Subcritical water extraction as an environmentally-friendly technique to recover bioactive compounds from traditional Serbian medicinal plants

What happens when traditional Serbian folk medicine meets cutting-edge green chemistry? Water becomes a powerful tool to unlock nature's hidden pharmacy without harming the planet.

Subcritical water extraction is rapidly transforming how we isolate valuable compounds from natural sources. Thanks to water's low price, safety, green character, and reduced energy consumption, this technique shines as a promising method for industrial applications. Researchers put this eco-friendly approach to the test using four traditional medicinal plants from Serbia: black mulberry, wall germander, wild geranium, and comfrey, extracting them at varying temperatures.

To understand the true potential of these extracts, scientists analyzed their capabilities using conventional spectrophotometric methods alongside a DNA-based sensor. They measured total phenolic content, radical scavenging activity, reducing antioxidant power, and total antioxidant capacity. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection also helped identify and quantify the main phenolic compounds driving this antioxidant punch.

Beyond antioxidants, the study explored further biological frontiers. The team evaluated the antimicrobial properties of the extracts against eight different microbial strains. Finally, they observed the cytotoxic activity of these botanical treasures on two human cancer cell lines and one cell line derived from murine fibroblasts.

Key Points

• Subcritical water extraction is a safe, green industrial technique.
• Four traditional Serbian medicinal plants were evaluated.
• Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities were measured.