Cyanidin-3-Glucoside from Litchi: Extraction Techniques and Bioactivity Evaluation

Abstract

Background: Litchi chinensis is a tropical fruit, used in ancient Chinese herbal medications due to its medicinal properties. It holds a great potential for various biological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant due to the presence of diverse phytochemicals.

Objective: The primary objective of this research was to find the lychee extract which shows efficient results for the presence of flavonoids and excellent anti-microbial activity as well.

Methodology: Phytochemicals were extracted by using extraction methods (methanol, ethanol and ascorbic acid) from the leaves, fruits and peels of lychee. Phytochemical screening for the presence of terpenoids, saponins, tannins, steroids, resins and flavonoids in these sample extracts Quantification for the presence of total phenolic compounds (TPC) carried out using Folin-Ciocalteu’s reagent, which was highest amount in the ethanol extract of fruits. Flavonoids content quantified by using aluminum chloride assay.

Results: The highest amount of phenolic compounds were recorded to be 0.5 mg/g GAE dw in methanol extract of peels and for flavonoids, it was recorded to be 0.27 mg/mL in methanol extracts. Furthermore, the quantity of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was determined using pH differential method. The highest amount was 0.4 mg/L in methanol extract of peels. Lastly, the anti-microbial activity of the samples was checked against selected bacterial genera; Bacillus spp., Salmonella spp., Citrobacter spp., and E. coli using disk diffusion method. Methanol extracts of fruits showed noticeable zone of inhibition of 36.2 mm against Salmonella spp., which is comparable to the standard antibiotics (Oxidil) i.e., 37 mm.

Conclusion: The study signified that L. chinensis holds great potential in the health industry to treat a variety of infections caused by pathogenic bacteria. In the future, we can further explore the variety of biological characteristics i.e., neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, exhibited by this plant.