Simultaneous optimisation of extraction of xanthone and benzophenone α-glucosidase inhibitors from Cyclopia genistoides and identification of superior genotypes for propagation

• Main Authors: Stephanie C. Bosman, Dalene de Beer, Theresa Beelders, Elize L. Willenburg, Christiaan J. Malherbe, Beata Walczak, Elizabeth Joubert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2017-06-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Foods
• Subjects: Mammalian α-glucosidase inhibition; Nutraceutical extract; Phenolic content; Plant selection; Response surface methodology
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464617301287

Extraction of xanthones and benzophenones from Cyclopia genistoides was optimised in terms of solvent composition (ethanol concentration) and extraction temperature, using a central composite design, response surface methodology and multi-response desirability profiling. Compounds of interest were the xanthones, mangiferin and isomangiferin, and the benzophenones, 3-β-d-glucopyranosyl-4-β-d-glucopyranosyloxyiriflophenone and 3-β-d-glucopyranosyliriflophenone, present in high levels in C. genistoides. Optimum extraction conditions (40% ethanol; 70 °C; 10:1 solvent:solid ratio; 30 min) applied to different batches of plant material (n = 10), delivered mean extract, xanthone and benzophenone yields of 37.8, 4.12 and 1.99 g/100 g plant material, respectively, with a mean α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of 39.5% at 100 μg/mL. Similar α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was demonstrated for mangiferin and isomangiferin, indicating that the position of the sugar moiety on the dibenzo-γ-pirone structure did not affect activity. Superior C. genistoides genotypes in terms of xanthone and benzophenone content were identified.