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Review
. 2022 Jan 23;27(3):730.
doi: 10.3390/molecules27030730.

Modern Methods of Pre-Treatment of Plant Material for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds

Aneta Krakowska-Sieprawska  1   2 , Anna Kiełbasa  1 , Katarzyna Rafińska  1 , Magdalena Ligor  1 , Bogusław Buszewski  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Modern Methods of Pre-Treatment of Plant Material for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds

Aneta Krakowska-Sieprawska et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

In this review, recent advances in the methods of pre-treatment of plant material for the extraction of secondary metabolites with high biological activity are presented. The correct preparation of the material for extraction is as important as the selection of the extraction method. This step should prevent the degradation of bioactive compounds as well as the development of fungi and bacteria. Currently, the methods of preparation are expected to modify the particles of the plant material in such a way that will contribute to the release of bioactive compounds loosely bonded to cell wall polymers. This review presents a wide range of methods of preparing plant material, including drying, freeze-drying, convection drying, microwave vacuum drying, enzymatic processes, and fermentation. The influence of the particular methods on the structure of plant material particles, the level of preserved bioactive compounds, and the possibility of their release during the extraction were highlighted. The plant material pre-treatment techniques used were discussed with respect to the amount of compounds released during extraction as well their application in various industries interested in products with a high content of biologically active compounds, such as the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food industries.

Keywords: convection drying; drying; enzymatic processes; fermentation; freeze-drying; microwave vacuum drying; plant material; sample preparation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The steps of convection drying (m1—weight of the sample before drying; m2, m3—sample weight after successive drying; ΔmΔt—change in mass of the sample during drying).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diagram of the freeze-drying process.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Advantages and disadvantages of the freeze-drying process.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Two important parameters in microwave-vacuum drying.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Schematic of an SSF process.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Reasons for using SSF as a method of sample preparation for extraction.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Differences between solid-state and submerged fermentation.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Plant cell wall degradation by enzyme.
Figure 9
Figure 9
The steps of the enzyme-assisted extraction process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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