Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots

We have used an original technology (Plant Milking Technology) based on aeroponic cultivation of plants associated with the gentle recovery of active ingredients from roots. Extraction of bioactive molecules was achieved by soaking the roots, still attached to the living plants, into a nontoxic solv...

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Main Authors: Hanane Chajra, Aleksander Salwinski, Agnès Guillaumin, Benoit Mignard, Paul Hannewald, Léonor Duriot, Pierre Warnault, Carine Guillet-Claude, Mathilde Fréchet, Frédéric Bourgaud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/18/4162
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spelling doaj-a4e44eff8c5a4e228dbdedc86bd45fa42020-11-25T03:21:57ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492020-09-01254162416210.3390/molecules25184162Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant RootsHanane Chajra0Aleksander Salwinski1Agnès Guillaumin2Benoit Mignard3Paul Hannewald4Léonor Duriot5Pierre Warnault6Carine Guillet-Claude7Mathilde Fréchet8Frédéric Bourgaud9Clariant Active Ingredients, 195 route d′Espagne, 31000 Toulouse, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FranceClariant Active Ingredients, 195 route d′Espagne, 31000 Toulouse, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FranceClariant Active Ingredients, 195 route d′Espagne, 31000 Toulouse, FrancePlant Advanced Technologies, 19 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre, FranceWe have used an original technology (Plant Milking Technology) based on aeroponic cultivation of plants associated with the gentle recovery of active ingredients from roots. Extraction of bioactive molecules was achieved by soaking the roots, still attached to the living plants, into a nontoxic solvent for a 2 h period. This nondestructive recovery process allows using the same root biomass for successive harvesting dates, in a recyclable way. We have applied this technology to <i>Morus alba</i> L. (mulberry tree), an emblematic tree of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Trees were aeroponically grown in large-scale devices (100 m<sup>2</sup>) and were submitted to nitrogen deprivation to increase the content in active molecules (prenylated flavonoids). The Plant Milking technology applied to <i>Morus alba</i> L. allowed to produce an extract enriched in prenylated compounds (18-fold increase when compared to commercial root extract). Prenylated flavonoids (moracenin A and B, kuwanon C, wittiorumin F, morusin) presented a high affinity for the aged-associated collagenase enzyme, which was confirmed by activity inhibition. In accordance, <i>M. alba</i> extract presents efficient properties to regulate the skin matrisome, which is critical during skin aging. The benefits have been especially confirmed in vivo on wrinkle reduction, in a clinical study that involved aged women. Plant Milking technology is an optimal solution to produce active ingredients from plant roots, including trees, that meet both customer expectations around sustainability, as well as the need for an efficient production system for biotechnologists.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/18/4162natural compoundrootsustainabilitymoracenin<i>Morus alba </i>L.prenylated flavonoids
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Hanane Chajra
Aleksander Salwinski
Agnès Guillaumin
Benoit Mignard
Paul Hannewald
Léonor Duriot
Pierre Warnault
Carine Guillet-Claude
Mathilde Fréchet
Frédéric Bourgaud
spellingShingle Hanane Chajra
Aleksander Salwinski
Agnès Guillaumin
Benoit Mignard
Paul Hannewald
Léonor Duriot
Pierre Warnault
Carine Guillet-Claude
Mathilde Fréchet
Frédéric Bourgaud
Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
Molecules
natural compound
root
sustainability
moracenin
<i>Morus alba </i>L.
prenylated flavonoids
author_facet Hanane Chajra
Aleksander Salwinski
Agnès Guillaumin
Benoit Mignard
Paul Hannewald
Léonor Duriot
Pierre Warnault
Carine Guillet-Claude
Mathilde Fréchet
Frédéric Bourgaud
author_sort Hanane Chajra
title Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
title_short Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
title_full Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
title_fullStr Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
title_full_unstemmed Plant Milking Technology—An Innovative and Sustainable Process to Produce Highly Active Extracts from Plant Roots
title_sort plant milking technology—an innovative and sustainable process to produce highly active extracts from plant roots
publisher MDPI AG
series Molecules
issn 1420-3049
publishDate 2020-09-01
description We have used an original technology (Plant Milking Technology) based on aeroponic cultivation of plants associated with the gentle recovery of active ingredients from roots. Extraction of bioactive molecules was achieved by soaking the roots, still attached to the living plants, into a nontoxic solvent for a 2 h period. This nondestructive recovery process allows using the same root biomass for successive harvesting dates, in a recyclable way. We have applied this technology to <i>Morus alba</i> L. (mulberry tree), an emblematic tree of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Trees were aeroponically grown in large-scale devices (100 m<sup>2</sup>) and were submitted to nitrogen deprivation to increase the content in active molecules (prenylated flavonoids). The Plant Milking technology applied to <i>Morus alba</i> L. allowed to produce an extract enriched in prenylated compounds (18-fold increase when compared to commercial root extract). Prenylated flavonoids (moracenin A and B, kuwanon C, wittiorumin F, morusin) presented a high affinity for the aged-associated collagenase enzyme, which was confirmed by activity inhibition. In accordance, <i>M. alba</i> extract presents efficient properties to regulate the skin matrisome, which is critical during skin aging. The benefits have been especially confirmed in vivo on wrinkle reduction, in a clinical study that involved aged women. Plant Milking technology is an optimal solution to produce active ingredients from plant roots, including trees, that meet both customer expectations around sustainability, as well as the need for an efficient production system for biotechnologists.
topic natural compound
root
sustainability
moracenin
<i>Morus alba </i>L.
prenylated flavonoids
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/18/4162
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