Extraction of podophyllotoxin from Podophyllum peltatum using pulsed electric field treatment

Pulsed electric field technology (PEF) was applied to Podophyllum peltatum as a novel approach to enhance the extraction of podophyllotoxin. Podophyllotoxin is a valuable for the treatment of cancer and venereal warts. However, the demand for podophyllotoxin exceeds the supply and conventional extraction methods are inefficient. A low energy pulse generator was used to perform PEF treatment with pulse frequency of 840 Hz and electric field intensity of 17.7 and 19.4 kV/cm for 5, 6, and 8 min of apparent treatment time. PEF treatment significantly changed the color and apparent viscosity of the samples. PEF treatment with 840 Hz rectangular pulses of 19.4 kV/cm for 6 min was successful in significantly raising the concentration of podophyllotoxin by up to 47%. Although the exact mechanism of electroplasmolysis of plant cells is unknown, the synergistic effect between temperature and PEF treatment enhanced the extraction of podophyllotoxin from P. peltatum.

► Optimum condition of PEF treatment was determined to release podophyllotoxin. ► Morphological properties were determined after PEF treatments. ► Possible mechanisms of enhanced Podophyllum peltatum permeability were discussed.