Optimisation of phytochemical characteristics and antioxidative properties of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. seeds and Ocimum basilicum L. leaves superfine powders using new parting process

Introduction Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) are two aromatic medicinal plants. Recently, a new parting process which is named CDS Comminution and to control Diffraction Sieving is taken into consideration and its positive effect on the extraction of bioactive compounds from the plants, without any solvent, is reported. Objective Study the effect of CDS on phytochemical properties of superfine powders of fennel seeds and basil leaves. Methods Fennel seeds and basil leaves superfine powders were fractionated as follows: 100-180 mu m, 180-315 mu m, 315-500 mu m, > 500 mu m and unsieved superfine powders. Extraction of polyphenols was carried out using hydromethanolic maceration. The essential oils were extracted by maceration with dichloromethane. The antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Using liquid chromatography ultraviolet electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC-UV-ESI-MS), concentrations of characterised phenolic compounds were measured. The essential oils compositions were characterised using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results In fennel seeds, the 100-180 mu m fraction had maximum antioxidant activity and LC-UV-ESI-MS analyses proved that the best extraction of certain polyphenols was obtained in the 100-180 mu m fraction. In basil leaves, the best antioxidant activity corresponded to the 315-500 mu m fraction and LC-UV-ESI-MS analyses showed that the polyphenols were concentrated in the < 315 mu m fractions. For both plants, GC-MS presented that the essential oils were concentrated in the 315-500 mu m fraction. Conclusion CDS as a new green parting process leads to improve the phytochemical properties of these two superfine plant powders in the specific granulometric classes.