Highly Efficient Extraction Procedures Based on Natural Deep Eutectic
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molecules Article Highly Efficient Extraction Procedures Based on Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents or Ionic Liquids for Determination of 20-Hydroxyecdysone in Spinach Sylwia Bajkacz 1,2,*, Kornelia Rusin 1, Anna Wolny 3, Jakub Adamek 2,4 , Karol Erfurt 3 and Anna Chrobok 3 1 Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, B. Krzywoustego 6, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; [email protected] 2 Biotechnology Center of Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; [email protected] 3 Department of Organic Chemical Technology and Petrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; [email protected] (A.W.); [email protected] (K.E.); [email protected] (A.C.) 4 Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 4, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland * Correspondence: [email protected] Academic Editors: Monika Waksmundzka-Hajnos and Miroslaw Hawryl Received: 23 September 2020; Accepted: 13 October 2020; Published: 15 October 2020 Abstract: A novel, efficient extraction procedure based on natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) and ionic liquids (ILs) for determination of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E) in spinach has been developed. NADES, the first green extraction agent, with different hydrogen bond donors and acceptors are screened in order to determine extraction efficiencies. NADES consisting of lactic acid and levulinic acid at a molar ratio of 1:1 exhibits the highest yields. ILs, the second green extraction agent, with various cations and anions are also investigated, where [TEA] [OAc] AcOH, χ = 0.75 displays · AcOH the highest recovery. Moreover, NADES-SLE and IL-SLE (SLE, solid-liquid extraction) parameters are investigated. Using the obtained optimized method, the recoveries of the target compound in spinach are above 93% and 88% for NADES-SLE and IL-SLE procedure, respectively. The methods display good linearity within the range of 0.5–30 µg/g and LODs of 0.17 µg/g. The proposed NADES-SLE-UHPLC-UV and IL-SLE-UHPLC-UV procedures can be applied to the analysis of 20-E in real spinach samples, making it a potentially promising technique for food matrix. The main advantage of this study is the superior efficiency of the new, green extraction solvents, which results in a significant reduction of extraction time and solvents as compared to those in the literature. Keywords: natural deep eutectic solvent; ionic liquid; ecdysone; spinach; natural products 1. Introduction Ecdysteroids are steroid hormones that were first discovered in silkworm larvae in 1954. In the 1960s, researchers showed that they could also be produced by plants. Ecdysones belong to polar ecdysteroids, which are generated by plants to protect against insects. Moreover, biologically active phytoecdysones affect many physiological functions of mammals and display a wide range of pharmacological properties, such as protein synthesis and anti-cancer [1]. Ecdysones have been discovered in 150 above-ground plant families, but only a few of them have high concentrations (about 1%), these include the Chenopodiaceae family, e.g., spinach (50 µg/g dry mass)[2]. The onset of ecdysteroid production in spinach requires the appropriate ontogenetic development within the plant, which is related to leaf development. Importantly, Molecules 2020, 25, 4736; doi:10.3390/molecules25204736 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Molecules 2020, 25, x 2 of 14 Molecules 2020, 25, 4736 2 of 14 dry mass) [2]. The onset of ecdysteroid production in spinach requires the appropriate ontogenetic development within the plant, which is related to leaf development. Importantly, the content of these thecompounds content ofchanges these compoundsdepending on changes season dependingor development on season phase, or as development well as geographical phase, as location, well as geographicalnatural environment, location, and natural plant environment, variety [3]. Accord and planting varietyto reports, [3]. Accordingthe highest to concentrations reports, the highest occur concentrationsduring flowering. occur during flowering. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E) is the most common ecdysone in the plant andand mammalianmammalian world (Figure(Figure1 1).). InIn animals,animals, itit actsacts asas aa moltingmolting hormone,hormone, whereaswhereas inin plantsplants itit protectsprotects againstagainst pestpest attack.attack. Additionally, plants plants greater greater amounts amounts (up (up to 3%to 3% dry dry mass) mass) compared compared to animals to animals (up to (up0.025% to 0.025% dry mass dry). Variousmass). Various studies arestudies examined are examined the pharmacological the pharma propertiescological ofproperties this compound. of this 20-E compound. stimulates 20-E the formationstimulates ofthe antibodies, formation reducesof antibodies, the amount reduces of the cholesterol, amount of and cholesterol, is responsible and is for responsible the anabolic for and the hypoglycemicanabolic and hypoglycemic effect [4]. effect [4]. Figure 1. Chemical structure of 20-hydroxyecdysone (ecdysterone, 20-E). Many analytical methods for the study of ecdysoneecdysone in plantsplants havehave beenbeen established,established, includingincluding thin layer chromatography (TLC) [[5–7],5–7], high performanceperformance liquid chromatography [[8–10],8–10], ultra-high performance liquidliquid chromatography chromatography [11 [11,12],12] with with diode diode array array detector detector (HPLC-DAD (HPLC-DAD or UHPLC-DAD) or UHPLC- andDAD) liquid and chromatography-massliquid chromatography-mass spectrometry spectrometry or (LC-MS) or (LC-MS) [13,14]. [13,14]. Sample extraction and clean-up are normally required prior to chromatographic analysis due to the matrixmatrix eeffect.ffect. ReportsReports have have shown shown that that methanol methanol [9 ,[9,10,14],10,14], ethanol ethanol [12 [12,13],,13], and and ethyl ethyl acetate acetate [8] are[8] crucialare crucial solvents solvents for the for extraction the extraction of ecdysones of ecdyso fromnes plants. from However,plants. However, the majority the ofmajority known of extraction known methodsextraction have methods drawbacks, have drawbacks, such as time such consuming as time consuming procedures, procedures, large consumption large consumption of toxic solvents, of toxic costlysolvents, equipment, costly equipment, and complicated and complicated sample preparation sample procedures. preparation Therefore, procedures. an economical Therefore, andan environmentallyeconomical and environmentally friendly extraction friendly method extraction of phytoecdysones method of phytoecdysones is highly desirable. is highly desirable. The development of green extraction agents as a su substitutebstitute for organic solvents is mainly focused on natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) [15] [15] and ionic liquids (ILs) called “green solvents” [16]. [16]. Additionally, NADESsNADESs are aa modernmodern typetype ofof greengreen solventssolvents withwith comparablecomparable properties to ILs and can possibly replace replace conventional conventional solvents solvents and and ILs. ILs. NADESs NADESs are are merely merely gene generatedrated by by mixing mixing two two or ormore more naturally naturally obtaining, obtaining, inexpensive, inexpensive, and andbiodegra biodegradabledable constituents constituents that thatare susceptible are susceptible to self- to self-association,association, mostly mostly via viahydrogen hydrogen bond bond interactions, interactions, to toform form a aeutectic eutectic mixture mixture that that exhibits exhibits melting points significantlysignificantly lowerlower thanthan individualindividual compoundscompounds [[15,16].15,16]. Compared to standard organic solvents, NADESs and ILs display unusual properties, such as thermal and chemical stability, non-toxicity,non-toxicity, andand non-flammability.non-flammability. OtherOther ILIL properties—includingproperties—including density, viscosity,viscosity, polarity,polarity, andand hydrophobicity—canhydrophobicity—can bebe ‘designed’‘designed’ byby matchingmatching a cationcation andand anion entering the IL structure [[17].17]. ILs can be applied to the extracti extractionon of various compounds from plants, such as galantamine galantamine [18], [18], indolylbutyric acidacid [[19],19], cacaffeoylquinicffeoylquinic acidsacids [[20],20], glaucynaglaucyna [[21],21], rutin,rutin, and quercetin [[22].22]. In all all cases, cases, extraction isis supportedsupported byby sonicationsonication or or mixing mixing to to enhance enhance e ffiefficiency.ciency. NADESs NADESs have have also also been been used used as solventsas solvents to extractto extract a wide a wide range range of non-polarof non-polar and and polar polar bioactive bioactive compounds compounds from from plant plant materials materials in combinationin combination with with ultrasound-assisted ultrasound-assisted extraction extraction (UAE) (UAE) [ 23[23–25]–25] and and microwave-assisted microwave-assisted extractionextraction (MAE)(MAE) [[26,27].26,27]. However, the extraction of ecdysones from spinach by ILs and NADESs has not yetyet been reported. The main goals goals of of this this study study were were to to develop develop an an IL ILand and NADES-based NADES-based extraction extraction procedure procedure for forisolation isolation of 20-hydroxyecdysone of 20-hydroxyecdysone from from spinach.