Underutilized Medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) Fruit: Polyphenol Extraction Optimization, Chemical Profiling, and In...

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Natural Product Extraction

Background:

• Medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) fruit is a rich source of bioactive compounds.
• Traditional extraction methods require optimization for enhanced polyphenol yield.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize maceration extraction of polyphenols from medlar fruit.
• To develop accurate predictive models for polyphenol extraction using response surface methodology (RSM).

Main Methods:

• Extraction optimization using RSM with parameters: time, ethanol concentration, and solid-to-solvent ratio.
• Quantification of phenolic compounds via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Assessment of antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities (α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition).

Main Results:

• Optimal extraction conditions determined for physiologically ripe (PRMF) and consumable ripe (CRMF) medlar fruits.
• Predicted and experimental total phenolic compound (TPC) values showed high agreement.
• Isoquercitrin, rutin, procyanidin B2, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid identified as major compounds.
• No significant differences in TPC, antioxidant, or hypoglycemic activities between PRMF and CRMF extracts.

Conclusions:

• Optimized maceration effectively extracts polyphenols from medlar fruit.
• RSM provides accurate prediction models for polyphenol extraction.
• Medlar fruit extracts exhibit significant antioxidant and hypoglycemic potential, regardless of ripeness stage.