Evaluation of different extraction methods on the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the saffron corm extract

In the present study, the conventional solvent extraction (CSE) was compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and subcritical water extraction (SWE) methods for the extraction of bioactive constituents from Crocus sativus corms. The response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite face-centred design (CCD) was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The optimum conditions of extraction were estimated to be ethanol 80%, 48˚C and 60 min in CSE, ethanol 80%, 37˚C, 45 min, and 37 kHz in the UAE, and 180˚C and 22 min in SWE. The subcritical water extraction showed the maximum extraction yield, and the highest value of total phenolic compounds (807.6 mg gallic acid equivalent in 100 g saffron corm) and total flavonoid (12.2 mg Quercetin equivalent in 100 g saffron corm) were determined in the SWE extract. The phenolic and flavonoid content of the SWE extract is 8 and 12 times higher than the other two methods, respectively. Also, CSE and SWE extracts showed the least and the most antioxidant activities, respectively. The antibacterial activity of the optimized extracts was evaluated by the microdilution method. The results showed the minimum bactericidal concentrations of 300 and 600 mg mL-1 against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, respectively.