| Popis: |
With the increasing demand for herbal medicinal products, nutraceuticals and natural products all over the world, research continues on the most appropriate extraction technologies that enable the production of high quality extracts and essential oils. Medicinal plants are the resources of biological drugs rich in chemical compounds necessary for the production of traditional medicine drugs, modern drugs, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food supplements and pharmaceutical intermediates. Aromatic plants, on the other hand, are plants rich in compounds such as terpenes or phenolics used in scenting or flavoring processes needed in the food and cosmetic industries. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) produced in developing countries are converted into raw materials or products with higher economic value, which are needed in various industries after being purchased by developed countries. The initial step in value addition to MAP bioresources is the production of herbal extracts by the adoption of a variety of methods, from simple traditional techniques to advanced extraction technologies. The plant organ or tissue used as the starting material, the solvent used for extraction, the type of equipment utilized, the production process followed and the raw material:extract ratio are the main parameters that affect the quality of the extract. The use of appropriate plant material, extraction technology and equipment, extraction method and solvent helps to produce a high-grade extract. In order to obtain the highest economic income from MAP bioresources, developments in extraction technologies and information on quality parameters in production should be disseminated in developing countries rich in MAPs diversity. In this review, the traditional methods and the latest technologies adopted in the production of MAP extracts were summarized. |
