) respectively for PS and NPS. Maximum content of bioactive metabolites in PS extracts were thiamine (846.57±14.12μg/g), riboflavin (101.09±1.63μg/g), C-phycocyanin (2.28±0.10μg/g) and A-phycocyanin (4.11±0.03μg/g), while for NPS extracts were α-tocopherol (37.86±0.78μg/g), β-carotene (123.64±1.45μg/g) and 19.44±0.21mg/g of fatty acids. A. platensis PS extracts showed high antimicrobial activity and PS extracts had antioxidant activity of 0.79±0.12μmolTE/g for FRAP assay, while for NPS extracts 1.03±0.08μmol α-TE/g for FRAP assay.

Innovative Alternative Technologies to Extract Carotenoids from Microalgae and Seaweeds

Marine microalgae and seaweeds (microalgae) represent a sustainable source of various bioactive natural carotenoids, including β-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and fucoxanthin. Recently, the large-scale production of carotenoids from algal sources has gained significant interest with respect to commercial and industrial applications for health, nutrition, and cosmetic applications. Although conventional processing technologies, based on solvent extraction, offer a simple approach to isolating carotenoids, they suffer several, inherent limitations, including low efficiency (extraction yield), selectivity (purity), high solvent consumption, and long treatment times, which have led to advancements in the search for innovative extraction technologies. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent trends in the extraction of carotenoids from microalgae and seaweeds through the assistance of different innovative techniques, such as pulsed electric fields, liquid pressurization, supercritical fluids, subcritical fluids, microwaves, ultrasounds, and high-pressure homogenization. In particular, the review critically analyzes technologies, characteristics, advantages, and shortcomings of the different innovative processes, highlighting the differences in terms of yield, selectivity, and economic and environmental sustainability.

Identification of Bioactivity, Volatile and Fatty Acid Profile in Supercritical Fluid Extracts of Mexican arnica

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a sustainable technique used for the extraction of lipophilic metabolites such as pigments and fatty acids. Arnica plant is considered a potential candidate material with high antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Therefore, in this study, a locally available Heterotheca inuloides, also known as Mexican arnica, was analyzed for the extraction of high-value compounds. Based on different pressure (P), temperature (T), and co-solvent (CoS), four treatments (T) were prepared. A maximum 7.13% yield was recovered from T2 (T = 60 °C, P = 10 MPa, CoS = 8 g/min), followed by 6.69% from T4 (T = 60 °C, P = 30 MPa, CoS = 4 g/min). Some bioactive sesquiterpenoids such as 7-hydroxycadalene, caryophyllene and δ-cadinene were identified in the extracts by GC/MS. The fatty acid profile revealed that the main components were palmitic acid (C16:0), followed by linoleic acid (C18:2ω6c), α-linolenic acid (C18:3ω3) and stearic acid (C18:0) differing in percent yield per treatment. Antibacterial activities were determined by the agar diffusion method, indicating that all the treatments exerted strong antibacterial activity against S. aureus, C. albicans, and E. coli strains. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was also measured by three in vitro assays, DPPH, TEAC and FRAP, using Trolox as a standard. Results showed high antioxidant capacity enabling pharmaceutical applications of Mexican arnica.