Extraction efficiency and greenness matrices evaluation of various extraction processes for the recovery of bioactive compounds from Paeonia emodi: A comparative study

This study investigates how different solvent systems and extraction parameters affect the yields of terpene glycosides and polyphenol compounds from Paeonia emodi . The outcomes of the study revealed that NADES composed of choline chloride and sucrose (1:1), combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction, produced the highest polyphenol and antioxidant yields while significantly inhibiting anti-aging enzymes (i.e., tyrosinase and hyaluronidase). This approach enabled the quantification of ten polyphenolic compounds using HPLC-PDA analysis, with the highest terpene glycosides yield, i.e., paeoniflorin (23.62 ± 0.144 mg/g DW) and albiflorin (5.38 ± 0.004 mg/g DW). Furthermore, the detailed chemometric and Two-way ANOVA analysis corroborated the superiority of this extraction condition over other tested parameters. Lastly, the greenness index of the NADES-UAE method was calculated, yielding a score of 0.70 in AGREE and 85 in GAPI, indicating high environmental friendliness. In conclusion, the study presents a simple, sustainable, and environmentally friendly approach for extracting bioactive compounds from Himalayan paeony with potential in nutraceuticals and phyto-cosmetic applications. • The interactive effect of solvents and extraction technologies was briefly studied. • Ultrasonic-assisted extraction combined with Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (UAE-NADES) (Choline chloride: Sucrose; 1:1) showed higher polyphenols & antioxidant activities. • Also, yielded the highest paeoniflorin, albiflorin, and strong anti-aging activities. • Chemometric analysis revealed that process parameters and solvents significantly influenced the yield. • The UAE-NADES method achieved a high greenness index (0.70) in AGREE and 85 in GAPI.