Cytotoxic potential of sunflower meal NaDES and liquid-liquid extracts

Sunflower meal, a by-product rich in proteins and phenolic compounds, has potential applications in food and healthcare due to its bioactive phenolic compounds. However, challenges arise in extracting these compounds, as phenol-protein complexes can reduce digestibility and nutritional value. This study explored phenolic compound extraction from sunflower meal using NaDES and hydroethanolic extract, followed by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with organic solvents to recover target compounds. Cytotoxicity assays were performed on breast cancer cell lines and pathogenic bacteria. Acetonitrile was the most effective solvent for phenolic recovery in Choline Chloride:Glycerol and Urea:Glycerol solvents, achieving 80 % and 63 % recovery, respectively. These NaDES combinations reduced cell viability by up to 78.4 % in MCF-7 cells and 74 % in MDA-MB-231 cells. Hydroethanolic extracts showed the highest antimicrobial activity, with up to 100 % bacterial viability reduction. This study confirms NaDES as effective green solvents and highlights their bioactivity, stressing the need for optimal extraction parameters.