Enhancement of Antioxidant Properties of the Medicinal Plant, Costus Pictus by Optimization of its Drying and Extraction Criteria.

Antioxidants act as major protective factors against different infections and diseases. The search for natural antioxidants has gained significant momentum due to its associated health benefits. It prompted the investigation of the antioxidant properties of widely recognized medicinal plants, considering their prominent role in conventional medicine. The incorporation of natural antioxidants derived from medicinal plants into food products has the potential to enhance their health benefits. The present investigation is the first study on the optimization of drying and extraction techniques in Costus pictus leaves. C. pictus leaves were dried under varying conditions (40, 50 and 60 °C) and dried powders were subjected to various solvents, namely water, ethanol, methanol and ethyl acetate. The leaves dried at 60 °C and treated with ethanol showed improved activities and were subsequently selected for further extraction. Among the various extraction methods, ultrasound-assisted extraction demonstrated superior antioxidant properties and increased phytochemical contents, making it the optimal technique for our study. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reports also substantiated these quantitative results. The extraction process played a significant role in enhancing the desirable attributes and properties of the leaf extracts, surpassing the results obtained from both dried and fresh leaves. The application of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis to the leaf extracts facilitated the identification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, presenting a comprehensive insight into the composition of the extract. Exploration of antioxidant properties, phenolic compounds and flavonoids would validate the benefits and expand the applications of C. pictus in functional foods and nutraceuticals.