Extraction Techniques

for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

 Definitions
• Extraction:
– the removal of soluble constituents from a solid or
liquid or semi solid with means of suitable solvent.
– The treatment of the plant or animal tissues with
appropriate solvent, which would dissolve the
medicinally active constituents.

• Marc: the inert fibrous and other insoluble

materials remaining after extraction

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 Definitions
• Menstruum (extraction solvent):
– A solvent will dissolve (or extract) the target active
compounds found in the herbal material.

– The solvent is chosen based on its ability to

dissolve the target active compound.

– A solvent may be used in isolation (e.g. 100%

ethanol) or as a mixture (e.g. 45% ethanol/55%
water)

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 Definitions
• Menstruum (extraction solvent):
Apolar
Petroleum ether
Hexane
Diethylether
Dicloromethane
Chloroform
Ethylacetate
Acetone
n-Butanol
Ethanol
Methanol
Nước

Polar 4
 Definitions
• Tinctures: are alcoholic or hydroalcoholic
solutions prepared from vegetable material or
from chemical substances.

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 Infusion
• Treat with hot water or EtOH + water

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 Decoction
• Extract in boiling water

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 Maceration
• Soaking in solvent
– Macerate with gradient solvent of different
polarity
– With or without stirring

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 Percolation
• Passing solvent through sample
• Continuously flow of solvent
• Large volume of solvent used

Percolator
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Extract manufacture

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Extract manufacture

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 Process parameters affecting
solid-liquid extraction
The following parameters generally affect the rate of solid-
liquid extraction:
• Extraction process
• Size reduction
• Choice of solvent
• Solid/solvent ratio
• Extraction temperature
• Extraction time
• Number of washes
• Condition for extraction (e.g. agitation) 14
Soxhlet

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Soxhlet

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 Soxhlet
• Advantages:
– 1. The displacement of transfer equilibrium by
repeatedly bringing fresh solvent into contact with the
solid matrix.
– 2. Maintaining a relatively high extraction
temperature with heat from the distillation flask.
– 3. No filtration of the extract is required.

• Disadvantages:
– 1. Agitation is not possible in the Soxhlet device.
– 2. The possibility of thermal decomposition of the
target compounds cannot be ignored as the extraction
usually occurs at the boiling point of the solvent for a
long time.
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Microwave assisted extraction

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 Microwave assisted extraction

Microwaves heat up the molecules by dual

mechanism of ionic conduction and dipole
rotation.
In non-polar solvents without polarizable
groups, the heating is poor.

Oil bath: first the heat energy is transferred from the hot oil bath to the surface of the
vessel, and then the hot surface heats the content of the vessel.

Microwaves pass through the (almost) microwave-transparent vessel wall and heat the
mixture on a molecular basis. Due to this direct “in-core” heating (no initial heating of
the vessel surface), microwave irradiation results in inverted temperature gradients as
compared to a conventionally heated system. 19
 Microwave assisted extraction

The heating up of moisture inside the plant cell due to microwave

effect, results in evaporation and generates tremendous
pressure on the cell wall. The cell wall is pushed from inside due to
the pressure and the cell wall ruptures. Thus the exudation of active
constituents from the ruptured cells occurs, hence increasing the yield
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of phytoconstituents.
Ultrasound assisted extraction

20 kHz to 2000 kHz

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Ultrasound assisted extraction

The deleterious effect of

ultrasound energy on the active
constituent of medicinal plant
through formation of free
radicals and consequently
undesirable changes in the drug
molecules. 22
Supercritical fluid extraction

Supercritical fluid can

effuse through solids
like a gas and dissolve
materials like a liquid.

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distinct liquid and gas phases do not exist
Supercritical fluid extraction

Advantages:
- No solvent residue
- No need to concentrate
- Fast and effective
- Compounds selectable
- Low temperature

Disadvantages:
- High pressure
- High cost

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