Comparison the Soxhlet and Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Nettle Root (Urtica dioica L.)

Authors

  • Kornélia Kőszegi
    Affiliation

    Corvinus University of Budapest

  • Gyula Vatai
  • Erika Békássy-Molnár
https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.7582

Abstract

The leaves of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.) are used for medical purposes since centuries while the nettle roots are applied only in the last decades. According to the latest researches the root of nettle contains many important ingredients, for example scopoletin, sterols, fatty acids, polysaccharides, polyphenols, minerals, etc. The polyphenols have antioxidant effect, reduce the hematological disorders, but also have anti-cancer and anti-bacteriological effects. The H-donating ability expresses the antioxidant activity.
In this study two kinds of extraction techniques and three kinds of solvents have been applied. The extraction techniques were: Soxhlet extraction with 96% ethanol, Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2. All the measurements and the analysises were repeated three times.
Comparing the yields of the three extraction methods it was established that the highest yield value was reached by Soxhlet extraction with ethanol. The Soxhlet extraction and the supercritical extraction has lower yield, the total polyphenol content and the H-donating ability of these extracts were low.

Keywords:

Soxhlet extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, Stinging nettle roots, Total polyphenol content, H-donating ability

Published Online

2015-02-18

How to Cite

Kőszegi, K., Vatai, G., Békássy-Molnár, E. “Comparison the Soxhlet and Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Nettle Root (Urtica dioica L.)”, Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering, 59(3), pp. 168–173, 2015. https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.7582

Issue

Section

Articles