Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for Analytical Sample Preparation of Polyphenol-Rich Plant Extracts: Chemical Characterization and Bioanalytical Validation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) offer sustainable alternatives to conventional solvents for plant extraction, yet their influence on extract composition and bioactivity preservation requires further study. Here, choline chloride-based NADES with lactic acid or propylene glycol were evaluated for ultrasound-assisted extraction (60 °C, 30 min, 1:20 w/v) of polyphenol-rich fractions from Sanguisorba officinalis and Symphytum officinale. Spectrophotometric analysis yielded total phenolic contents of 6.49–9.67 mg GAE g−1 and total flavonoids of 0.08–0.52 mg g−1, with values dependent on the plant matrix and the NADES formulation. Targeted HPLC-MS/MS enabled identification of representative phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, ferulic, rosmarinic) and flavonoid markers (rutin, quercetin derivatives), showing qualitative differences in the detected marker profiles between solvents and matrices. Functional assays demonstrated pronounced antioxidant-related effects, including DPPH radical scavenging at 0.5–25 µg mL−1 (polyphenols), inhibition of lipid peroxidation in rat erythrocytes at 0.25–1.20 µg mL−1, and modulation of mitochondrial respiration and permeability transition in isolated rat liver mitochondria. Overall, the results indicate that choline chloride-based NADES can be used to obtain polyphenol-rich plant extracts compatible with the applied analytical workflow while preserving redox-active fractions, supporting their utility in green analytical sample preparation.
Authors: Andrey Shishov, Ekaterina Davydova, Yaroslava Chepasova, Nikita Tsvetov, Alexey Savko, Ilya B. Zavodnik
Language: English
Subfield: Catalysis
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
Awards: G4166453648, G7932546124
OpenAlex ID: W7141212252