Direct ultrasound-assisted extraction and characterization of phenolic compounds from fresh houseleek (Sempervivum marmoreum L.) leaves

The effects of ultrasound power and frequency on the yield of total extractive substances (TES), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity (AOA) of fresh houseleek leaves extracts obtained by direct ultrasound-assisted extraction (DUAE) were studied. Preliminary extraction of plant material was performed using methanol, acetone and 2-propanol by Soxhlet extraction. It was found that maximum TES yield could be obtained by methanol extraction (2.91 +/- 0.02), followed by acetone and 2-propanol with a TES yield of 2.32 +/- 0.01 and 2.01 +/- 0.03 g per 100 g of fresh plant material, respectively. In the fresh houseleek leaves extracts obtained by DUAE and methanol as the chosen solvent, TPC, TFC and AOA were in the ranges of: 40.5-85.9 mg gallic acid/g dry extract, 12.7-19.3 mg rutin/g dry extract and 24.6-108.2 mu g/ml, respectively. The results showed that the increase in the ultrasound power and extraction time have positive and significant (p < 0.05) effects on the TPC, TFC and AOA, while the increase in the ultrasound frequency leads to a decrease in the TPC, TFC and AOA of the extracts. A chromatographic analysis of crude extract identified the following: kaempferol 3-O-(6''-O-malonylglucoside)- 7-O-glucosyde, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside, luteolin 5-O-(6''-O-malonylglucoside), kaempferol 3-O-(6''-O-acetylglucoside)-7-O-rhamnoside, genkwanin 5-O-glucoside, luteolin 5-O-(6''-O-malonylglucoside), kaempferol 3-O-(6''-O-malonylglucoside), kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin, genkwanin 4'-O-glucoside and hyperoside.