Ionic Liquid-β-Cyclodextrin Vesicle-Based Mechanochemical-Assisted Extraction for the Weak Acid Compounds from Mori Fructus

An ionic liquid vesicle-based mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) method was proposed for the first time and successfully applied for the extraction of weak acid compounds from Mori Fructus. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were evaluated systematically by means of single-factor optimization and a response surface methodology, including the volume and types of vesicle solutions, milling time, solid-to-liquid ratio, and beta-cyclodextrin concentration. The highest extraction yield of weak acid compounds via MCAE was obtained under optimal conditions: a vesicle volume of 318.21 mu L, a milling time of 9.87 min, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 226.07 mg mL(-1). Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were applied to verify the formation of vesicles and identify the physicochemical property changes during the MCAE. These changes mainly included the enhanced diffusion and dissolution of analytes resulting from the destruction of cell walls and their transfer capacities into vesicle solutions. The proposed method exhibited satisfactory linearity, with its correlation coefficients (r(2)) larger than 0.9993, low limits of detection of 3.98-13.89 ng mL(-1), good recoveries of 84-122%, and acceptable reproducibility with relative standard deviations below 4.78%. The results indicated that the ionic liquid vesicle-based MCAE method could be a green, simple, and effective alternative for the extraction of bioactive compounds.

Automated summary

In this study, an ionic liquid vesicle-based mechanochemical-assisted extraction (MCAE) method was proposed for the first time and successfully applied for the extraction of weak acid compounds from Mori Fructus. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were systematically evaluated, and the optimal conditions were determined. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to verify the formation of vesicles and identify the changes in physicochemical properties during the extraction process.