The dried ripe fruit of Terminalia chebula Retz. is a common Chinese materia medica, and ellagic acid (EA), isolated from the plant, is an important bioactive component for medicinal purposes. This study aimed to delineate the optimal extraction parameters for extracting the EA content from Chebulae Fructus (CF), focusing on the variables of ethanol concentration, extraction temperature, liquid–solid ratio, and extraction time. Utilizing a combination of the response surface methodology (RSM) and an artificial neural network (ANN), we systematically investigated these parameters to maximize the EA extraction efficiency. The extraction yields for EA obtained under the predicted optimal conditions validated the efficacy of both the RSM and ANN models. Analysis using the ANN-predicted data showed a higher coefficient of determination (R²) value of 0.9970 and a relative error of 0.79, compared to the RSM’s 2.85. The optimal conditions using the ANN are an ethanol concentration of 61.00%, an extraction temperature of 77 °C, a liquid–solid ratio of 26 mL g⁻¹ and an extraction time of 103 min. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the industrial-scale optimization process for EA extraction from CF.

Extracts of the roots and rhizomes of Valeriana amurensis P. Smirn. ex Kom., Caprifoliaceae, and kissoone B have shown a potential effect on neurological disorders in the past. We researched the anti-inflammatory effects and cell protective function of kissoone B and extracts of V. amurensis by the standard lactate dehydrogenase release test, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide survival assay. We also studied the effects of kissoone B and extracts of V. amurensis on γ-aminobutyric acid content in astrocytes Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium/F12 medium. The petroleum ether part increased extracellular γ-aminobutyric acid concentration significantly, and kissoone B displayed about 60% effect of the petroleum ether part, close to the γ-aminobutyric acid release of ethyl acetate part. Then, the petroleum ether part of V. amurensis was administered to mouse, and γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the mouse brain was determined. Γ-aminobutyric acid level in the mouse brain was increased significantly after administration of the petroleum ether part of V. amurensis. The water residue fraction protected cells and the purified fraction may have a potential treatment for neurological diseases, especially Alzheimer disease. Graphical abstract

The root of Adenophora tetraphylla (Thunb.) Fisch. is a common Chinese materia medica and the polysaccharides which have been isolated from the plant are important active components for medicinal purposes. The objective of the current study was to optimize the extraction parameters and evaluate the glucose consumption activity for Adenophorae root polysaccharides (ARPs). The optimization of ARP extraction was evaluated with preliminary experiments and using response surface methodology (RSM). The conditions investigated were 35–45 °C extraction temperature, 20–30 (v/w) water-to-solid ratio, and 3–5 h extraction time. The antidiabetic effects of ARPs for the glucose consumption activity were evaluated in HepG2 cells. The statistical analyses of the experiments indicated that temperature, water-to-solid ratio, and extraction time significantly affected ARP yield (p < 0.01). The correlation analysis revealed that the experimental data were well-aligned with a quadratic polynomial model, as evidenced by the mathematical regression model’s fit. The optimal conditions for maximum ARP yield were 45 °C extraction temperature and 28.47:1 (mL/g) water-to-solid ratio with a 4.60 h extraction time. Extracts from these conditions showed significant activity of promoting cell proliferation from 11.26% (p < 0.001) to 32.47% (p < 0.001) at a dose of 50 μg/mL to 800 μg/mL and increasing glucose consumption to 75.86% (p < 0.001) at 250 μg/mL on HepG2 cells. This study provides a sustainable alternative for the industry since it allowed simplified handling and a specific quantity of ARPs. Furthermore, ARPs might directly stimulate the glucose consumption in the liver and showed no cytotoxicity; therefore, ARPs probably could be taken as a potential natural source of antidiabetic materials.

Objective: To refine the lycopene extraction from tomato powder with ionic liquid-microwave assistance, seeking a more efficient and cost-effective process that optimizes resource usage, lowers extraction costs, and boosts the economic value of lycopene. Methods: The study investigated the effects of various factors on the extraction yield of lycopene. The researchers screened ionic liquids and constructed a BP (Back Propagation) neural network model to optimize the experimental data. This model was further refined using a genetic algorithm-neural network approach to determine the optimal extraction process parameters. Results: After conducting the optimization process and subsequent verification experiments, the study identified the optimal conditions for the ionic liquid-microwave-assisted extraction of lycopene from tomato powder. These conditions were found to be a microwave power of 800 w, an extraction time of 150 s, an ionic liquid concentration of 0.17 mol/L, and a liquid-to-material ratio of 15:1 (mL/g). Under these conditions, the lycopene content achieved was 0.177 mg/g, which corresponded to the highest extraction efficiency. Conclusions: The study optimized lycopene extraction with ionic liquid-microwave assistance, improving efficiency, reducing waste, and lowering costs to enhance its economic value from tomatoes.