Factors Affecting Extraction of Bioactive Substances from Plant Cell Cultures

Extraction is the initial stage in the study of the chemical composition of plant material. Crude extracts contain bioactive components that can be used in pharmaceuticals, food products, and food additives. Advanced extraction methods produce more yield and consume less time. The choice of a perfect extraction method depends on the target substance, the type of plant material, and its cell structure. Optimal extraction conditions are determined experimentally for each plant species. In this research, we revealed the main extraction factors for cell cultures of medicinal plants, depending on the technological limitations caused by the internal structure of the raw material. The bioactive extraction procedure was optimized using the experimental planning method. The study featured cell cultures of Ginkgo biloba L., Pulmonaria officinalis L., Filipendula ulmaria L., and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. The variables to be studied during the extraction experiments included ethyl concentration, temperature, and time. All the extracts were tested for optical density using spectrophotometry, with a full factorial experiment with three variable parameters. The data obtained underwent the analysis of variance (ANOVA) to check the mathematical model that defined the correlation between the flavonoid yield and the main extraction parameters. Using the experimental planning method, we optimized the main factors that facilitated the extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant cell cultures. The volume fraction of the solvent proved to be associated with the largest yield of bioactive compounds from the plant cell cultures. Its optimal amount was the same across the samples (70% ethyl alcohol). The optimal extraction time and temperature for callus cultures of Filipendula ulmaria L. and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were 5 h and 35°C, respectively. The callus cultures of Pulmonaria officinalis L. demonstrated the most economically advantageous extraction parameters, i.e., 2 h and 30°C. The optimal extraction parameters for Ginkgo biloba L. were 6 h and 55°C. The study revealed the optimal parameters for the extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant cell cultures with the maximal flavonoid yield. The results be used in further research.