How to Obtain High-quality and High-yield Hesperidin?

What is Hesperidin?

Hesperidin 90% Powder is a phytochemical classified as a "bioflavonoid". Hesperidin is mainly found in citrus fruits, and like other antioxidants, has beneficial anti-inflammatory properties and positive effects on immune function because of its ability to scavenge free radicals. Flavonoids also exert many other protective effects, such as anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-cancer properties.

What is the current status of Utilization of Citrus Resource?

In China, citrus resource is very rich. However, the current utilization of citrus is only limited to its fruits, its peels have not been fully tapped. The citrus peel accounts for 20% of the whole fruit weight. Common disposal method is to discard citrus peel, which causes a lot of waste and also results in pollution to the environment. In addition to moisture, cellulose, and lignin, citrus peels also contain abundant pigments, pectin, hesperidin, and essential oils. Therefore, one of the main ways for the utilization of citrus peel is based on the extraction of the components it contains, such as the extraction of pigments, pectin, hesperidin, essential oils, dietary fiber and so on.

How to Obtain High-quality and High-yield Hesperidin?

The method we introduce in our article is the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of hesperidin from citrus in combination with parameters such as extraction solvent, solvent volume, temperature, extraction time, ultrasonic power, ultrasonic frequency, etc. Solvent, frequency and treatment temperature were observed to be vital factors for improving the extraction yields of hesperidin. The following is the processes for ultrasonic-assisted extraction of hesperidin:

A. Select fresh citrus, collect its citrus peel for drying, and pulverize through a 50-mesh to 60-mesh sieve to obtain citrus peel powder.

B. The citrus peel powder obtained by step A and 95% ethanol of 5~10 times the volume of the citrus peel powder are put into the ultrasonic extraction equipment, mix well, carry out ultrasonic extraction 2~3 times. Filter and merge the extracting solution by each ultrasonic extraction to obtain citrus peel extract. The ultrasonic power of each time is 70W/cm² ~ 80 ff/cm² , each ultrasonic extraction frequency is 40 KHz ~ 60 KHz, each ultrasonic extraction temperature maintains 40 ° C ~55 ℃, each ultrasonic extraction time is 30min ~ 90min.

C. The citrus peel extract obtained in step B is concentrated under reduced pressure to a relative density of 1.0~1.2, to obtain citrus peel extract, and recycle ethanol simultaneously. Adjust the PH of the citrus peel extract to 3.5~4.5 with hydrochloric acid solution, and stand for crystallization in 12～24 hours, then filter to obtain crude hesperidin extract.

D. Dissolve the crude hesperidin extract obtained in step C in distilled water, stir evenly, put on a macroporous adsorption resin column, then elute with 75% ethanol, collect the eluent and dry to get hesperidin.

Take advantage of ultrasonic technology to strengthen the extraction and separation process can effectively improve the extraction and separation rate, shorten the extraction time, save costs, and even improve the quality and yield of products.