Bud-Derivatives, a Novel Source of Polyphenols and How Different Extraction Processes Affect Their Composition

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Food Science

Background:

• Herbal food supplements, rich in dietetic polyphenols, are increasingly popular.
• Bud-derivatives are a poorly studied category of botanicals.
• Variability in manufacturing processes leads to inconsistent polyphenolic profiles in commercial bud-derivative products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different manufacturing processes on the polyphenolic profile of eight common bud-derivative species.
• To compare the effectiveness of untargeted and targeted phytochemical fingerprinting for botanical identification and quality control.
• To evaluate the influence of extraction methods (ultrasonic vs. maceration) on extract consistency.

Main Methods:

• Untargeted spectroscopic fingerprinting coupled with chemometrics for botanical identification.
• Targeted phytochemical fingerprinting using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to screen major polyphenol classes.
• Comparison of two manufacturing processes and two extraction protocols (ultrasonic extraction and conventional maceration) across eight plant species.

Main Results:

• Spectroscopic fingerprinting proved effective for identifying the botanicals.
• HPLC analysis revealed significant variability in the polyphenolic profile of bud-derivatives, influenced by both manufacturing method and protocol.
• Ultrasonic extraction demonstrated less sensitivity to variations in extraction protocols compared to conventional maceration, yielding a more consistent polyphenol profile.

Conclusions:

• Manufacturing process and protocol significantly impact the phytochemical composition of bud-derivatives.
• Ultrasonic extraction offers greater consistency in the polyphenol profile of bud-derivatives compared to maceration.
• Standardization of manufacturing processes is crucial for ensuring the quality and efficacy of bud-derivative supplements.