Pressurized Liquid Extraction as a Promising and Economically Feasible Technique for Obtaining Beta-Ecdysone-Rich Extracts from Brazilian Ginseng (Pfaffia glomerata) Roots

Pressurized liquid extraction was used to obtain beta-ecdysone-rich extracts from Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia glomerata) roots. The effects of temperature, pressure, and solvent on extraction yield, beta-ecdysone content, and antioxidant activity were determined. Extraction yield increased with temperature up to 25% (dry basis) while the selectivity decreased. The use of Ethanol:Water (80:20 v/v) as solvent produced extracts with the highest antioxidant activity. Beta-ecdysone recovery was maximized using pure ethanol. In the first hour of extraction, approximately 70% of the total yield and 74% of the total beta-ecdysone mass is obtained. The cost of manufacturing significantly decrease as the extractor capacity increased.