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Extraction of Antioxidants from Aloe vera Leaf Gel: a Response Surface Methodology Study

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Abstract

Extraction of antioxidants from aloe gel powder with water–ethanol solvents was studied using response surface methodology. The independent variables were solvent composition, temperature, extraction time, and the liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio. The concentrations of potentially antioxidant compounds (aloin A and B, aloesin, total phenolics, and total carbohydrates) and a few indicators of antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC) served as the response functions. It was found that aloe gel contains both phenolic and non-phenolic antioxidants, and it was supposed that the phenolic fraction consists almost exclusively of chromones and anthrones. Different approaches to the optimization of extraction procedures are discussed, and here, the maximum recovery yield of antioxidants is achieved with 34 % ethanol at 60 °С and a L/S ratio of 46 in 1 h. The use of 90 % ethanol results in a higher antioxidant capacity of the product, but also results in a much lower extraction yield, decreasing the overall productivity of the process.

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Acknowledgments

This paper resulted from the Konkuk University research support program.

Compliance With Ethics Requirements

The authors declare that the design, performance, and reporting of research funded under the Bio-industry Technology Development Program (111093-3) grants is free from bias resulting from investigator financial conflicts of interest. No financial relationship with other institutions or private industry has influenced the results of this study.

Conflict of Interest

Seol Kim declares that he has no conflict of interest. Leonid Asnin declares that he has no conflict of interest. Awraris D. Assefa declares that he has no conflict of interest. Eun Young Ko declares that he has no conflict of interest. Kavita Sharma declares that he has no conflict of interest. Se Won Park declares that he has no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biotechnology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Konkuk University, 1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul, 143-701, Republic of Korea

    Seol Kim, Awraris D. Assefa, Eun Young Ko, Kavita Sharma & Se Won Park

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Perm, 614990, Russian Federation, Russia

    Leonid Asnin

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  1. Seol Kim
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  2. Leonid Asnin
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  3. Awraris D. Assefa
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  4. Eun Young Ko
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  5. Kavita Sharma
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  6. Se Won Park
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Correspondence to Se Won Park.

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Kim, S., Asnin, L., Assefa, A.D. et al. Extraction of Antioxidants from Aloe vera Leaf Gel: a Response Surface Methodology Study. Food Anal. Methods 7, 1804–1815 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-014-9822-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12161-014-9822-x

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