Comparison between ultrasounds and orbital shaker incubator methods to extract some bioactive compounds from pomegranate peels

Abstract

The content of total phenols, total tannins, total flavonoids and total anthocyanins, and the antioxidant activity of pomegranate peel extracts were determined. Ultrasounds and orbital shaker incubator extraction methods were applied at 40 ℃ for 15 min, using several solvents (distilled water, distilled water acidified with citric acid 2%, distilled water acidified with citric acid 4%, ethanol 70%, ethanol 70% acidified with citric acid 2%, ethanol 70% acidified with citric acid 4%). The results showed that ethanol 70% was better than distilled water for bioactive compounds extraction from pomegranate peels. No apparent effect was observed of acidifying ethanol 70% or distilled water with citric acid on extracting these compounds using the two extraction methods, except for total flavonoids content which decreased upon acidification. The studied extracts showed a great activity in scavenging free radicals according to DPPH test