Green analytical chemistry metrics: Towards a sustainable phenolics extraction from medicinal plants

Can we extract powerful medicinal compounds from plants without harming the planet in the process? Science is finally turning green metrics into practical action.

Green metrics measure how sustainable chemical processes really are, yet they are rarely used to choose actual laboratory methods. Researchers recently tackled this gap by evaluating the greenness of cutting-edge extraction techniques for medicinal plants. By leaning on these green metrics, scientists successfully developed a sustainable and efficient extraction method driven by Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) and ultrasound.

This eco-friendly approach was tested on *Larrea cuneifolia*, a native Argentinian plant deeply rooted in traditional folk medicine. To squeeze out maximum efficiency, the team chemometrically optimized the experimental conditions. The results speak for themselves: this innovative method achieved total penalty points just as low as plain water.

When pitted against traditional solvents, the NADES extraction system proved to be an absolute powerhouse. It showed outstanding extractability for both polar and weakly polar phenolic compounds, bridging the gap between high performance and true environmental responsibility.

Key Points

• NADES-mediated ultrasound extraction for plant phenolics
• Applied to the Argentinian medicinal plant Larrea cuneifolia
• Achieved penalty points comparable to pure water