Innovative Biophysical Approaches for Quercetin Extraction from Plant Cells

Abstract

A method of extraction of quercetin from a plant cell based on the combined action of ultrasound and a metastable fraction of an aqueous solution is proposed. This treatment leads to more efficient release of the cytoplasmic component due to etching and/or mechanical destruction of the plant cell envelope. The oxidized fraction of the solution has the most pronounced extractive properties; however, it acts on quercetin by oxidizing the chromophore part of the molecule. According to the criterion of pigment preservation, the best extraction medium is the reduced fraction of water. Analytical methods were used to analyze the extract samples: UV-Vis spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis of proteins, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and QCM weighing, as well as scanning electron microscopy.