Antioxidative activities and composition analysis of Pinus densiflora root by ultra high pressure extraction

In this study, we investigated enhanced antioxidative activities of Pinus densiflora (P. densiflora) root by ultra high pressure (UHP) extraction and composition analysis. Compared with extracts obtained by leaching and ultrasonic extraction, the UHP extracts had enormous enhancement of their extraction yield, free radical (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities and total phenolic content and these UHP extracts showed pressure and time-dependent increase of activities and content. Composition analysis by HPLC, main component of P. densiflora root extracts was taxifolin-3-glucoside, and each extract content (mg/g) was in the order: UHP 100 MPa 3 h extract (142.4 ± 1.3) > UHP 100 MPa 1 h extract (84.7 ± 2.1) > UHP 50 MPa 1 h extract (69.7 ± 1.8) > ultrasonic 1 h extract (48.6 ± 2.5) > leaching 1 h extract (42.5 ± 1.1). When UHP extraction, the taxifolin-3-glucoside content was increased and also these results revealed pressure and time-dependent increase. Taken together, UHP extraction is a potentially useful method for the pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, functional food industries, because it improves the antioxidative effects of P. densiflora root.