Extractive optimization of antioxidants and phenolic compounds from Anacyclus pyrethrum

Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) Lag. is a Moroccan endemic species well appreciated as a remedy against toothache, digestive disorders, and as a tonic agent for the nervous system. This work aims to select the best solvents for extracting antioxidants and optimize their extraction using a surface mixture design. In this study, eleven solvents with different polarities were screened for their efficiency to extract total phenolic compounds and other molecules endowed with antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and total antioxidant activities. The selected solvent was subjected to response surface methodology using a simplex axial mixture design to optimize the extraction of polyphenols and antioxidants. The results showed a significant influence of solvent nature on extraction. Water, ethanol, chloroform, and methanol were the most effective solvents to achieve good polyphenol yields. The best yield is obtained using the tertiary mixture “water-methanol-ethanol”. The anti-radical activity in A. pyrethrum was significantly influenced by the extraction solvent's nature and the mixture's nature. The percentage of inhibition of DPPH was higher in both extracts obtained with the ternary mixture and binary mixtures “water-methanol” and “water-ethanol”. the best total antioxidant capacity was observed for pure water, followed by binary mixtures including water. This study revealed a good synergetic effect between water and both ethanol and methanol on extraction efficiency. Furthermore, the ternary mixture with the following proportions: water 75%; ethanol 11%; methanol 14% was the most efficient.