Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Apr 6;30(7):1635.
doi: 10.3390/molecules30071635.

Optimization of Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Maca Leaves Using the Taguchi Method

Eun Ji Lee  1 , Kyung Young Yoon  1
Affiliations

Optimization of Deep Eutectic Solvent-Based Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Maca Leaves Using the Taguchi Method

Eun Ji Lee et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the optimal conditions and evaluate the feasibility of deep eutectic solvent (DES)-based ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for utilizing maca (Lepidium meyenii) leaves, an agricultural by-product, as functional materials. The extraction parameters influencing the recovery of saponins and polyphenols, which are major bioactive compounds, were analyzed using the Taguchi method. Results: Signal-to-noise ratios and analysis of variance indicated that the liquid-solid ratio was the most critical factor for optimizing the extraction process. The optimal extraction conditions were determined to be a liquid-solid ratio of 40 mL/g, a water content in DES of 30%, an extraction time of 30 min, and an ultrasonic power of 300 W in the DES system consisting of choline chloride and glycerin in the molar ratio of 1:2. Maca leaf extract obtained under optimized DES-based UAE conditions exhibited higher bioactive compounds content and antioxidant activity compared with that obtained by hot water extraction. Therefore, the DES-based UAE method is a promising, eco-friendly alternative for extracting bioactive compounds from maca leaves.

Keywords: Taguchi method; deep eutectic solvent; maca leaves; polyphenol; saponin; ultrasound-assisted extraction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Main effects plot for mean of total saponin content (A) and total polyphenol content (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Quiros C.F., Epperson A., Hu J., Holle M. Physiological Studies and Determination of Chromosome Number in Maca, Lepidium meyenii (Brassicaceae) Econ. Bot. 1996;50:216–223. doi: 10.1007/BF02861452. - DOI
    1. del Carpio N.U., Alvarado-Corella D., Quiñones-Laveriano D.M., Araya-Sibaja A., Vega-Baudrit J., Monagas-Juan M., Navarro-Hoyos M., Villar-López M. Exploring the Chemical and Pharmacological Variability of Lepidium meyenii: A Comprehensive Review of the Effects of Maca. Front. Pharmacol. 2024;15:1360422. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wang S., Zhu F. Chemical Composition and Health Effects of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Food Chem. 2019;288:422–443. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.02.071. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Lee Y.K., Chang Y.H. Process Optimization of Methanol Extract from Maca Leaves and Its Physicochemical Properties. J. Korean Soc. Food Sci. Nutr. 2018;47:543–549. doi: 10.3746/jjkfn.2018.47.5.543. - DOI
    1. Lee Y.K., Chang Y.H. Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Methanol Extract from Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.) Leaves and Roots. Food Sci. Technol. 2019;39:278–286.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources