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Poster Presentation 7-18
Extraction of Nutraceuticals from Milk Thistle: 1. Extraction with Organic Solvents
S. Wallace, D.J. Carrier and E.C. Clausen
University of Arkansas Department of Chemical Engineering 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Telephone: (501) 575-5412; Fax: (501) 575-7926; E-mail: eclause@engr.uark.edu
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), a plant that grows from Argentina to Canada, produces seeds that contain flavanolignans and up to 30 % (w/w) lipids. The suite of flavanolignans is usually comprised of taxifolin, silychristin, silydianin and silybinin, which display hepatoxic protection properties. Flavanolignans from milk thistle are regulated as therapeutic drugs in Europe. These flavanolignans are usually obtained by initially defatting the seed meal with a non-polar solvent, followed by extraction with ethanol or acetonitrile. This paper examines the extraction of flavanolignans from both original and de-fatted seeds. Overall diffusion coefficients for the four compounds are calculated and used as extraction performance indicators.
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