Ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction of total flavonoids from Lysimachia christinae Hance: optimization using ANN-GA, characterization, and evaluation of antihyperlipidemic activity in vitro and in vivo

What if the key to treating a chronic gut disease was hiding in a common herb, unlocked by a green chemistry trick? This study cracks open that possibility with ultrasound and eco-friendly solvents.

Ulcerative colitis is a stubborn inflammatory bowel disease, and current treatments often fall short. But a new study turns to an unexpected ally: Chenpi, the dried peel of citrus fruit, long used in traditional medicine for digestive woes. The team used ultrasound-assisted extraction with deep eutectic solvents (DESs)—a greener alternative to harsh chemicals—to pull out flavonoids from the plant Lysimachia christinae Hance. They tested ten DESs and found a choline chloride and methylurea mix worked best, then fine-tuned the process using response surface methodology. The sweet spot: a liquid-to-solid ratio of 20 mL/g, 400 W ultrasonic power, 52 minutes, and 65% water content. In living mice, the extract tamed DSS-induced colitis, lowering disease scores, repairing the gut barrier, and calming inflammation. The mechanism? It suppressed key enzymes like MPO and PAD4, which drive neutrophil traps and tissue damage. This green extraction method could make bioactive compounds easier to obtain, and Chenpi a real candidate for future UC therapies.

Key Points

• Ultrasound-assisted DES extraction optimized for flavonoids.
• Choline chloride-methylurea best among 10 DESs tested.
• Extract reduces colitis in mice via MPO/PAD4 suppression.