Application of supercritical fluid in the extraction of active compounds from plant material

Abstract

In conjunction with the rapid demands natural medicinal product, the processing technologies used in its production have to make major technical and scientific improvements in their efficiencies and product quality. This is important in order to meet the basic requirement of hygiene and safety standards as well as to survive in this increasingly competitive and dynamic market product. The current processing methods are inefficient and the extract produced is low of quality. Majority of the local herbs medicinal products are still prepared in the traditional manners involving mainly hot or cold-water extraction, grinding to powder and conventional drying. By using the traditional processes of water extraction and conventional drying, the finished product is not guaranteed to be safe. Both the desired as well as undesired compounds are extracted and it is difficult to separate specific compounds of interest. Thus the finished products contain some undesired compounds such as polar toxic substances too. Most of factories that produce traditional medicine are aware of these limitations, but lack of resources and new technologies and expertise forced them to still use these unconventional techniques.