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Green extraction of bioactive polysaccharides from Zanthoxylum bungeanum using deep eutectic solvents: enhanced yield, antioxidant activity, and functional hydrogel formation

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: An ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent (DES) method was developed for extracting polysaccharides from Zanthoxylum bungeanum pericarps (ZBP) and leaves (ZBLP). A choline chloride–oxalic acid (2:1) DES was selected. Under optimized conditions, yields of ZBP-D and ZBLP-D reached 25.88% and 29.79%, significantly higher than ultrasound-assisted water extraction (6.27% and 12.13%). DES-extracted polysaccharides shared similar structures but showed selectively enhanced antioxidant activity, with significantly lower IC₅₀ values against DPPH and hydroxyl radicals (0.231 mg/mL and 0.513 mg/mL for ZBP-D and ZBLP-D) compared to ultrasound-assisted water-extracted samples, although the latter performed better in the ABTS + assay. The polysaccharides were formulated into hydrogels with dense porous networks, high swelling ratios (~1200%), high loading ratios (~69%), antioxidant retention, and hemocompatibility (safe load: 2.0 mg/mL for ZBP-D, 4.0 mg/mL for ZBLP-D). This green DES method enables efficient, bioactive polysaccharide extraction and hydrogel fabrication, providing a sustainable strategy for the value-added utilization of Z. bungeanum by-products.

Source: Food Chemistry X

DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.104612

Authors: Mengjia Wu, Guoxing Yu, Wenya Hu, Yulin Liu, Yonghong Liu

Institution: Northwest A&F University

Language: English

Topic: Polysaccharides Composition and Applications

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,330