Optimization of Solvent Systems and Extraction Techniques for Enhanced Multifunctional Bioactivities of Vernonia Cinerea (L.) Less.: A Comprehensive Study on Antioxidant, Tyrosinase Inhibitory, Antibacterial, and Antidiabetic Enzyme Activities

Authors

  • Napattaorn Buachoon Faculty of Science and Technology, Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University under the Royal Patronage, Pathum Thani 13180, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.11007

Keywords:

Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less., Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant, Tyrosinase Inhibitory, Antibacterial, Anti-α-amylase Activity, Anti-α-glucosidase Activity, Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less., Total phenolic content, Antioxidant, Tyrosinase inhibitory, Antibacterial, Anti-α-amylase Activity, Anti-α-glucosidase Activity

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify the suitable condition of solvent and an effective extraction technique for improving the biological activity of the extracts of Vernonia cinerea plant, focusing on free radical scavenging, tyrosinase and inhibition, bacterium inhibition, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition activity. The sample from leaves, flowers, and stems of the plants was extracted with 5 types of solvent in the present study. The efficacy of biological activity was evaluated in terms of total phenolic and flavonoid content, DPPH and FRAP scavenging activity, tyrosinase inhibition activity, bacterium inhibition, agar well diffusion assay, and inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The results showed that the MAE method with methanol solvent was the most effective in all tests. The extracts from the leaf exhibited maximum biological activity with the highest TPC and TFC of 195.48 ± 4.18 mg GAE/g extract and 98.07 ± 0.33 mg QE/g extract, respectively, IC50 values for DPPH and FRAP was 45.02 ± 0.13 µg/mL and 169.91 ± 0.51 mg FeSO4/g extract, respectively, IC50 value for tyrosinase inhibition was 18.48 ± 0.19 mg/mL, which was approximate inhibition as kojic acid, bacterial inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Salmonella typhimurium was maximum in 12.19 ± 0.01 mm, 13.03 ± 0.01 mm and 12.03 ± 0.02 mm, against α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition was 73.76% and 63.61% which was approximately 96.5% and 93.5% of market acarbose, respectively. The study evidenced that the MAE with methanol is an effective method for extracting multitasking active ingredient from the V. cinerea at once in the future when plants have the highest potential.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) with methanol yielded superior efficiency compared to fermentation and ultrasonic extraction.
  • Vernonia cinerea leaf extract exhibited higher concentrations of total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids than flower and stem extracts.
  • Vernonia cinerea leaf extract exhibited biological activities including free radical scavenging, tyrosinase inhibition, α-amylase inhibition, and α-glucosidase inhibition.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

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2025-09-10