Comparative study of aqueous ultrasound-assisted extraction methods of bioactive compounds from Tarumã (Vitex megapotamica)

Vitex megapotamica (Tarumã) fruits are a potential source of phenolic compounds with relevant biological activities. This study compared ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using a probe-type ultrasonic apparatus with conventional shaker extraction for the recovery of bioactive compounds from ripe Tarumã fruits. UAE extraction kinetics were evaluated at 5, 10, 15, and 30 min (90 °C, 60% amplitude). The extracts were evaluated for their highest total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The TPC was obtained after 5 min of extraction, and this condition was selected for comparison with shaker extraction under the same parameters. UAE significantly increased phenolic recovery, reaching 1909.2 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹ of sample, whereas the shaker method yielded 1549.5 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹. Despite the higher phenolic extraction efficiency, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities did not differ significantly between extracts (p > 0.05). High-performance liquid chromatography analysis (HPLC) revealed ellagic acid as the predominant compound in the UAE extract, while myricetin was the major phenolic compound identified in the shaker extract. These results demonstrate that UAE is an efficient and rapid technique to enhance the recovery of phenolic compounds from Tarumã fruits, supporting its potential application in the development of bioactive extracts.

Key words
Vitex megapotamica; Phenolic compounds; Antioxidant activity; Anti-inflammatory activity; HPLC analysis; Ultrasound-assisted extraction