Comparison of extraction methods optimised by RSM for extraction of some bioactives from liquorice samples

This study compared the extraction efficiency of 3 different techniques, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and the classical extraction method, in obtaining some bioactive and allergen compounds, namely liquiritin (LQ), glycyrrhizin (GL), glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), and carbenoxolone (CBX), from liquorice samples of Glycyrrhiza glabra grown in Turkey. Extraction parameters for each technique were optimised by the response surface methodology-central composite design approach. Concentrations of LQ, GL, GA, and CBX, which were selected as the responses of selected independent variables, were determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry. One-way variance analysis was performed to evaluate the significance of the results. MAE was revealed as the most effective technique for extracting LQ (mean: 8.52 mg g(-1)), GL (mean: 76.65 mg g(-1)), and GA (mean: 1138.84 mu g g(-1)) from liquorice, while the classical technique was the most effective for obtaining CBX (mean: 5.75 mu g g(-1)).