One-step simultaneous and efficient extraction of multiple active compounds from Lycium barbarum by aqueous three-phase system: Focusing on polysaccharides

In the past few years, the aqueous three-phase system (A3PS) has attracted a lot of attention due to its effectiveness in the efficient separation. Polysaccharides, carotenoids and polyphenols were separated simultaneously from Lycium barbarum by an aqueous three-phase system (A3PS) formed by acetonitrile/betaine/K₂HPO₄ as a novel extraction technique. The system is characterized by small amount of machine reagents, few consumables and simple extraction steps. The effects of acetonitrile, betaine and K₂HPO₄ concentrations on the extraction efficiency were investigated by Response Surface Methodology. The optimum composition of A3PS were 26.2 % (w/w) acetonitrile, 10.2 % (w/w) betaine and 27.6 % (w/w) K₂HPO₄. Under this condition, the extraction efficiencies of carotenoids, polyphenols, and Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) were 42.12±0.10 %, 88.61±0.95 % and 84.63±0.46 %, respectively. The obtained LBP was characterized by several technologies. The LBP was proved to consist of mannose, ribose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose, arabinose and fucose in a proportion of 4.14:0.80:4.00:4.43:22.20:39.9:12.44:3.22:8.46:0.41. The molecular weight of LBP was 12554 Da. In addition, LBP exhibited excellent antioxidant activity. In general, as a rapid developing method of extraction and separation, A3PS had potential application in the simultaneous separation of multiple substances.