Influence of extraction techniques on the phytochemical profile, antioxidant capacity, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of Centaurea cyanus flower extracts

Yusuf Sıcak, Hüseyin Kılıç, Sıdıka Atmaca, Mehmet Öztürk

2026

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DOI 10.25135/rfac.2604.3848
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

Medicinal plants are recognized as rich sources of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. This study systematically investigated how extraction techniques and solvents affect the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and tyrosinase-inhibitory potential of Centaurea cyanus flower extracts. Twelve extracts were prepared using petroleum ether, ethanol, and water via maceration, decoction, infusion, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction. The phenolic profiles of ethanol and aqueous extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and hesperetin (16.8–48.6 mg/g extract) was identified as the predominant constituent, along with varying levels of apigenin, luteolin, and protocatechuic acid, showing clear solvent-dependent variation. Petroleum ether extracts were characterized by GC-MS, revealing fatty acids as the dominant components, particularly oleic and palmitic acids. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using ABTS, DPPH, CUPRAC, and β-carotene/linoleic acid assays. Among all samples, CCDW exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity in ABTS (20.23 µg/mL), DPPH (18.14 µg/mL), β-carotene/linoleic acid (14.26 µg/mL), and CUPRAC assays, suggesting that polar compounds play a major role in radical scavenging and reducing capacity. In contrast, petroleum ether extracts showed comparatively lower antioxidant performance. Tyrosinase-inhibitory assays demonstrated moderate activity across all extracts, with the strongest inhibition observed for CCIW, CCMW, and CCUW extracts (IC50: 6.81–9.12 mg/mL), although significantly lower than the reference compound kojic acid. Overall, the findings highlight that extraction method and solvent polarity significantly influence the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Centaurea cyanus. These results suggest that this species is a promising source of antioxidant compounds with moderate tyrosinase-inhibitory potential, with applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.