Response surface methodology optimization of phenolic and flavonoid recovery from Ruta montana and their antioxidant and antibacterial activities
Abstract
This study aimed to optimize the extraction conditions of phenolic and flavonoid compounds from the aerial parts of Ruta montana L. (Rutaceae) and to evaluate their associated antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on a Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed to investigate the combined effects of extraction temperature, extraction time, solid-to-liquid ratio, and methanol concentration on total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH radical scavenging activity, and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Quadratic polynomial models were developed for all responses and demonstrated high predictive accuracy, with coefficients of determination (R²) exceeding 0.92 and non-significant lack of fit values. Multi-response optimization using a desirability function identified optimal extraction conditions of 68°C, 3h extraction time, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1.53:10 (g/mL), and 80% methanol. Under these conditions, the extracts exhibited high TPC (376.26 µg GAE/g DW), TFC (159.17 µg QE/g DW), strong antioxidant activity (86.72% DPPH inhibition), and notable antibacterial activity (14 mm inhibition zone). Experimental validation confirmed close agreement between predicted and observed values. These findings demonstrate that R. montana is a valuable source of bioactive phenolic compounds and highlight the effectiveness of RSM for optimizing extraction processes to enhance both chemical yield and biological activity.
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