A comprehensive insight into optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plant extract using response surface methodology

Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) is an edible medicinal herb having an extended history for its traditional usage owing to the health promoting benefits associated with this plant. Nevertheless, traditional extraction methods limit the recovery of bioactive compounds from different parts of dandelion and insufficient research is available on process optimization. Hence, current research developed an effective ultrasound-assisted extraction method for maximum recovery of total phenolics contents (TPC), total flavonoids contents (TFC), antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP assays), and bioactive compounds (HPLC) from dandelion plant using response surface methodology in combination with Box-Behnken design (BBD). The optimal extraction conditions determined by RSM were as follows: sonication time, 30 min; ultrasound amplitude, 70%, and ultrasound temperature, 40 °C. At these conditions, the recovery of total phenolics and total flavonoids reached 40.77 mg GAE/g and 22.68 mg RE/g, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant activities determined based on DPPH-scavenging, ABTS + -scavenging and FRAP were reported as 88.55%, 445.39 µM TE/mg, and 30.64 mg TE/g, respectively. Additionally, a total of 11 major bioactive compounds were quantified using HPLC, including 6 phenolic acids and 5 flavonoids. Under optimized conditions major bioactive compounds identified and quantified were chlorogenic acid, quercetin, apigenin, luteolin-7-O-glycoside, luteolin, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, cichoric acid, isoetin, and caftaric acid. Conclusively, results of present study give a comprehensive insight into optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction method for recovery of maximum antioxidants and bioactive compounds from dandelion using a combination of BBD and RSM. Furthermore, this study may provide a reference in utilizing optimized extraction process for dandelion bioactive compounds in food and pharmaceutical industry.