The First Optimization Process from Cultivation to Flavonoid-Rich Extract from <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Lam. Leaves in Brazil
Larissa Marina Pereira Silva,
Maria Raquel Cavalcanti Inácio,
Gualter Guenter Costa da Silva,
Jucier Magson de Souza e Silva,
Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz,
Maria das Graças Almeida,
Edgar Perin Moraes,
Debora Esposito,
Leandro De Santis Ferreira,
Silvana Maria Zucolotto
Affiliations
Larissa Marina Pereira Silva
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Research Group of Bioactive Natural Products (PNBio), Postgraduate Program in Drug Development and Technological Innovation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Maria Raquel Cavalcanti Inácio
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Research Group of Bioactive Natural Products (PNBio), Postgraduate Program in Drug Development and Technological Innovation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Gualter Guenter Costa da Silva
Agricultural Sciences Unit, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Macaíba 59280-000, Brazil
Jucier Magson de Souza e Silva
Agricultural Sciences Unit, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Macaíba 59280-000, Brazil
Jefferson Romáryo Duarte da Luz
Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory (LabMult), Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyzes, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Maria das Graças Almeida
Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory (LabMult), Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyzes, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Edgar Perin Moraes
Chemometrics and Biological Chemistry Group (CBC), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil
Debora Esposito
Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
Leandro De Santis Ferreira
Laboratory of Quality Control of Medicines (LCQMed), Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Silvana Maria Zucolotto
Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Research Group of Bioactive Natural Products (PNBio), Postgraduate Program in Drug Development and Technological Innovation, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, Brazil
Flavonoids are significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents and have multiple potential health applications. Moringa oleifera is globally recognized for its nutritional and pharmacological properties, correlated to the high flavonoid content in its leaves. However, the bioactive compounds found in plants may vary according to the cultivation, origin, season, and extraction process used, making it difficult to extract reliable raw material. Hence, this study aimed to standardize the best cultivation and harvest season in Brazil and the best extraction process conditions to obtain a flavonoid-rich extract from M. oleifera as a final product. Firstly, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was optimized to reach the highest flavonoid content by three-level factorial planning and response surface methodology (RSM). The optimal cultivation condition was mineral soil fertilizer in the drought season, and the optimized extraction was with 80% ethanol and 13.4 min of extraction time. The flavonoid-rich extract was safe and significantly decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Lastly, the major flavonoids characterized by HPLC-ESI-QTRAP-MS/MS were compounds derived from apigenin, quercetin, and kaempferol glycosides. The results confirmed that it was possible to standardize the flavonoid-rich extract leading to a standardized and reliable raw material extracted from M. oleifera leaves.
