Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of bioactives from arecanut ( Areca catechu L.) and optimization study using response surface methodology

The present study was undertaken on separation of polyphenols from the alkaloid, arecoline in arecanut (Areca catechu L.) by ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) using 80% acetone at pH 4.0 as the extraction solvent. Response surface methodology using a central composite design (CCD) approach was used to investigate the influence of process variables such as sonication power, duty cycle and sonication time on total polyphenols, total tannins, arecoline content and antioxidant FRAP assay in the extracts so obtained. The maximum extraction of total polyphenols (362.59mg GAE/g), total tannins (89.24mg CE/g) and antioxidant activity by FRAP assay (1039.11mM TEAC) with minimum arecoline (3.12mg/g) was obtained using a sonication power of 30W, a duty cycle of 50% and sonication time of 50min. The RSM optimized extract was subsequently checked for antioxidant activity by hydroxyl scavenging (62%) and ABTS radical assay (511.06mM TEAC).