Bioactive Compound Extraction and Antioxidant Activity of Longan (Dimocarpus longan)
Summary
Longan, a subtropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, is recognised for its rich array of bioactive compounds, notably polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and alkaloids. Extraction of these constituents has evolved from conventional solvent techniques toward optimised and green methodologies, including ultrasound and thermal treatments. Extracts from fruit pulp, pericarp and seed byproducts display notable antioxidant activity, assessed by radical scavenging and reduction assays, and exhibit enzyme‐modulating effects relevant to inflammation, lipid metabolism and skin ageing. Valorisation of processing remnants underscores a circular‐economy approach, transforming waste into nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and natural preservatives. Through systematic optimisation of solvent concentration, temperature and time, researchers have enhanced yield, potency and functional stability of longan extracts, paving the way for scalable applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Research from Nature Portfolio
A novel study compared conventional dried longan with a thermally aged “black” variant, demonstrating that controlled heating and ageing markedly increased gallic and ellagic acid contents by up to tenfold and doubled corilagin levels. Seed extracts of black longan exhibited superior free‐radical scavenging and iron-reduction capacity alongside potent hyaluronidase inhibition, while aril extracts showed enhanced suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. These findings highlight thermal ageing as a facile strategy to enrich phenolic profiles and biological activities, suggesting black longan seed and aril extracts as promising cosmeceutical and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Bioactive Compound Extraction and Antioxidant Activity of Longan (Dimocarpus longan) publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive compound extraction and antioxidant activity of longan (dimocarpus longan) across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phenolic compounds: A class of plant secondary metabolites characterised by one or more aromatic rings bearing hydroxyl groups, noted for antioxidant and enzyme-modulating properties.
Antioxidant activity: The capacity of a substance to neutralise reactive oxygen species or free radicals, commonly measured by assays such as DPPH, ABTS and FRAP.
Response surface methodology (RSM): A statistical and mathematical technique for optimising experimental parameters to achieve maximal extraction efficiency or biological response.
Extractable condensed tannins (ECTs): High-molecular-weight polyphenols that can be solubilised from plant tissues, possessing antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
References
- Exhaustive Plant Profile of “Dimocarpus longan Lour” with Significant Phytomedicinal Properties: A Literature Based-Review. Processes (2021).
- Enhancement of phenolics content and biological activities of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) treated with thermal and ageing process. Scientific Reports (2021).
- Optimization of Ethanolic Extraction of Phenolic Antioxidants from Lychee and Longan Seeds Using Response Surface Methodology. Foods (2023).
- Polyphenol Profile, Antioxidant Activity, and Hypolipidemic Effect of Longan Byproducts. Molecules (2023).
- Antioxidant, Bacteriostatic and Preservative Effects of Extractable Condensed Tannins Isolated from Longan Pericarps and Seeds. Plants (2023).
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