Composition Study of Polyphyllin in Paris polyphylla by Ultrasound-Assisted Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction Combined...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Paris polyphylla (Chonglou) is a rare, endangered medicinal herb containing valuable steroidal saponins like polyphyllin I (PPI) and II (PPII).
• Current extraction and identification methods for these compounds are inefficient and unreliable, limiting pharmacological research and application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable and efficient extraction strategy for steroidal saponins from Paris polyphylla using ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvents (DES).
• To optimize the extraction process using an L9(3^4) orthogonal experimental design.
• To quantify key saponins, polyphyllin I and II, using UHPLC-MS/MS for quality control.

Main Methods:

• Ultrasound-assisted extraction utilizing optimized deep eutectic solvents (DES) with a choline chloride-to-ethanol molar ratio of 1:1.8.
• Optimization of extraction parameters including material-to-liquid ratio (1:20 g mL⁻¹) and extraction time (100 min).
• Quantitative analysis of polyphyllin I and II using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS).

Main Results:

• Extraction efficiencies varied from 2.04% to 16.51% across seven Paris species.
• Optimized conditions yielded significant extraction yields.
• Polyphyllin I content ranged from 3.282-21.452 mg g⁻¹, and Polyphyllin II content ranged from 4.201-17.975 mg g⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• The developed ultrasound-assisted DES method provides a sustainable and efficient approach for extracting steroidal saponins from Paris polyphylla.
• This methodology enables robust quality control and standardization of Paris-derived medicines.
• The study facilitates further research into the pharmacological potential of steroidal saponins from Paris species.