Ultrafast and Highly Efficient Laser Extraction of\nMatrine and Oxymatrine from Sophora flavescens for the Anticancer Activity

Matrine and oxymatrine\nare mainly obtained from Sophora flavescens using the high-temperature and\nprolonged solvent extraction methods currently employed in industries.\nIn this study, an ultrafast and highly efficient method for extracting\nmatrine and oxymatrine from S. flavescens at room temperature using laser technology, specifically, laser\nextraction, was demonstrated. The laser extraction rates for matrine\nand oxymatrine from S. flavescens at\nroom temperature for 1 min were 266.40 and 936.80 mg(g·h)<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. These rates were 1400 times higher\nthan those achieved with conventional solvent extraction. These results\nmean that 1 min of laser extraction is equivalent to 24 h of solvent\nextraction. The reason for such a high efficiency is that laser-induced\ncavitation can accelerate the rapid release of alkaloid molecules\nin plant cells. Mass spectrum, nuclear magnetic resonance, and Fourier-transform\ninfrared spectrum analyses of the extracted matrine and oxymatrine\ncompounds confirmed that they are the same as the products of solvent\nextraction. Furthermore, it was found that the anticancer activity\nof laser-extracted compounds is slightly better than that of conventionally\nsolvent-extracted ones, likely due to the slight change in the microstructure\nor conformation of these compounds under laser irradiation. These\nfindings demonstrated that the laser extraction method was ultrafast\nand highly efficient, unveiling a novel approach to alkaloid extraction.\nThis discovery will have significant implications for the extraction\nand utilization of alkaloids from plants.