EFFECT OF PRESSURE LIQUID EXTRACTION AND ULTRASONIC IRRADIATION FREQUENCY ON INULIN, PHENOLIC CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN BURDOCK (Arctium lappa L.) ROOTS

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) roots are traditionally used in folk medicine as diuretic and curing rheumatism, gastritis, gout, throat pain, arthritis and rashes. These pharmacological properties are due to many bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and fructooligosaccharides. Nowadays, the the application of “green” methods for extraction of natural compounds gains more and more attention. The object of the current research was to determine inulin and sugars content, phenolic content and antioxidant potential in 70% ethanol and water extracts obtained by two “green“ extraction methods, namely pressure-liquid extraction and ultrasound-assisted techniques. The content of total fructans, as well as inulin and sugars were analyzed by spectrophotometric resorcinol-thiourea method and high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection. Total phenols and flavonoids were determined by Folin-Chiocalteu and Al(NO3)3 reagents. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by four reliable methods (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CUPRAC). The established inulin content varied from 0.27 to 4.0 g/100 g dw in prevalence of the ultrasound-assisted extract obtained with water. Additionally, the established phenolic compounds content (from 10.35 to 18.16 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dw) and antioxidant activities demonstrated the burdock roots as potential source phytonutrients with health beneficial properties.

Magnetic-pulse processing of seeds of berry crops

The effect of a pulsed low-frequency magnetic field on the seed germination and the growth of seedlings of strawberry garden under different conditions of processing and functioning of the apparatus magnetic-pulse processing of plants (MPP) developed by us has been established experimentally. The research has shown that the value of the germination energy of seeds treated with a pulsed magnetic field varied from 29 to 47 percent, of germination from 34 to 48 percent. The highest value of their germination corresponds to an irradiation frequency of 16 Hz and an exposure time of 360 seconds with an induction value in the treatment zone of 5 mT. The maximum increment in the germination of irradiated seeds was 14 percent compared to the control sample. The positive effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on linear dimensions of germs has been revealed. The increase in the biometric parameters of strawberry shoots affected their weight, compared to the control it increased by 33.3 percent.