Phytochemical compounds or their synthetic counterparts? A detailed comparison of the quantitative environmental assessment for the synthesis and extraction of curcumin

Abstract

Natural compounds represent an extremely wide category to be exploited, in order to develop new pharmaceutical strategies. In this framework, the number of in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials investigating the therapeutic potential of curcumin is exponentially increasing, due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. The possibility to obtain this molecule by both chemical synthesis and extraction from natural sources makes the environmental assessments of these alternative production processes of paramount importance from a green chemistry perspective, with the aim, for both industries and academia, to pursue a more sustainable development. The present work reports detailed and quantitative environmental assessments of three different curcumin production strategies: synthesis, conventional Soxhlet-based extraction (CE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The chemical synthesis of curcumin, as recently optimized by the authors, has been firstly evaluated by using the EATOS software followed by a complete “cradle to the grave” study, realized by applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The life cycles of CE and MAE were then similarly assessed, considering also the cultivation of Curcuma longa L., the production of the dried rhizomes as well as their commercialization, in order to firstly investigate the widely claimed green character of MAE with respect to more conventional extraction procedures. Secondly, the results related to the two different extraction strategies were compared to those obtained by the chemical synthesis of curcumin, with the aim to determine its greenest preparation procedure among those investigated. This work represents the first example of an environmental assessment comparison between different production strategies of curcumin, thus smoothing the way towards the highly desirable establishment of environmentally friendly rankings, comprising all the existing alternatives to the chemical synthesis of a target chemical compound

From Field to Shelf: How Microwave-Assisted Extraction Techniques Foster an Integrated Green Approach

“…Recently, cradle to the grave environmental evaluations of laboratory scale conventional Soxhlet-based extraction as well as of microwave-assisted extraction were performed by applying the life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology [37]. This approach allows considering practically all the fundamentals damage categories that could have an impact on this particular process, thus including, for example, energy consumptions, abiotic resources depletion, transport, laboratory facilities, emissions as well as the disposal of waste [38].…”

“…Comparative analysis of curcumin life cycle produced by conventional extraction (CE) and by MAE technique, at a laboratory scale. Adapted from [37].…”

Applications of Radiolabelled Curcumin and Its Derivatives in Medicinal Chemistry

“…As with many naturally occurring molecules, curcumin can be extracted and purified from the dried rhizomes using traditional/green techniques or can be directly synthesised. As pointed out by Zerazion et al [ 5 ], despite expectations, the chemical synthesis of curcumin constitutes the less environmentally impacting procedure to gain highly pure curcumin at a laboratory scale. This outcome may be attributed to the higher reaction yield in comparison to the extraction one.…”

Schiff Bases of Tetrahydrocurcumin as Potential Anticancer Agents

“…Curcumin (Figure ) is the major active phytochemical extracted from the rhizome of turmeric Curcuma longa and shows various health benefits including anticancer effect as both preventative and curative agent ,. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) (Figure ) is another curcuminoid found in turmeric that is produced by the reduction of curcumin and is a traditional Chinese medicine isolated from Curcuma wenyujin .…”