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Abstract Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen has among its main bioactive compounds saponins, with the phytoestroid β-ecdysone as its chemical marker. In this study, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), a green extraction technique used to obtain bioactive compounds from plants, was employed to extract beta-ecdysone from P. glomerata leaves, stems, and roots. The 22 factorial design was used with the variables temperature (333 K and 353 K) and flow rate (1.5 and 2 mL min−1), pressure (300 Bar), time (60 min), and solvent [ethanol and distilled water (70:30 (v/v)] were kept constant for all parts of the plant. The results of experimental responses demonstrated that the factors temperature and flow rate significantly interfere with the yields of leaf (0.499%), root (0.65%) and stem (0.764%) extracts. The latter presented presents the highest yield compared to the other parts of the plant. HPLC results showed the presence of beta-ecdysone in all parts of the plant with concentrations of β-ecdysone 86.82, 76.53 and 195.86 mg L−1 to leaf, root and stem, respectively. FT Raman results exhibited typical peaks of beta-ecdysone, such as 3310 cm−1, 1654 cm−1, and 1073 cm−1 for all plant parts. Another interesting result was the presence of the peak at 1460 cm−1 in the PLE root extract can be associated with selenium. This foundational knowledge confirms that the PLE extraction process was efficient in obtaining the chemical marker of Pfaffia glomerata in all plant parts.

Probiotic vegetable-based beverages, such as lychee, can be rich in nutrients, free of cholesterol and lactose, and also have few allergenic components. Saccharomyces boulardii is an alternative to make lychee juice a probiotic beverage. This work aimed to develop probiotic lychee beverage (LB) using S. boulardii by evaluating the effect of refrigerated storage on cell viability, physicochemical characteristics, and acceptance. LB supplemented with S. boulardii was fermented (24 h/30 °C), supplemented with sucrose (4–12 °Brix), and refrigerated (up to 28 days/4 °C). The yeast viability, total soluble solid (TSS) and, ethanol content, pH, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) levels were evaluated over 28 days of storage. Also, the profiles of sugars, organic acids, and phenolic were determined via chromatographic analysis. The sensory acceptance of the probiotic beverage was evaluated. Higher sucrose levels (12 °Brix) resulted in greater yeast viability (6.9 log CFU/mL) on the 21st day of storage and superior TPC (153 µmol TEAC/mL) and ethanol levels (8.7%). Storage reduced the TPC, AA, and TSS. LB supplemented with sucrose to 12 °Brix, probioticated by S. boulardii, and stored for 21 days became accepted by the consumer and presented an adequate physicochemical profile with probiotic potential. The probiotication of lychee beverage is an alternative to dairy-based probiotic beverages.

This study investigated the application of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) for the extraction of essential oils from plant materials with anxiolytic potential, focusing on the leaves of burrito (Aloysia polystachya) and the seeds of sucupira-preta (Bowdichia virgilioides). The supercritical extraction technique was chosen for its ability to produce high-purity extracts without residual solvents and to reduce the environmental impact. This study evaluated the influence of temperature (40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C) and pressure (22 MPa, 25 MPa, and 28 MPa) on extraction efficiency using a 22 factorial design with triplicates at the central point. The maximum yields were 1.2% for burrito leaves and 4.2% for sucupira-preta seeds. Despite their relatively low yields, the extracts contained a diverse range of chemical compounds, including fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids), squalene, β-carotene, vitamin E, and other bioactive molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Statistical analysis demonstrated that pressure was the most influential factor affecting yield, whereas temperature played a secondary role. The Sovová kinetic model provided a good fit for the extraction curves, with determination coefficients (R2) above 0.95, thus validating the efficiency of the method. These results highlight the pharmaceutical potential of these extracts, particularly for therapeutic and anxiolytic purposes.

Essential Oils (EOs) of plants are commonly commercially produced for their scents. However, they have also aroused great interest due to their functional properties as antimicrobial substances. The aim of this work was to characterise the chemical composition and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of mint (Mentha spicata L.) and surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora L.) EOs. The EOs were obtained by water vapour entrapment in a Clevenger-type distiller and the chemical characterization was performed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The microdilution method was used to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for bacteria causing foodborne diseases. Chromatographic analysis of mint EO revealed the presence of 28 distinct components, of which 18 were identified, composing about 90% of the total mass. The major component linalool (58.51%), carvone and compound 19 (total of 15.1%, compounds with overlapping curves on the chromatogram), and terpinen-4-ol (5.73%) were the most abundant compounds. In the chemical characterization of the surinam cherry EO, 16 compounds were found, of which 10 were identified, with more than 75% of the mixture comprising selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one and selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one epoxide. Mint EO had a MIC between 1.60 and 3.20 μL.mL-1. The surinam cherry EO did not inhibit bacterial growth in this study (MIC> 25.60 μL.mL-1). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v10i6.1008

Essential Oils (EOs) of plants are commonly commercially produced for their scents. However, they have also aroused great interest due to their functional properties as antimicrobial substances. The aim of this work was to characterise the chemical composition and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of mint (Mentha spicata L.) and surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora L.) EOs. The EOs were obtained by water vapour entrapment in a Clevenger-type distiller and the chemical characterization was performed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The microdilution method was used to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for bacteria causing foodborne diseases. Chromatographic analysis of mint EO revealed the presence of 28 distinct components, of which 18 were identified, composing about 90% of the total mass. The major component linalool (58.51%), carvone and compound 19 (total of 15.1%, compounds with overlapping curves on the chromatogram), and terpinen-4-ol (5.73%) were the most abundant compounds. In the chemical characterization of the surinam cherry EO, 16 compounds were found, of which 10 were identified, with more than 75% of the mixture comprising selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one and selina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one epoxide. Mint EO had a MIC between 1.60 and 3.20 μL.mL-1. The surinam cherry EO did not inhibit bacterial growth in this study (MIC> 25.60 μL.mL-1). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v10i6.1008