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Plant Milking Technology-An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots.
- Source :
-
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) [Molecules] 2020 Sep 11; Vol. 25 (18). Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Sep 11. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- We have used an original technology (Plant Milking Technology) based on aeroponic cultivation of plants associated with the gentle recovery of active ingredients from roots. Extraction of bioactive molecules was achieved by soaking the roots, still attached to the living plants, into a nontoxic solvent for a 2 h period. This nondestructive recovery process allows using the same root biomass for successive harvesting dates, in a recyclable way. We have applied this technology to Morus alba L. (mulberry tree), an emblematic tree of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Trees were aeroponically grown in large-scale devices (100 m <superscript>2</superscript> ) and were submitted to nitrogen deprivation to increase the content in active molecules (prenylated flavonoids). The Plant Milking technology applied to Morus alba L. allowed to produce an extract enriched in prenylated compounds (18-fold increase when compared to commercial root extract). Prenylated flavonoids (moracenin A and B, kuwanon C, wittiorumin F, morusin) presented a high affinity for the aged-associated collagenase enzyme, which was confirmed by activity inhibition. In accordance, M. alba extract presents efficient properties to regulate the skin matrisome, which is critical during skin aging. The benefits have been especially confirmed in vivo on wrinkle reduction, in a clinical study that involved aged women. Plant Milking technology is an optimal solution to produce active ingredients from plant roots, including trees, that meet both customer expectations around sustainability, as well as the need for an efficient production system for biotechnologists.
- Subjects :
- Aged
Double-Blind Method
Female
Flavonoids isolation & purification
Humans
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
Middle Aged
Morus chemistry
Nitrogen chemistry
Plant Extracts pharmacology
Prenylation
Solvents
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical methods
Fibroblasts drug effects
Flavonoids pharmacology
Plant Extracts isolation & purification
Plant Roots chemistry
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1420-3049
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 18
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 32932881
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25184162