Application crude multienzyme extract from Aspergillus niger as a pretreatment for the extraction of essential oil from Croton argyrophyllus leaves.

Leaves of Croton argyrophyllus contain essential oil with promising active components for the development of drugs and botanical insecticides. In this study, we evaluated the enzymatic pre-treatment process to increase the extraction of essential oil from fresh and dried leaves of C. argyrophyllus. Pre-treatment was carried out using a crude multi-enzymatic extract obtained via solid-state fermentation of forage palm by Aspergillus niger, and the extraction was performed by hydrodistillation. A Doehlert matrix was used to optimize the enzymatic pre-treatment variables temperature and enzymatic extract. The effect of pre-treatment time was also investigated. At optimum experimental conditions, 41.34°C, 140 min, and 130.73 mL of enzyme in 369.27 mL of water, the essential oil yield from fresh leaves subjected to enzymatic pre-treatment increased by 9.35% and that from dry leaves by 6.77%. Based on chromatographic analysis (GC-MS), no compound was degraded in the extraction process. Micromorphological analysis confirmed the rupture of the glandular trichomes, favoring essential oil release. Therefore, enzymatic pre-treatment associated with hydrodistillation increased the essential oil yield and is a promising application to obtain essential oil for therapeutic purposes without altering its composition. Multi-enzymatic extract was obtained under SSF of forage palm by A. Niger. Enzymatic pre-treatment was optimized by Doehlert matrix design. Croton argyrophyllus essential oils were extracted by hydrodistillation. Microstructure and chemical composition were assessed by SEM and GC/MS, respectively. Essential oil yield increased, maintaining its chemical constituents. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.