Optimization of extraction conditions of antioxidant and polyphenolic compounds of Ferula Persica extract by using response surface methodology

Due to increasing the importance of natural antioxidants because of their positive effects on human health and enhancing preservation of food products, and on the other hand, some unexplained effects of synthetic antioxidants, using and replacing of natural antioxidants is considered widely nowadays. The purpose of this study was to identify the potentials of Ferulla Persica extract as a native and novel source of antioxidants and polyphenols. In this research, the optimization of extraction conditions from the leaf of Ferulla Persica was studied by response surface methodology (RSM) at 3 temperature levels (20, 40 and 60 °C), three time levels (2, 3 and 4 hours) and three levels of water to ethanol ratio (50, 75 and 100%). RSM was used to evaluate the effect of different optimization processes on extraction efficiency, antioxidant activity and total phenolic content. Based on the results of optimization, a second-order polynomial model was designed to optimize the extraction conditions as the best model. the optimum conditions of extraction were in the solvent ratio of 79.58% at 20 °C during 2 hours. In these conditions, the optimum point has yield of 17.61%, EC50 equal to 87.20 (μg/ml) and TPC of 140428.0 (mg GAE/g).