Published Paper Details:

Cucumis melo L subsp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo Leaves were extracted using conventional methods generally with low total flavonoids content. In this study Cucumis melo L subsp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo Leaves were extracted by microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and optimization of extraction parameters by using Box Behnken Design on the basis of response factor i.e, total flavonoid content. The selected medicinal plant was extracted microwave assisted extraction as well as other traditional methods (i.e, Soxlet and room temperature). These methods were analyzed on the basis of percentage yield as well as total flavanoid content . To optimize MAE conditions, three main factors were selected using univariate approach experiments and then Box Behnken design (BBD). The optimal extraction conditions were as: Microwave Power (300-700 W); Solvent Concentration (30-70%); Solute and solvent ratio (1:5 - 1:20). Temperature 700C, Time 2 min were kept constant. One response factor total flavanoid content (TFC) was used for quantitatively analyze the phytoconstituents in plant part. The optimized conditions for the microwave-assisted extraction of Cucumis melo L subsp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo leaves was microwave power of 562 W, solvent concentration 50% and solvent and drug ratio 20 ml per gm of the drug. The total flavanoid concentration (42.91�0.034) and percentage yield (53) in MAE higher than the other traditional methods(i.e, room temperature, soxlet extraction) with respect to percentage yield(22, 28) and total flavanoid content(22.645�0.021, 32.098�0.104). The BBD can be successfully applied to optimize the extraction parameters (MAE) for Cucumis melo L subsp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo leaf part. Moreover, in terms of environmental impact, the MAE technique could be assumed as a �Green approach� because the MAE approach for the extraction of plant released only 80.5 gm of CO2 as compared to 4502.4 gm CO2 using the soxlet method of extraction. In this work, a fast and efficient microwave assisted extraction (MAE) method was developed to extract bioactive constituents from Cucumis melo leaves.