Study on the extraction and purification of polysaccharides from sugarcane leaves by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis and the antioxidant activity
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study optimized the ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) of polysaccharides from sugarcane leaves and evaluated their structural and antioxidant properties. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the extraction, achieving a high polysaccharide yield of 4.31 ± 0.08%, which significantly surpassed that of conventional methods. Purification yielded two distinct, low-molecular-weight polysaccharide fractions (P-1 at 15 kDa and P-2 at 9.6 kDa). Structural characterization revealed significant differences in monosaccharide composition; P-1 was rich in glucose and xylose, while P-2 exhibited greater structural diversity, including a high content of uronic acid. Both fractions demonstrated dose-dependent antioxidant activities. Notably, P-1 showed superior hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 4.3 mg/mL) compared to P-2 (IC₅₀ = 5.2 mg/mL), whereas P-2 exhibited slightly better DPPH radical scavenging and ferric reducing power. These findings demonstrate that UAEE is a highly efficient method for producing low-molecular-weight, bioactive polysaccharides from sugarcane leaves, which show promise as natural antioxidants for further investigation in functional food and pharmaceutical applications.
Source: Applied Food Research
Authors: Yan-fei Zheng, Qiang Zhang
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,050
Award: G7833901333
OpenAlex ID: W7117542200