Kinetics of Supercritical CO2 Extraction from Burrito (Aloysia polystachya) Leaves and Sucupira-Preta (Bowdichia virgilioides) Seeds

• Published in: Separations 2025-01, Vol.12 (1), p.6
• Main Authors: Vieira, Gabrielle Vaz, Souza, Michel Rubens dos Reis, Hiranobe, Carlos Toshiyuki, Goncalves, José Eduardo, Moritz, Cristiane Mengue Feniman, Sakai, Otávio Akira, e Silva, Leila Maria Sotocorno, da Silva, Michael Jones, da Silva, Erivaldo Antônio, dos Santos, Renivaldo José, da Silva, Edson Antônio, Cardozo-Filho, Lucio, Ferreira-Pinto, Leandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Anxiety; Arthritis; burrito; Carbon dioxide; Carotene; Chemical compounds; CO2; Essential oils; Experimental methods; Factorial design; Flavonoids; Flowers & plants; Herbal medicine; Medicine; Metabolites; Nervous system; Oils & fats; Rheumatism; Seeds; Skin diseases; Solvents; Sovová; squalene; Statistical analysis; sucupira-preta; supercritical extraction; Supercritical gas extraction; Temperature; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 2297-8739; 2297-8739
• DOI: 10.3390/separations12010006

This study investigated the application of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) for the extraction of essential oils from plant materials with anxiolytic potential, focusing on the leaves of burrito (Aloysia polystachya) and the seeds of sucupira-preta (Bowdichia virgilioides). The supercritical extraction technique was chosen for its ability to produce high-purity extracts without residual solvents and to reduce the environmental impact. This study evaluated the influence of temperature (40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C) and pressure (22 MPa, 25 MPa, and 28 MPa) on extraction efficiency using a 22 factorial design with triplicates at the central point. The maximum yields were 1.2% for burrito leaves and 4.2% for sucupira-preta seeds. Despite their relatively low yields, the extracts contained a diverse range of chemical compounds, including fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids), squalene, β-carotene, vitamin E, and other bioactive molecules with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. Statistical analysis demonstrated that pressure was the most influential factor affecting yield, whereas temperature played a secondary role. The Sovová kinetic model provided a good fit for the extraction curves, with determination coefficients (R2) above 0.95, thus validating the efficiency of the method. These results highlight the pharmaceutical potential of these extracts, particularly for therapeutic and anxiolytic purposes.