Natural deep eutectic solvents as tailored and sustainable media for the extraction of five compounds from compound liquorice tablets and their comparison with conventional organic solvents

What if the secret to greener chemistry was hiding in a humble root? A new study turns liquorice tablets into a treasure trove of bioactive compounds using eco-friendly solvents.

For centuries, liquorice root has been hailed as 'the progenitor of herbs.' Now, scientists have found a modern twist: extracting its healing compounds with nature-inspired solvents called NADES. These deep eutectic solvents, made from safe, renewable ingredients, are challenging the dominance of harsh organic solvents.

The team tested eighteen different NADES systems, ultimately selecting a 1,4-butanediol–levulinic acid mix as the star performer. By fine-tuning water content, liquid-to-solid ratio, time, and temperature, they achieved impressive yields of five key bioactives—from liquiritin to glycyrrhizic acid—far surpassing conventional solvents.

Not only did the NADES extracts pull out more compounds, they also showed stronger antioxidant activity. This green approach doesn't just work for liquorice; it's a blueprint for sustainable extraction across natural products. The future of chemistry may well be deep, eutectic, and undeniably green.

Key Points

• NADES outperforms conventional solvents for liquorice extraction.
• Optimized conditions yield high amounts of five bioactive compounds.
• NADES extracts show superior antioxidant activity.