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Selective ultrasound‐assisted extractions of lipophilic constituents from Betula alleghaniensis and B. papyrifera wood at low temperatures
Author(s) -
Lavoie J.M.,
Stevanovic T.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
phytochemical analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1099-1565
pISSN - 0958-0344
DOI - 10.1002/pca.981
Subject(s) - chemistry , terpene , extraction (chemistry) , squalene , dichloromethane , abietic acid , biomass (ecology) , diterpene , organic chemistry , botany , resin acid , solvent , oceanography , biology , rosin , geology
Betula alleghaniensis and B. papyrifera are widely distributed in the province of Québec (Canada) and, since these trees are valuable exports for the local lumber industry, large amounts of their residual ligneous biomass are available for further exploitation. Betula species are well known for their significant concentrations of triterpenes, some of which were recently discovered to present promising bioactivity. The secondary transformation of birch biomass could therefore become important for many industries, particularly the pharmaceutical industry. In the present study, extracts from birch sawdust were obtained using an optimised ultrasound‐assisted extraction in which the careful choice of temperature permitted a selective extraction of the targeted triterpenes. Moreover, compared with the classical Soxhlet method, higher extraction yields were obtained in a shorter time. The lipophilic extracts obtained using dichloromethane as a solvent were analysed by GC‐MS and the major compounds identified as lupane‐type cyclic triterpenoids accompanied by the non‐cyclic triterpene squalene. Numerous aliphatic long‐chain fatty acids were also found in the extracts together with phytosterols. Betulonic acid and squalene, the major extract constituents for both B. alleghaniensis and B. papyrifera , are both bioactive molecules. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.