Microwave (MW) irradiation in reactors with input power levels of 200-1000 W has been frequently applied for the extraction of natural compounds from vegetal material. The aim of the present research was to investigate the effect of much lower MW input powers (< 12 W) delivered through antennas into shielded enclosures on mixtures of ethanol solution-Ailanthus altissima leaves (frozen and oven-dried), at different frequencies (1.74 and 2.3 GHz) and exposure times (0.5, 1 and 3 h). The phenolic content and antioxidant activity were quantified after the exposures. Significant differences between the antioxidant content/ activity and the type of raw material were found, in favour of frozen samples. After MW treatment, the bioactive content and activity increased in frozen Ailanthus leaf extracts compared to control. No significant effect was observed in case of extracts prepared from oven-dried samples at 60°C. The ATR-FTIR analysis indicates no significant structural changes after the irradiation. These results revealed a better extractability of phenolic compounds following MW exposure in particular at 2.3 GHz.
Looking for pharmaceutical remedies that are cheaper, handy, and gentle with the body, the villagers rediscover phytotherapy and practice traditional medicine in which plants play a major role. Unfortunately, much of the knowledge about herbs has been lost in recent decades. With this study, we try to save from the loss of some of the information on folk medicine (types of preparations, more common diseases, species of plants used). Of course, archaic knowledge passed down from generation to generation is mixed with contemporary knowledge from books, magazines, radio, and television shows. Even so, Romanian folk medicine can still enrich modern medicine, as it possesses phytotherapeutic information not yet valued by pharmacists and biochemists.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.