Extraction of Phenylethanoid Glycosides from Cistanche tubulosa by High-Speed Shearing Homogenization Extraction

Background: Cistanche tubulosa is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine originating in Xinjiang. It is widely distributed in northern Africa, India, etc. Objective: The major bioactive component of C. tubulosa is phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs). Echinacoside and acteoside are the indicative components for the determination of PhGs and are mainly used for liver protection, immune protection, etc. Therefore, it is very important to extract the PhGs from C. tubulosa. Methods: In this study, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and high-speed shearing homogenization extraction (HSHE) methods were compared. Furthermore, the extraction conditions of the HSHE method were optimized. Results: The results showed that the HSHE method was better than both the UAE and MAE methods, and the optimal extraction parameters of HSHE were an ethanol concentration of 50%, an extraction temperature of 70°C, a rotation speed of 16 000 rpm, an extraction time of 2 min, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:9, and one extraction cycle. The yields of echinacoside and acteoside were 1.366 and 0.519%, respectively, and the transfer rates of echinacoside and acteoside reached 87 and 94%, respectively. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the HSHE method is a simple, rapid, and efficient technique for extracting PhGs from C. tubulosa. Highlights: An efficient and ecofriendly HSHE method has been investigated for the extraction of PhGs from C. tubulosa. The optimum conditions of the HSHE method for the extraction of PhGs from C. tubulosa were obtained. This research provides a new method for the industrial extraction of PhGs from C. tubulosa.